Medical Assistant Overview Montgomery TX - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Montgomery Texas

Montgomery TX medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Montgomery TX, it’s time to select a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the best one? Most potential students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You may choose to research several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are examining. 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 briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Montgomery TX nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Montgomery TX hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work run efficiently. Based 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 responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Giving general support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Texas law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Courses

Unlike many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Montgomery TX health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs usually 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 ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at junior and community colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often 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 Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Montgomery TX There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good choice for students who might not have time to go to 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 pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced also. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be performed in Montgomery TX area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training may be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for those who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Montgomery TX medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably 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, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Montgomery TX medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide 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 selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Montgomery TX with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should look at when evaluating programs. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to verify that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Montgomery TX employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to obtaining 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 about 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Montgomery TX area health care providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students develop relationships within the Montgomery health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Landing that initial job can be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Montgomery TX area and find out 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 Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full time, it’s essential that the program you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Montgomery TX, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Montgomery Texas?

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

Montgomery, Texas

The town of Montgomery was founded in the middle of the Lake Creek Settlement by W. W. Shepperd in July 1837 on 200 acres (0.81 km2) of land that had originally been part of the John Corner League. Shepperd had established the first store in the Lake Creek Settlement in 1835. W. W. Shepperd and his partner John Wyatt Moody named the town Montgomery.[6]

Local histories and accounts by 20th century historians held that the city and county of Montgomery were named after a family of early settlers to the area: Andrew Montgomery and Owen and Margaret Montgomery Shannon.[7][8] However, recent evidence provided by Carrol Cagle and Kameron Searle suggests that, while there were residents of the area with the surname "Montgomery" living in the area, it is more likely that the town and county were named after Lemuel P. Montgomery, a major of the U.S. Army during the Creek War.[6] According to Cagle, John Wyatt Moody, one of the founders of Montgomery, was the County Clerk for Montgomery County, Alabama, before moving to Texas. Montgomery County, Alabama, is named for Lemuel Montgomery.[9]Sam Houston, the President of the Republic of Texas when the town and county of Montgomery were founded, served in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend with Lemuel Montgomery and witnessed his death in the front lines of the battle.[10] According to Searle, Moody and his partner W.W. Shepperd may have used Houston's connection with Lemuel Montgomery to help promote the creation of Montgomery County, with the town of Montgomery as the county seat.[6]

On July 7, 1922, Edmund B. Stewart, son of the early Montgomery settler Charles B. Stewart, claimed in a letter that his father had drafted the original design of the Lone Star Flag, enclosing what he claimed was his father's draft of the flag's design.[6] To date, this letter and draft copy, along with claims by Stewart's descendants, remain the only evidence currently known that Charles Stewart was the designer of the flag.[11] In particular, the lack of evidence not directly tied to the Stewart family has caused many flag historians to question Stewart's claim.[11][12][13][14] As a legacy of the Stewart claim, one of the nicknames for the city of Montgomery is "Birthplace of the Texas Flag."[15]

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Course Montgomery TX

Montgomery TX medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many 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, verify that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Overview. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision 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 choosing the right program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Montgomery TX.