Schools That Offer Medical Assistant Oreland PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Program near Oreland Pennsylvania

Oreland PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Oreland PA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? A number of future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest 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 as well. You might choose to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have included several questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Oreland PA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Oreland PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Giving general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a particular 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

Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Oreland PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Oreland PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent option for individuals who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized also. But bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be carried out in Oreland PA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the right option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Oreland PA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded 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. Other certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Oreland PA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Oreland PA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should examine when researching programs. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many great reasons to ensure that the college you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training 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 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Oreland PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest 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 receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, make certain that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Oreland PA area medical providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Oreland healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Finding that initial job can be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Oreland PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a school to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the program you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Oreland PA, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, ask 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 Oreland Pennsylvania?

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

Oreland, Pennsylvania

Oreland is a United States census-designated place (CDP) in Springfield and Upper Dublin townships, just outside the Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy areas of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Oreland has a ZIP code of 19075, and the population was 5,678 at the 2010 census.

In 1686, Thomas Fitzwater discovered vast lime deposits on his land in Oreland. He erected a kiln to process it, which by 1693 had attracted the attention of William Penn. Penn ordered a highway built from the port of the Delaware River to the kiln. Named Limekiln Pike, and still in existence today, it was one of the first roads in the area. These lime deposits and the ore deposits also found in the area gave Oreland its name. Mining and farming would dominate Oreland's economy until the 20th century, when Oreland transformed into a residential suburb of Philadelphia, as it remains today.

The village of Oreland was not laid out until 1889 near the North Penn Railroad running along the east side of town (currently SEPTA's Lansdale/Doylestown Line). The Plymouth Railroad ran from Conshohocken to Oreland through Plymouth and Flourtown. The tracks were mostly removed in the 1980s. The path where the trains used to run begins northeast of the Oreland Station Apartments, next to Ehrenpfort Road, and runs southwest towards Flourtown. The actual tracks, which still connect to SEPTA's Lansdale/Doylestown Line, end near the corner of Montgomery Avenue and Lyster Road. The path continues all the way to Flourtown, although in the 1990s the path was cut at Oreland Mill Road by housing built on both sides. The remainder of the path today is used primarily by children, runners and bikers.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Course Oreland PA

Oreland PA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Schools That Offer Medical Assistant. But regardless of the kind 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 supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Oreland PA.