Medical Assistant Colleges Near Me Hookstown PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training Program near Hookstown Pennsylvania

Hookstown PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hookstown PA, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You may want to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have provided a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Hookstown PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Hookstown PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

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

Medical Assistant Courses

Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Hookstown PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options available 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 complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Hookstown PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced also. But bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be completed in Hookstown PA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education might be the best option for you. With the online courses 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 requirement, but is a good choice for those who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting employment after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Hookstown PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Hookstown PA medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must choose which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Hookstown PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must look at when researching schools. To assist you with that process, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to verify that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Hookstown PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Hookstown PA area medical providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Hookstown health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Furnished? Landing that initial job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Hookstown PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the program you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Hookstown PA, make certain that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also need to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Hookstown Pennsylvania?

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

Hookstown, Pennsylvania

Hookstown is named after Matthias Hook,[4] early pioneer and Revolutionary War soldier, and his family. The only known surviving relatives are the McCormick family, who still reside in Hookstown and surrounding areas in western Pennsylvania.

Through his daughter Catherine Hook who married George Griffey there are many who can trace their roots back to Mathias living throughout the country. There has been a Griffey reunion held annually for more than a hundred years every June in West Springfield, PA.

Hookstown is located in western Beaver County at 40°35′56″N 80°28′27″W / 40.59889°N 80.47417°W / 40.59889; -80.47417 (40.598869, -80.474150).[5]Pennsylvania Route 168 runs through the community, leading northeast 3 miles (5 km) to the Ohio River borough of Shippingport and south 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to U.S. Route 30, the Lincoln Highway.

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Training Hookstown PA

Hookstown PA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Colleges Near Me. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Hookstown PA.