Medical Assistant Education Needed Slatington PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Program near Slatington Pennsylvania

Slatington 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 Slatington PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Most prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You may choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have included a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Slatington PA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Slatington PA hospitals, clinics 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 facilities both. They are tasked with giving 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 samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options available 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 Training Programs

Unlike many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Slatington PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two options available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Slatington PA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good alternative for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized as well. Just keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be completed in Slatington PA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your training might be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Slatington PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Slatington PA medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Slatington PA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must look at when evaluating programs. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to ensure that the school you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved organizations 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 organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Slatington PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are considering offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Slatington PA area medical care providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Slatington health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Furnished? Landing that initial job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Slatington PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before choosing a college to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Slatington PA, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy 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 Slatington Pennsylvania?

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

Slatington, Pennsylvania

Slatington is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It is located 20 miles north of Bethlehem, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is 62 miles south of Scranton, and 70 miles north of Philadelphia.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2), of which 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (4.35%) is water.

Slatington's elevation is 738 feet above sea level. Slatington's elevation varies from 330 feet at the Lehigh River on the east side of town to 750 feet by the Union Cemetery on Route 873 to the south.

Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Slatington PA

Slatington PA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Education Needed. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Slatington PA.