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Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some potential students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Kirkwood MO with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to look at when evaluating schools. To assist 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 ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to verify that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Kirkwood MO employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School's Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the school's passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school's program. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Programs are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are considering offer the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Kirkwood MO area health care providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Kirkwood medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Landing that very first job may be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Kirkwood MO area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Smaller 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 convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it's important that the college you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Kirkwood MO, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still need to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.