Certified Medical Assistant Schools Near Me Shenandoah PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Shenandoah Pennsylvania

Shenandoah PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Shenandoah PA, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? A number of future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You may choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Shenandoah PA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their duty is ensure that the Shenandoah PA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Giving general support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Shenandoah PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Shenandoah PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good option for students who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Shenandoah PA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the best option for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing a job after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Shenandoah PA medical employers simply will not hire 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) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Shenandoah PA medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Shenandoah 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 assessing programs. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to make certain that the program you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure 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 acknowledged 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 one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Shenandoah PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? 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 learn 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 instance, then of course you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the means 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 previously covered, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Shenandoah PA area medical care providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Shenandoah healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Finding that first job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Shenandoah PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Shenandoah PA, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Shenandoah Pennsylvania?

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

Shenandoah, Pennsylvania

Shenandoah is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States, located in the anthracite-mining region approximately 200 miles (320 km) west of New York City and 108 miles northwest of Philadelphia. It is distinct from Shenandoah Heights, which is part of West Mahanoy Township immediately to the north.

The area that became Shenandoah was first settled by a farmer named Peter Kehley in 1835 where he cleared a patch of land at the center of the valley and built a log cabin. Peter Kehley maintained his farm for about 20 years in total isolation.[3] He sold his claim to the Philadelphia Land Company, which in anticipation of the opening of coal mines in the area, laid out the town in 1862.[4]

Booming growth occurred during the Civil War years caused by the development and opening of several anthracite coal mines.[citation needed] The area was incorporated as a borough in 1866[4] and was a famous hotbed of activity during the era of the Molly Maguires in the 1870s.[citation needed]

Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Shenandoah PA

Shenandoah PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get 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 on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Schools Near Me. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Shenandoah PA.