How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Lafayette Tennessee
Now that you have decided to become a part of the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lafayette TN, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? A number of potential students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may decide to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided several questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.
The Role of Medical Assistants
The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Lafayette TN hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they may 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 working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and verifying appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Supplying general support during exams and procedures
Although medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Tennessee law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options 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 Education
Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Lafayette TN health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two options available for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges together with 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 training. They frequently have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Medical Assistant Online Programs
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good choice for individuals who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be carried out in Lafayette TN area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the right option for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some potential Lafayette TN medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Lafayette TN with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should examine when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the program you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Lafayette TN employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must find out 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 naturally you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, find out 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 college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Lafayette TN area health care providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Lafayette health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Landing that initial job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Lafayette TN area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get 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 practical, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a school 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 program while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the college you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Lafayette TN, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Lafayette Tennessee?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Lafayette TN area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Lafayette, Tennessee
Lafayette is located at 36°31′32″N 86°01′34″W / 36.525595°N 86.026246°W / 36.525595; -86.026246.[7] The city is situated near the center of Macon County, along a relatively broad stretch of the northern Highland Rim. Lafayette straddles a divide between the Barren River and Cumberland River, with streams in the northeastern part of the city (including Town Creek) draining into the former, and streams in the southwestern part of the city draining into the latter.
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 3,885 people, 1,718 households, and 1,089 families residing in the city. The population density was 888.4 people per square mile (343.3/km2). There were 1,845 housing units at an average density of 421.9 per square mile (163.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.89% White, 0.15% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.26% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.11% of the population.
There were 1,718 households out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.79.
Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Lafayette TN
It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Registered Medical Assistant Exam. 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, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Lafayette TN.
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