How Long Is Medical Assistant Training Pottstown PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Pottstown Pennsylvania

Pottstown PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Pottstown PA, it’s time to select a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Many future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You might decide to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have included several questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Pottstown PA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their duty is ensure that the Pottstown PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training

Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Pottstown PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs available at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Pottstown PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced as well. But bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Pottstown PA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the ideal choice for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Pottstown PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Pottstown PA medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Pottstown PA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to examine when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to ensure that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, 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 program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Pottstown PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Pottstown PA area health care providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students establish relationships within the Pottstown healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Landing that very first job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Pottstown PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a school to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Pottstown PA, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also need to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Pottstown Pennsylvania?

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

Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Pottstown is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States about 40 miles (55 km) northwest of Philadelphia and 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Reading, on the Schuylkill River. Pottstown was laid out in 1752–53 and named Pottsgrove in honor of its founder, John Potts. The old name was abandoned at the time of the incorporation as a borough in 1815. In 1888, the limits of the borough were considerably extended. Pottstown is the center of a productive farming and dairying region.

Pottstown's iron and steel interests were once very extensive. There were large rolling mills, furnaces, nail works, textile mills, bridge works, agricultural-implement works, boiler and machine shops, foundries, and manufactories of bricks, silks, shirts, hosiery, etc. In 1900, 13,696 people lived there; in 1910, 15,599; in 1920, 17,431; and in 1940, 20,194. The population was 22,377 at the 2010 census.

Modern-day Pottstown is on land originally deeded to William Penn.[3] Germans, Swedes and English were among the area's first European settlers. After establishment of the first iron forge in 1714, Pottstown's fortunes became tied to the iron industry.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Pottstown PA

Pottstown PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program 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 obtain the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in How Long Is Medical Assistant Training. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure 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 rewarding career as a medical assistant in Pottstown PA.