How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near Land o Lakes Wisconsin
Now that you have decided to become a part of the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Land o Lakes WI, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? A number of prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You may want 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 program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.
The Duties of a Medical Assistant
The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is ensure that the Land o Lakes WI clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work run efficiently. Depending 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 providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Giving basic support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Wisconsin law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain 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 Programs
Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Land o Lakes WI health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, a few 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 acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Classes
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent option for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Land o Lakes WI area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the ideal choice for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a job after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Land o Lakes WI medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify 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 available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Land o Lakes WI with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must examine when researching schools. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make sure that the college you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Land o Lakes WI 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 schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to select a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.
Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Land o Lakes WI area medical providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students establish relationships within the Land o Lakes health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Getting that very first job can be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Land o Lakes WI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a college to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Land o Lakes WI, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also have to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Land o Lakes Wisconsin?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Land o Lakes WI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin
The Town of Land o' Lakes is located in north-central Vilas County along the border with the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The headwaters of a branch of the Ontonagon River is located in the town at the Cisco Chain of lakes, and the upper part of the Wisconsin River flows through the town, with the headwaters being located just to the east at Lac Vieux Desert. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 95.3 square miles (246.9 km²) of which 83.1 square miles (215.2 km²) is land and 12.2 square miles (31.7 km²) (12.83%) is water. The town is very long and narrow, with the town center, government offices, and most services located in the unincorporated community of Land o' Lakes at the far eastern end of the town.
At the 2010 census,[2] there were 861 people, 433 households and 264 families residing in the town. The population density was 10.6 per square mile (4.1/km²). There were 1,337 housing units at an average density of 16.1 per square mile (6.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.41% White, 0.68% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.45% from other races, and 0.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.45% of the population.
There were 433 households of which 14.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.6% were non-families. 37.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.99 and the average family size was 2.57.
Select the Right Medical Assistant School Land o Lakes WI
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon 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, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Community College. 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, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Land o Lakes WI.
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