Medical Assistant Certification Online Malvern PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Malvern Pennsylvania

Malvern PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Malvern PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? A number of potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You might choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have included 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 role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Malvern PA nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their role is ensure that the Malvern PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

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

While medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options 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 Programs

In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Malvern PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Malvern PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent alternative for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced also. Just remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be completed in Malvern PA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your education might be the best option for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for individuals who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a position after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Malvern PA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, 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 Colleges

Questions to ask Malvern PA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you must determine which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Malvern PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to look at when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the school you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Malvern PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must determine 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 example, then of course you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Malvern PA area health care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students establish relationships within the Malvern healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Finding that first job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Malvern PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much individual attention you will get throughout your training. Smaller 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 convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a school to see what the teaching atmosphere 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 to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Malvern PA, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Malvern Pennsylvania?

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

Malvern, Pennsylvania

Malvern is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is twenty-five miles (40 km) west of Philadelphia. The population was 2,998 at the 2010 census. The town is bordered by Paoli Pike on the south, Sugartown Road on the west, the Willistown Township on the east, and the East Whiteland Township on the north. It is south of US 30 and easily accessible to Route 202. The main road through the Borough is King Street, intersected by Warren Avenue. The Malvern ZIP code covers the Malvern Borough, and all or parts of East Whiteland, Charlestown, Willistown, East Goshen, East Pikeland, and Tredyffrin Townships. Malvern Borough is between Paoli on the east, and Immaculata University and Exton on the west. It is also a train stop on the SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale Line.

The area was originally settled by Welsh immigrants in the 17th century who bought land from William Penn.[4] Malvern is the site of the Paoli Massacre, which occurred September 20, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War under the command of General Anthony Wayne of nearby Easttown. In 1835, the East Whiteland Baptist Church moved to what is now its church and cemetery property, bounded by Channing, South Warren, and East First Avenues, and Roberts Lane. Changing its name to the Willistown Baptist Church, this institution then became the First Baptist Church of Malvern in 1900.

The church, trains, and a few businesses were the nucleus of this village, which was known for a long period as West Chester Intersection due to its position at the junction of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad and the West Chester Railroad.[5] In 1873, the town’s name was changed to Malvern when the Philadelphia and Columbia's successor, the Pennsylvania Railroad, straightened its tracks through the village. In 1879, the Malvern Friends Meeting was built at the northwest corner of Woodland Avenue and Roberts Lane, followed by the arrival of the Presbyterians and the Methodists prior to 1900.[6] The village's status as a railroad junction came to an end in March 1880 when the West Chester Railroad's northern terminal was moved west to Frazer, Pennsylvania.[7] Malvern Borough has a mix of residential styles and neighborhoods, retail and industrial businesses, dedicated open land, and numerous civic, cultural, and religious organizations.[6]

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Malvern PA

Malvern PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Certification Online. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided 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 selecting the ideal program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Malvern PA.