How to Pick a Medical Assistant School Program near Prescott Washington
Now that you have decided to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Prescott WA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Most potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You may want to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.
The Job of a Medical Assistant
The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Prescott WA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Giving general support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Washington law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Programs
Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Prescott WA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about one year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Online Medical Assistant Colleges
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent option for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced as well. Just remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be performed in Prescott WA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your training may be the right choice for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for individuals who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Prescott WA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably 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 examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Prescott WA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should examine when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make sure that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must 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 either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Prescott WA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are looking at offer the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Prescott WA area health care providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students develop relationships within the Prescott medical community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Getting that first job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Prescott WA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to witness what the teaching environment 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 imperative that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Prescott WA, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Prescott Washington?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Prescott WA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Prescott, Washington
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 318 people, 136 households, and 84 families residing in the city. The population density was 795.0 inhabitants per square mile (307.0/km2). There were 156 housing units at an average density of 390.0 per square mile (150.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.9% White, 0.6% African American, 0.9% Native American, 6.0% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.4% of the population.
There were 136 households of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.2% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.
The median age in the city was 44.8 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.6% were from 25 to 44; 35.5% were from 45 to 64; and 14.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.3% male and 49.7% female.
Select the Ideal Medical Assistant College Prescott WA
It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the right info on available programs prior to 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, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Prerequisites. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Prescott WA.
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