Medical Assistant Schools Near Me Perkasie PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training Program near Perkasie Pennsylvania

Perkasie PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Perkasie PA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Most future students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You might choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Perkasie PA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Perkasie PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type 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 may also be found working 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
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the options 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 Courses

In contrast to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Perkasie PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational 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 often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical 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 Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Perkasie PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good choice for students who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened as well. Just remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be carried out in Perkasie PA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the right option for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing employment after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Perkasie PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Perkasie PA medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Perkasie PA with the cheapest 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 must look at when researching programs. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the college you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete 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 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 normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many prospective Perkasie PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make certain that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Perkasie PA area medical providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the Perkasie medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Landing that first job can be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Perkasie PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the program you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Perkasie PA, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy 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 Perkasie Pennsylvania?

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

Perkasie, Pennsylvania

Perkasie is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 35 miles (56 km) north of Philadelphia. Establishments in the borough early in the twentieth century included silk mills, baseballs, brickyards, lumber mills, tile works, a stone crusher, and manufacturies of cigars, tags and labels, wire novelties, etc. The population in 1900 was 1,803; in 1910, 2,779 people lived in Perkasie. The population was 8,511 at the 2010 census.

Both the town of Perkasie and Pocasie Creek derive their name from the Lenape Unami phrase Pèhpahkàsink/Poekskossing which translates to "One who goes to the place to crack nuts" Or " one who cracks nuts there". Pahkàsink/Pokesing means "a place to crack nuts". Lastly, Pahkàsi/Pocasie means "to crack nuts". The Dutch/Swedish (before the British settlements) pronounced the word with an r and it stuck. Sink sounded a lot like sing which translates to place or area. There was doubtless a village on the site of the present town before William Penn’s Perkasie Manor was settled."[3] "The "Manor" of Perkasie was one of several in Bucks County and contained 11,462 acres (4,639 ha). Laid out and surveyed in 1708 it embraced most of Hilltown and Rockhill Township."[4]

On June 8, 1890, a disastrous fire began at the livery stable located at 7th and Chestnut Streets; twelve buildings were destroyed. Personal buckets and ladders were used to extinguish the fire. Less than a month later, on July 4, 1890, a committee appointed by Perkasie Borough Council met to form the Hope Fire Company. On September 8, 1890, the Hope Fire Company met at Groover's Hall (517 Chestnut Street) and adopted a constitution and by-laws; 32 members were present.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant College Perkasie PA

Perkasie PA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Schools Near Me. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan 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 in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Perkasie PA.