Certified Medical Assistant Schools
How to Enroll In the Best One Near Pocono Pennsylvania

Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Pocono PA, it's time to select a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? A number of future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are equally important if not more so as cost and location. Medical assistant online classes are another option that you may decide is a more advantageous way to get your training (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let's talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Medical Assistant Career Below!

Medical Assistant Job Responsibilities 

The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their role is ensure that the Pocono PA clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work run successfully. Based 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 tasked with providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

• Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
• Scheduling and confirming appointments
• Weighing and taking patients vital signs
• Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
• Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
• Giving basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any task they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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 Courses

Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Pocono PA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we'll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about a year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor's Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Certification Programs

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for graduates who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Pocono PA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and perhaps 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 examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent option for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized also. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be carried out in Pocono PA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your training may be the ideal choice for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. After those choices have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Pocono PA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, 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 Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the program you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Pocono PA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School's Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the school's passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a school's program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Pocono PA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Pocono healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Landing that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Pocono PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a college to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it's imperative that the college you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Pocono PA, make certain that those times are available. 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 practical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Learn How to Study to Become a CMA in Pocono

Enroll in the Right Pocono Medical Assistant Program

It's important to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Whether you're goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. Irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Pocono Pennsylvania.

 

Pocono How To Become A Medical Assistant | Pocono Medical Assistant Classes