How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Towanda Pennsylvania
Now that you have decided to join the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Towanda PA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Many prospective students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest 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 research some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.
The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant
The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their role is to make sure that the Towanda PA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers 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 tasked with providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties 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 verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Providing basic support during exams and procedures
Although medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some choose 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) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Programs
Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Towanda 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 essentially 2 options available for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Online Medical Assistant Classes
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good choice for those 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 solution for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Towanda PA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your training may be the right option for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Many possible Towanda 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 take the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Towanda PA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to examine when evaluating programs. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several good reasons to confirm that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Towanda PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to select a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in 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 one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Towanda PA area health care providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students develop relationships within the Towanda health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Support Offered? Getting that first job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Towanda PA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a program to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the college you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Towanda PA, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still have to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Towanda Pennsylvania?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Towanda PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Towanda, Pennsylvania
Towanda is a borough and the county seat of Bradford County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.[3] It is located 66 miles (106 km) northwest of Wilkes-Barre, on the Susquehanna River. The name means "burial ground" in the Algonquian language.[4] Settled in 1784 and incorporated in 1828, Towanda was once known primarily for its industrial interests, which included flour, planing and silk mills, a foundry and machine shop, dye works, and manufacturers of talking machines, cut glass, toys and furniture. The population in 1900 was 4,663 and 4,281 in 1910. As of the 2010 census the population of Towanda was 2,919.[5]
Towanda is located near the center of Bradford County at 41°46′13″N 76°26′48″W / 41.77028°N 76.44667°W / 41.77028; -76.44667 (41.770251, −76.446545),[7] on the west bank of the Susquehanna River. It is bordered to the north and west by North Towanda Township, to the south and west by Towanda Township, and to the east, across the river, by Wysox Township.
U.S. Route 6 passes through the center of the borough, leading southeast 39 miles (63 km) to Tunkhannock and 60 miles (97 km) to the Scranton area, and west 37 miles (60 km) to Mansfield. U.S. Route 220 bypasses the borough to the west and leads north 18 miles (29 km) to its terminus at Waverly, New York and southwest 67 miles (108 km) to Williamsport.
Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Course Towanda PA
It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Whether 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 obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Clinical Medical Assistant Schools. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Towanda PA.
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