Medical Assistant How Long Homestead PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near Homestead Pennsylvania

Homestead PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Homestead PA, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently pick the best one? A number of future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may want to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided several questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Homestead PA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their role is ensure that the Homestead PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

In contrast to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Homestead PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Homestead PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good alternative for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be completed in Homestead PA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the right choice for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Homestead PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Homestead PA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to choose which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Homestead PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must explore when assessing programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several good reasons to confirm that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved agencies for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Homestead PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Homestead PA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Homestead healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Landing that initial job can be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Homestead PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a college to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Homestead PA, make certain that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still have to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Homestead Pennsylvania?

If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Homestead PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.

Homestead, Pennsylvania

Homestead is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, in the Monongahela River valley 7 miles (11 km) southeast of downtown Pittsburgh and directly across the river from the city limit line. The borough is known for the Homestead Strike of 1892, an important event in the history of labor relations in the United States. The population of Homestead was 3,165 at the 2010 census.[3]

The area on the south bank of the Monongahela River now comprising the boroughs of Homestead, Munhall and West Homestead saw the first white settlers arrive in the 1770s. One hundred years later, much of the existing farmland on the flats and hillsides by the river was purchased, laid out in lots and sold by local banks and land owners to create the town of Homestead. The town was chartered in 1880. The building of a railroad, glass factory, and in 1881 the first iron mill began a period of rapid growth and prosperity. In 1883, Andrew Carnegie bought out Homestead Steel Works, adding it to his empire of steel and coke enterprises. Carnegie had recently acquired a controlling interest in Henry Clay Frick's coke works on the Monongahela, setting the stage for the dramatic labor clash in Homestead.

Homestead gained international notoriety in July 1892 as the site of a violent clash between locked-out steelworkers and hired Pinkerton guards, known as the Homestead Strike. When Henry Clay Frick, manager for Andrew Carnegie, owner of the local Homestead Steel Works, announced in the spring of 1892 that skilled workers would receive a reduction in wages, the advisory committee of the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers refused to sign a new contract. Carnegie's management locked the workforce out, declaring that the union would no longer be recognized at the steel works.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Course Homestead PA

Homestead PA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant How Long. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Homestead PA.