Clinical Medical Assistant Programs Sharon Hill PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near Sharon Hill Pennsylvania

Sharon Hill PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Sharon Hill PA, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Most prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might decide 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 program you must complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have provided some questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Sharon Hill PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their job is ensure that the Sharon Hill PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work run 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 giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and obtain 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 most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Sharon Hill PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about a year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly 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 Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Sharon Hill PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent choice for individuals who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue to work full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized also. But keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be completed in Sharon Hill PA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for individuals who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Sharon Hill PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received 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 apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Sharon Hill PA medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine 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 comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Sharon Hill PA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to look at when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the program you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Sharon Hill PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Sharon Hill PA area health care providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students establish relationships within the Sharon Hill health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Landing that first job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Sharon Hill PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates 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 attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the school you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Sharon Hill PA, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also have to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, ask what the policy 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 Sharon Hill Pennsylvania?

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

Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania

The Government of Sharon Hill operates under the Pennsylvania State Borough Code. The day to day operations of the borough are exercised through the Borough Manager who is currently Steve Travers. The Mayor of the Borough is Harry Dunfee. The borough currently has a total of 8 Councilmembers.

Sharon Hill is located in eastern Delaware County at 39°54′23″N 75°16′16″W / 39.90639°N 75.27111°W / 39.90639; -75.27111 (39.906340, -75.271008).[4] It is bordered to the west by Folcroft, to the north by Collingdale and Darby, to the east by Colwyn, and to the south by Darby Township. U.S. Route 13 (Chester Pike) is the main road through the borough, leading northeast 8 miles (13 km) to Center City Philadelphia and southwest 6 miles (10 km) to Chester.

As of Census 2010, the racial makeup of the borough was 32.6% White, 60.6% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.2% of the population [1].

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Training Sharon Hill PA

Sharon Hill PA medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, 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 Clinical Medical Assistant Programs. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision 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 choosing the right program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Sharon Hill PA.