Certified Medical Assistant Classes Wilmerding PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Wilmerding Pennsylvania

Wilmerding PA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Wilmerding PA, it’s time to select a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You might choose to research some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided several questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Wilmerding PA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their function is ensure that the Wilmerding PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size 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 health professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible functions 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 fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Pennsylvania law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Wilmerding PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical 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 related field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Wilmerding PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good choice for those who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Wilmerding PA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the best choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for those who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in attaining employment after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Wilmerding PA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Wilmerding PA medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must determine which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Wilmerding PA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should look at when assessing programs. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to make sure that the college you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Wilmerding PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Second, 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 means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, 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, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

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

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Landing that initial job can be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Wilmerding PA area and ask 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 health care community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can 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 increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the program you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Wilmerding PA, make certain 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, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Wilmerding Pennsylvania?

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

Wilmerding, Pennsylvania

Wilmerding is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,190 at the 2010 census.[3] It is located 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Pittsburgh. At the start of the twentieth century, it had extensive foundries and machine shops of the Westinghouse Air Brake Company. Wilmerding is adjacent to the borough of Turtle Creek, which takes its name from a small stream that flows past both places.

George Westinghouse purchased land in the Turtle Creek valley in 1887 and 1888 as a site for his Westinghouse Air Brake Company and related facilities. Westinghouse then sold the land to the East Pittsburgh Improvement Company, incorporated in December 1888, to develop the site, and it began the sale of lots in June 1889.[4]

Wilmerding's most notable historic structure is the Westinghouse Air Brake Company General Office Building (1889–1890, rebuilt 1896), designed by Frederick J. Osterling and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5][6]

Choose the Best Medical Assistant School Wilmerding PA

Wilmerding PA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Classes. But regardless 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, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Wilmerding PA.