Medical Assistant Community College Lugoff SC - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School near Lugoff South Carolina

Lugoff SC medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lugoff SC, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Many prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might decide to research some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have included some questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Lugoff SC nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their duty is ensure that the Lugoff SC hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are authorized to under South Carolina law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices available 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 Programs

Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Lugoff SC health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. 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 related field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Lugoff SC There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good alternative for those who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized as well. Just remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Lugoff SC area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the best option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a job after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Lugoff SC medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Lugoff SC medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Lugoff SC with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you must examine when assessing schools. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to ensure that the program you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction 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 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 school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many prospective Lugoff SC employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Lugoff SC area medical care providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students develop relationships within the Lugoff healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Landing that first job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Lugoff SC area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before choosing a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the college you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Lugoff SC, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Lugoff South Carolina?

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

Lugoff, South Carolina

Lugoff (pronounced Lew goff) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kershaw County, South Carolina, United States. The population was approximately 7,434 as of the 2010 census and was nearly 85% rural in 2000. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census[1] of 2010, there were 7,434 people, 2,364 households, and 1,846 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 488.9 people per square mile (188.8/km²). There were 2,467 housing units at an average density of 192.1 per square mile (74.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 82.56% White, 15.45% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.32% of the population.

There were 2,364 households out of which 40.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.04.

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Lugoff SC

Lugoff SC medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Community College. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Lugoff SC.