How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Prentice Wisconsin
Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Prentice WI, it’s time to select a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many potential students start by checking out 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 extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You may choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have included some questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.
The Job of a Medical Assistant
The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Prentice WI clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work run successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Providing basic support during exams and procedures
Although medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Wisconsin 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) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Courses
Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Prentice WI health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two options available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about one year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Medical Assistant Online Colleges
There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good choice for students who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be performed in Prentice WI area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the best choice for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. Many potential Prentice WI medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those decisions 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 prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Prentice WI with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved organizations for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Prentice WI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, learn 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. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate 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 decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are looking at offer the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Prentice WI area medical providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students establish relationships within the Prentice health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Service Provided? Finding that very first job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Prentice WI area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests 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 get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend a few classes before choosing a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the program you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Prentice WI, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also have to schedule any internships or practical training that may be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Prentice Wisconsin?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Prentice WI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Prentice, Wisconsin
Prentice began as a lumber town, when Alexander Prentice of Portage formed the Jump River Lumber Company in 1882. The mill there sawed as much as 100,000 board feet of lumber a day until timber in the surrounding country dwindled in the 1890s.[6]
After the sawmill closed, the U.S. Leather Company's tannery ran until 1915, using local hemlock bark for its tanning process. And more and more farmers settled on the surrounding cut-over lands left by logging. Around 1903 a creamery in town began buying milk from them and selling butter.[6]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.02 square miles (5.23 km2), of which, 1.99 square miles (5.15 km2) of it is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2) is water.[1]
Choose the Right Medical Assistant Training Prentice WI
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Classes. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Prentice WI.
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