Certified Medical Assistant Courses
How to Find the Right One Near San Leandro California

Now it’s time to choose and enroll in a medical assistant program near San Leandro CA so you can get the right training to begin a career in the rewarding profession of medicine. And in order to pick the best one you must research and compare each of the schools you are considering. When looking for medical assistant programs, many potential students begin by targeting those that are closest to their homes with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You might decide to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). Regardless of your preference for either on campus or online schooling, the main point is that you must do your due diligence prior to selecting a school. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished some questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your "maybe" list. But prior to starting that review, let's talk a little bit about the type of training and credentials that are offered.

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Medical Assistant Programs

Unlike many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of San Leandro CA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we'll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor's Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Certification Options

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential San Leandro CA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Online Medical Assistant Training

There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent alternative for individuals who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized as well. But bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be carried out in San Leandro CA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the best option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching 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 nearest to San Leandro CA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must examine when assessing 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 selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to confirm that the program you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must complete 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 school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective San Leandro CA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School's Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to find out which of the certifications the colleges 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. Second, ask what the program's passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college's program. Obviously schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with San Leandro CA area medical providers. They are an excellent method to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students develop relationships within the San Leandro health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Landing that first job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the San Leandro CA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it's essential that the college you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near San Leandro CA, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Learn More on How to Become a Medical Assistant in San Leandro

Enroll in the Right San Leandro Medical Assistant School

It's important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you're objective is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a selection 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 a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. Regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in San Leandro California.

 

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