Clinical Medical Assistant Stafford TX - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Stafford Texas

Stafford TX medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Stafford TX, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Most future students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You may decide to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Stafford TX nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their function is to make sure that the Stafford TX clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions 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 practices both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Texas law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain 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

Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Stafford TX health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Stafford TX There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent choice for students who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be performed in Stafford TX area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Stafford TX medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Stafford TX medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you must 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 choices have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Stafford TX with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain that the college you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must 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 one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Stafford TX employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Stafford TX area medical care providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students develop relationships within the Stafford healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Getting that very first job can be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Stafford TX area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much individual instruction 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 practical, try to attend 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 anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the school you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Stafford TX, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol 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 Stafford Texas?

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

Stafford, Texas

Stafford is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, within the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County, with a small portion in Harris County. As of the 2010 census, Stafford's population was 17,693,[3] up from 15,681 at the 2000 census. As of 2018 the population had risen to an estimated 21,265.[4]

William Stafford established a plantation with a cane mill and a horse-powered cotton gin in 1830. On April 15, 1836, during the Texas Revolution, the forces of Antonio López de Santa Anna stopped at Stafford's plantation and ordered it to be burned. Stafford rebuilt his plantation and resided there until his 1840 death. A settlement called "Stafford's Point" established itself around the plantation; it became a townsite in August 1853 when the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway began stopping there. Stafford's Point had a post office from 1854 to 1869. "Staffordville" had a post office from January 5, 1869 to February 26, 1869. The settlement, now known as "Stafford", operated a post office from 1869 to 1918; the post office reopened in 1929.[5]

In 1884, Stafford had 50 residents, two general stores, and a grocer. By 1896, the settlement had a population of 300. By 1914, the population fell to 100. In 1931, 320 people lived in Stafford. This increased to 400 residents in 1946. Stafford incorporated as a city in 1956.[5]

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Stafford TX

Stafford TX medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Clinical Medical Assistant. But irrespective 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, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Stafford TX.