Medical Assistant Major Nazareth PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Nazareth Pennsylvania

Nazareth PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Nazareth PA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Many prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You might choose to research some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have provided some questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Nazareth PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their role is ensure that the Nazareth PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options 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

Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Nazareth PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Nazareth PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent alternative for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened also. But remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be completed in Nazareth PA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training might be the best choice for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. Many possible Nazareth PA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Nazareth PA medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you must choose which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Nazareth PA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must examine when assessing programs. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to verify that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must 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 agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Nazareth PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about two years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Nazareth PA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students build relationships within the Nazareth medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Landing that first job can be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Nazareth PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a few classes before selecting a school to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Nazareth PA, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also need to schedule all internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Nazareth Pennsylvania?

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

Nazareth, Pennsylvania

Nazareth is located seven miles northwest of Easton, four miles north of Bethlehem and twelve miles northeast of Allentown. It is located in the center of Northampton County, and is part of Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley region.

The borough is named for the Biblical town of Nazareth, where Jesus spent his youth. The names of other places in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania are similarly inspired, including Bethlehem, Emmaus, Egypt, and Allentown's Jordan Creek.[3]

Nazareth was founded in 1740 by Moravian immigrants from Germany. The property was purchased from George Whitefield after the construction of the Whitefield House. Initially, Nazareth was specifically Moravian by charter. Outside faiths were not allowed to purchase property within Nazareth, a basically all German Protestant community.

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant College Nazareth PA

Nazareth PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in medical care 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 such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Major. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan 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 supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Nazareth PA.