Medical Assistant Bachelor Degree Seven Valleys PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training School near Seven Valleys Pennsylvania

Seven Valleys PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Seven Valleys PA, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the best one? A number of future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You might want to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have included several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Seven Valleys PA nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their duty is to make sure that the Seven Valleys PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the choices 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

Unlike many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Seven Valleys PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Seven Valleys PA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent option for students who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Seven Valleys PA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the best choice for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Seven Valleys PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Seven Valleys PA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Seven Valleys PA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you should look at when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to confirm that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Seven Valleys PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must determine 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 obviously you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, 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 assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the schools you are looking at provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Seven Valleys PA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Seven Valleys medical community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Getting that first 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 Seven Valleys PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Seven Valleys PA, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Seven Valleys Pennsylvania?

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

Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania

The Seven Valleys basin was settled by forty families of the German Lutheran and Reformed faiths. They originated in the Hunsruck Mountains of the Rhineland Palatinate and arrived in this valley of the Codorus during the early fall of 1738. The lush meadows and gently rolling hills here reminded them of their homeland, even to the presence of seven valleys in the vicinity, and they called it Das Siebenthal, which in German means Seven Valleys.

By 1752 these religious hardworking farmers had organized churches and parochial schools, and holding fast to their German heritage, worshipped God and taught their children in the Pfalzer dialect of the German language for nearly 150 years.

With the coming of the railroad in 1838 and the opportunity to trade commercially with the outside world, the use of the English language gradually crept into the culture and by the end of the Civil War the use of German slowly began fading into the background.

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant School Seven Valleys PA

Seven Valleys PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as 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 Medical Assistant Bachelor Degree. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Seven Valleys PA.