Medical Assistant Programs South Houston TX - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Program near South Houston Texas

South Houston TX medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near South Houston TX, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Most prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You may decide to research some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have included a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with South Houston TX nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their role is ensure that the South Houston TX hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential responsibilities 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 fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Texas law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the choices 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 Education

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of South Houston TX health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two choices 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 complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive 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 involving an internship with a local medical practice. 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.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in South Houston TX There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent 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 an especially good solution for students who continue to work full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in South Houston TX area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the right option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a job after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible South Houston TX medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask South Houston TX medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After those selections have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to South Houston TX with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to examine when assessing schools. 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 Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to ensure that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective South Houston TX employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with South Houston TX area healthcare providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the South Houston healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Getting that first job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the South Houston TX area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near South Houston TX, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near South Houston Texas?

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

South Houston, Texas

South Houston is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, within Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area and Harris County. The population was 16,983 at the 2010 census.[3] It is bordered by the cities of Houston and Pasadena, and geographically located southeast of Houston.

C.S. Woods of the Western Land Company founded the settlement of Dumont in 1907. A post office appeared in 1910. In 1913 Dumont was incorporated as the city of South Houston.[4] Because of the 1913 incorporation, Houston did not incorporate South Houston's territory into its city limits, while Houston annexed surrounding areas that were unincorporated.[5] South Houston's initial industrial activity consisted of shipping produce along the Galveston, Houston and Henderson Railroad. The hurricane of 1915 destroyed many of the local industries. The establishment of the Houston Ship Channel resulted in the establishment of manufacturing industries inland, including in South Houston. Between the 1940s and the early 1960s South Houston found rapid population growth. The city had 7,523 inhabitants in 1960. In 1980 South Houston had 11,782 inhabitants and 303 businesses. In 1990 14,207 inhabitants lived in South Houston.[4]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 15,833 people, 4,593 households, and 3,697 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 33% White, 1.04% African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 27.74% from other races, and 4.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 77.93% of the population.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant Program South Houston TX

South Houston TX medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Whether you’re planning 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 appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Programs. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in South Houston TX.