How to Pick a Medical Assistant School Program near Henning Tennessee
Now that you have decided to join the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Henning TN, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? Many potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You may want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.
The Duties of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their role is ensure that the Henning TN hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending 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 can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Giving general support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Tennessee law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Programs
Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Henning TN health care employers prefer to 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 quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Colleges
There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good option for those who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened also. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be performed in Henning TN area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the right choice for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Henning TN medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. 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 sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Henning TN with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you must look at when researching programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Henning TN employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready 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 for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about 2 years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Henning TN area medical care providers. They are a great method to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Henning health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing that first job may be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Henning TN 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 healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual attention you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the college you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Henning TN, verify 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 may be required. Also, 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 Henning Tennessee?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Henning TN area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Henning, Tennessee
The infamous Battle of Fort Pillow, a Civil War victory for the Confederates, took place near Henning. Here, nearly 200 black and white troops serving in the Union Army were killed by Confederates under the command of General Nathan Bedford Forrest.
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 970 people, 362 households, and 238 families residing in the town. The population density was 752.3 people per square mile (290.3/km²). There were 406 housing units at an average density of 314.9 per square mile (121.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 22.37% White, 74.85% African American, 1.34% Native American, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.41% of the population.
There were 362 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.4% were married couples living together, 26.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.37.
Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Henning TN
It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Online. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Henning TN.
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