How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Watertown Wisconsin
Once you have decided to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Watertown WI, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? Many prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You may want to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have included a few 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 role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.
The Job of Medical Assistants
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their role is ensure that the Watertown WI clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical 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 performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Giving basic support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Wisconsin law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options 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 Training
Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Watertown WI health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges in addition to 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 training. They frequently have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical 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 Courses
There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good alternative for students who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be performed in Watertown WI area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training may be the best option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for individuals who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a job after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Watertown WI medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided 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, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Watertown WI with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to look at when assessing programs. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to verify that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Watertown WI employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Watertown WI area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Watertown medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Assistance Furnished? Landing that first job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Watertown WI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Watertown WI, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any clinical training or internships that might be required. Also, 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 Watertown Wisconsin?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Watertown WI area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Watertown, Wisconsin
Watertown is a city in Dodge and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Most of the city's population is in Jefferson County. Division Street, several blocks north of downtown, marks the county line. The population of Watertown was 23,861 at the 2010 census.[6] Of this, 15,402 were in Jefferson County, and 8,459 were in Dodge County.
Watertown was first settled by Timothy Johnson, who built a cabin on the west side of the Rock River in 1836. He was born in Middleton, Middlesex County, Connecticut, on the 28th of June, 1792.[7] A park on the west side of the city is named in his honor. The area was settled to utilize the power of the Rock River, which falls 20 feet (6.1 m) in two miles (two 10-foot (3.0 m) dams). In contrast, the Rock River falls only 34 feet (10 m) in 58 miles (93 km) upstream from Watertown.[8] The water power was first used for sawmills, and later prompted the construction of two hydroelectric dams, one downtown (where the river flows south) and one on the eastern edge of the city (where the river flows north).
In the 1850s, immigrants arrived in Watertown from Germany. These people were fleeing revolutions and turmoil in Germany, which often saw pogroms against the wealthy. It was deemed better to be poor or middle class in America than it was to be wealthy in Germany, as a result most of the German immigrants who arrived in Watertown brought with them the trappings of the German middle class, including a proclivity for classical music, the Latin language and ornate furniture. Unlike other instances in other parts of the country in which they faced discrimination and xenophobia, they were welcomed with open arms by the English-Puritan descended "Yankee" population of Watertown and Jefferson County as a whole. This warm reception led to chain migration, which in turn greatly increased the German population of the region. Culturally they had much in common with the New England derived population, for instance both groups unanimously opposed slavery and both had a pronounced love for commerce and industry. Economically both communities would thrive in Watertown for the entirety of the 19th century, not facing any measurable economic hardships until the Great Depression in the following century.[9]
Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Watertown WI
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant To Medical School. But regardless 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, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Watertown WI.
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