Certified Medical Assistant Certification North Lakewood WA

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near North Lakewood Washington

North Lakewood WA medical assistant checking pulseNow that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near North Lakewood WA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? A number of 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 very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You may decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have included some questions that you need to ask each of the colleges 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 kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with North Lakewood WA nursing home patientThe responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their function is to make sure that the North Lakewood WA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many responsibilities 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 tissue and fluid specimens
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
  • Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may perform almost any task they are qualified to under Washington law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices available 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

In contrast to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many North Lakewood WA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in North Lakewood WAThere are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent alternative for those 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 working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. But remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be carried out in North Lakewood WA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to 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 provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for those who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential North Lakewood WA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask North Lakewood WA medical assistant programsPrior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to North Lakewood WA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should examine when assessing schools. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective North Lakewood WA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to 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 example, then naturally you will need to select a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant programs offer internship programs with North Lakewood WA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the North Lakewood medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Landing that initial job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the North Lakewood WA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a school to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near North Lakewood WA, verify that those times are offered. 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 will be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near North Lakewood Washington?

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

Lakewood, Ohio

Lakewood is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Greater Cleveland Metropolitan Area, and borders the city of Cleveland. The population was 52,131 at the 2010 United States Census,[7] making it the third largest city in Cuyahoga County, behind Cleveland (396,815) and Parma (81,601).

Lakewood, one of Cleveland's inner-ring suburbs, borders the city of Cleveland to the west. Lakewood's population density is the highest of any city in Ohio and is roughly comparable to that of Washington, DC.

The wilderness west of the Cuyahoga River was delayed being settled due to a treaty the American government made with the Indians in 1785, whereby no white man was to settle on that land. Consequently, when Moses Cleaveland arrived in 1796, his activities were confined to the east side of the river. Subsequently, in Detroit, Michigan, on January 18, 1796, twenty-nine leaders of the Ottawa, Chippewa, and other tribes signed another treaty that provided for the lease of the lands west of the Cuyahoga River for 999 years for the sum of five shillings per acre.

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant College North Lakewood WA

North Lakewood WA medical assistant studentIt’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on 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 Certified Medical Assistant Certification. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend 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 supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in North Lakewood WA.

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