How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School Program near Osceola Mills Pennsylvania
Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Osceola Mills PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the best one? A number of future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You may want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have included several questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.
The Role of Medical Assistants
The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Osceola Mills PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
- Supplying general support during exams and procedures
Even though medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain 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 Courses
Compared to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Osceola Mills PA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices provided for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about one year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Colleges
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good alternative for students who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened as well. But bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be completed in Osceola Mills PA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your education may be the right option for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Osceola Mills PA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Osceola Mills PA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you should examine when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the college you enroll in 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 plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved agencies for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Osceola Mills PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.
Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get 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 opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, verify that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Osceola Mills PA area medical providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Osceola Mills health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Landing that first job can be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Osceola Mills PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the college you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Osceola Mills PA, make certain that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still have to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Osceola Mills Pennsylvania?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Osceola Mills PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Osceola Mills, Pennsylvania
Osceola Mills is located along the southeastern border of Clearfield County at 40°51′10″N 78°16′14″W / 40.85278°N 78.27056°W / 40.85278; -78.27056 (40.852870, -78.270455).[4] It is on the north side of Moshannon Creek, which forms the boundary between Clearfield and Centre counties.
Pennsylvania Route 53 passes through Osceola Mills, leading northeast 4 miles (6 km) to Philipsburg and southwest 5 miles (8 km) to Houtzdale. Pennsylvania Route 970 crosses PA 53 in the center of town and leads northwest 20 miles (32 km) to Clearfield, the county seat, and southeast 4 miles (6 km) to Sandy Ridge.
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 1,249 people, 522 households, and 342 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,717.8 people per square mile (1,418.4/km²). There were 581 housing units at an average density of 1,729.4 per square mile (659.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.44% White, 0.16% Native American, 0.16% Asian, and 0.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.
Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Osceola Mills PA
It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will provide the proper 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 life long career, you need to acquire the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Quick Medical Assistant Programs. But regardless of the kind 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 choosing the best program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Osceola Mills PA.
More Medical Locations in Pennsylvania
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
3 Reviews 