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How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training School near Oakmont Pennsylvania

Oakmont PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Oakmont PA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? A number of prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You may choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Oakmont PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their job is to make sure that the Oakmont PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can 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 choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training

Compared to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Oakmont PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Oakmont PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent choice for individuals who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened as well. Just remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Oakmont PA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the right option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Oakmont PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Oakmont PA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Oakmont PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to examine when assessing programs. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make sure that the college you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Oakmont 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 schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Oakmont PA area medical providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students establish relationships within the Oakmont medical community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Finding that first job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Oakmont 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 suggests that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full time, it’s important that the college you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Oakmont PA, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still need to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Oakmont Pennsylvania?

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

Oakmont, Pennsylvania

Incorporated as a town in 1889, this Allegheny River community began in 1816 when a farmer, Michael Bright, bought a large tract of land 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Pittsburgh. The settlement took its name from a landmark tree, as the deed description reads, "Beginning at a black oak on the bank of the Allegheny River ..." The borough is best known for the nearby Oakmont Country Club, a premier golf course which has been the site of numerous U.S. Open golf tournaments, including the 2016 U.S. Open.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km2), of which 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2), or 8.99%, is water. The business district of town is on relatively flat land near the Allegheny River, but the main residential area is on the upward slope headed toward Oakmont Country Club and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Plum Creek flows through the borough.[5]

Oakmont has three land borders, including Plum to the east, and Penn Hills and Verona to the south. Across the Allegheny River to the west and northwest, Oakmont runs adjacent with O'Hara Township to the west and Harmar Township to the north (via the Hulton Bridge).

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Oakmont PA

Oakmont PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning 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 get the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Become A Certified Medical Assistant Fast. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Oakmont PA.