Colleges That Offer Medical Assistant Degrees Travelers Rest SC

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training Program near Travelers Rest South Carolina

Travelers Rest SC medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have decided to join the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Travelers Rest SC, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Many future students begin by researching 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 extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You might want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included several questions that you need to ask each 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 kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Travelers Rest SC nursing home patientThe role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their role is ensure that the Travelers Rest SC clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers 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 assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

  • Completing insurance forms and filing claims
  • Setting and confirming appointments
  • Taking vital signs and weighing patients
  • Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
  • Giving basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under South Carolina law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Travelers Rest SC health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied 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 Travelers Rest SCThere are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent alternative for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened also. Just remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be completed in Travelers Rest SC area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the best choice for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Travelers Rest SC medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Travelers Rest SC medical assistant programsPrior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Travelers Rest SC with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should look at when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to make sure that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education 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 accepted 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 either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Travelers Rest SC employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, learn 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 evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Travelers Rest SC area medical care providers. They are a great method to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Travelers Rest health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing that initial job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Travelers Rest SC area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good 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 might be an indicator of how much individual attention you will get throughout 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 convenient, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the college you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Travelers Rest SC, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Travelers Rest South Carolina?

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

Travelers Rest, South Carolina

Travelers Rest is a city in Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,576 at the 2010 census,[4] up from 4,099 in 2000. The population was an estimated 4,994 in 2015. It is part of the Greenville–Mauldin–Easley Metropolitan Statistical Area. Travelers Rest is located between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Greenville, the primary city of the Upstate region of South Carolina. The campus of Furman University is located just south of the city limits of Travelers Rest, but the university retains a Greenville address based on its ZIP code. The name "Travelers Rest" came from the fact that it is situated close to the border with the North Carolina mountains. Travelers would stop for a moment in the town before they began the difficult journey into the mountains.[5] Travelers would often have to spend the winter there, waiting for the snow to clear in the mountains before continuing northward.

The John H. Goodwin House and George Salmon House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6] A marker has been placed at the site of the home of Dicey Langston, regarded as a "heroine in the American Revolution", home on Tigerville Road.[7]

Travelers Rest is located north of the center of Greenville County at 34°58′12″N 82°26′16″W / 34.97000°N 82.43778°W / 34.97000; -82.43778 (34.970100, -82.437814).[8]U.S. Route 276 passes through the center of town as Main Street, leading northwest 25 miles (40 km) to the North Carolina border at the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains north of Caesars Head and south 9 miles (14 km) to the center of Greenville. U.S. Route 25 passes through the east side of the city, leading north 30 miles (48 km) to Hendersonville, North Carolina, and south 12 miles (19 km) to Interstate 185 to the west of Greenville.

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant College Travelers Rest SC

Travelers Rest SC medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Colleges That Offer Medical Assistant Degrees. 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 supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Travelers Rest SC.

More Medical Locations in South Carolina

  • Medical Assistant Years Of School Pauline SC
  • Medical Assistant Tech Saluda SC
  • Schools That Offer Medical Assistant Santee SC
  • Certify Medical Assistant Salem SC
  • How To Be A Medical Assistant Hartsville SC
  • Medical Assistant Programs Near Me Blythewood SC
  • Quick Medical Assistant Programs Spartanburg SC
  • Accelerated Medical Assistant Programs Jenkinsville SC
  • Certified Medical Assistant Duties Mountville SC
  • Medical Assistant Graduation Pineland SC
  •  

     

    The location could not be found.

     

    Business Results 1 - 10 of 24

    Bon Secours Express Care
    3 Reviews
    Urgent Care
    Phone:
    75 E McBee Ave, Bon Secours Health System, Greenville, SC 29601

    EmergencyMD
    18 Reviews
    Urgent Care, Diagnostic Services, Walk-in Clinics
    Phone:
    2498 N Pleasantburg Dr, Ste B, Greenville, SC 29609

    St. Francis Primary Care Downtown
    1 Reviews
    Medical Centers
    Phone:
    317 Saint Francis Dr, Ste 220, Greenville, SC 29601

    ComfortMax Home Healthcare, LLC
    1 Reviews
    Home Health Care
    Phone:
    202 Adley Way, Greenville, SC 29607

    AFC Urgent Care - Woodruff
    12 Reviews
    Urgent Care, Walk-in Clinics
    Phone:
    1467 Woodruff Rd, Ste C, Greenville, SC 29607

    Home Care Assistance - Greenville
    2 Reviews
    Home Health Care
    Phone:
    7 Brendan Way, Ste B, Greenville, SC 29615

    AFC Urgent Care Greer
    3 Reviews
    Urgent Care, Walk-in Clinics, Laboratory Testing
    Phone:
    1494 W Wade Hampton Blvd, Ste C, Greer, SC 29650

    Windsor House Greenville
    1 Reviews
    Assisted Living Facilities
    Phone:
    1931 Pelham Rd, Greenville, SC 29615

    Senior Helpers
    1 Reviews
    Home Health Care, Elder Care Planning, Personal Care Services
    Phone:
    114 Williams St, Ste B, Greenville, SC 29601

    AFC Urgent Care Cherrydale
    9 Reviews
    Urgent Care, Walk-in Clinics
    Phone:
    3213 N Pleasantburg Dr, Ste E-2, Greenville, SC 29609