What You Need to Know About Medical Assistant Online Training Programs

Are ONLINE Medical Assistant Programs Legit?

Many community colleges and vocational training institutions now offer their complete, or partial medical assistant program online, however, potential medical assistant students should NEVER sign up for anything before doing thorough research and asking important questions.

Some websites emphasize that they offer the best medical assistant training online with nationally accredited endorsement for their certified medical assistant program, however, just because it is advertised it doesn't necessarily mean the course is accredited by any of the reputable national accreditors of healthcare schools such as CAAHEP and ABHES, or the Department of Education.

Anyone can set up a so-called medical assistant online program and locate a self-proclaimend accreditation committee and  then, make the claim their course is a certified medical assistant online program and among the best—that doesn't always mean it is true, nor does it guarantee the certificate you will receive is worth the paper it is printed on. At best, you can frame it and hang it on your wall.

What you will get, if that much, is a paper that states that you have completed an online medical assistant course. Good luck with landing a qualified medical assistant position with that and applying for "real" certification with the AAMA or AMT, the recognized authority in medical assistant certification in the USA and abroad. Also, keep in mind that some US states now mandate certification in certain medical specialties and procedures, such as in phlebotomy, X-ray, EKG, and of those who administer physical and IV therapy.

To learn more about the medical assisting career and what a medical assistant does please visit Medical Assistant Net on the Web.

Single Mom: Why I Wanted to Be a Medical Assistant and Not a Nurse

I was always interested in the medical field and a meaningful career and am interested in working as a medical assistant, rather than in nursing, which requires enrolling in a nursing program, which is hard to get into and takes time.

- I like medical assistant because they work Mo - Fri in a clean environment.
- Contrary to nursing, medical assistants work normal business hours, no weekends and holidays. This gives me time with my family.
- Take home pay is good. Once you take the certified medical assistant exam it gets even better.

When I needed to learn more about this career and what it entails I found EVERYTHING I needed to know quickly and easily on the website at www.certified-medical-assistant.com: -description -duties -rules and an easy school finder. The website helped me find the perfect school to get into medical assisting fast.

13 Incredibly Easy Steps to Becoming a Perfect Medical Assistant?

Are You Looking for 13 Incredibly Easy Steps to Becoming a Perfect Medical Assistant?

You are right, of course I am exaggerating! There is no such thing as easy recipe for making the perfect medical assistant; in fact, it takes hard work, interest, uniqueness and a dedication that comes from deep within. Some medical assistant students may think it all starts on the job in a medical office, where the medical assistant works diligently side by side with the physician and other health care professionals, applying all skills learned. But nothing could be further from the truth: Becoming a (well, okay... almost perfect) medical assistant and future success BEGINS with the right attitude in the class room and then CONTINUES later on at the work place.

Below are thirteen real-world tips that helped me personally to make my medical assistant school days enjoyable and successfully graduate:

1. "Hello, my name is Danni!" Introduce yourself to your classmates and instructors. You don't want to just be a face in the crowd.
2. "Front row? No way!" Do it! Sit in the front row! Most study groups form from those you associate with during classes. Sit in the front row with the students who are, or want to be brilliant.
3. "Yikes, I don't want a partner!" Really??? Select your lab partner with care and once you found a good match, practice, practice, practice together to solidify every simple and the most challenging skills (injection, blood draw, urinalysis anybody?).
4. What is your image? During even the most boring lecture look interested. The secret of a good image is striving to be that which you wish to appear. Learning how to deal properly with a boring situation, or a person that is boring is a good skill to cultivate in any discipline.
5. Get the most from your textbooks! Take your materials out of your house to study. Get away from distractions, undone dishes, radio and TV. (Tip: the doughnut shop or all night cafe will offer ample amounts of coffee).
6. Read nursing journals and medical assistant magazines. Often current articles will compliment your text and make the information more easily understood. Use individual sheets of paper or large index cards to make a file of disease/conditions and their treatments. List etiology, signs and symptoms, diagnostic tests, interventions, etc. and keep them in a binder for future reference as well as present study.
7. Take notes from your notes! After taking notes in class or from a book, put away the book and bring out a tape recorder and outline your notes so you can listen to them. A great way to also practice your medical terminology words. Also, turn course objectives as found in the beginning of each chapter of your workbook into questions - presto, instant study guide.
8. Name that thing! My medical assisting instructor during my medical assistant training amazed me! On the second day of class she single-handedly greeted every new student, about 30, by their first and last name (amazing!). However, if you are more like me and one of those who have trouble remembering names, protocols, lab values, or terminology write them down on index cards and keep them in your pocket. It works - take them with you everywhere you go! The more you use them the more you will solidify them.
9. If you can get your hands on them, use old CMA or RMA exam review materials as your study guide. Sort questions by topic as you go through school and study those questions pertaining to your current lesson. It will help you learn and give you a head start  when it's time to schedule your final examinations.
10. Clinical lab - Yippeee! Be helpful to the clinical lab instructor and work with your classmates toward the common goals. Practice taking all the different vital signs, never contradict publicly, don't interrupt with constant repeat questions (that's what you have instructors for!) and don't make your instructor hold your hand. Even if you're scared and have never done something before, jump in and follow instructions. If you don't know how to do a procedure, look it up, check the protocols, ask for additional help. Instructors would rather be "bothered" walking you through the procedure than fixing the mess if you do something wrong.
11. Thrive in clinical lab classes! Appreciate even the simplest things, such as how to properly greet a patient. Whether you are a complete novice, or have already been in another allied health career for  years, remember everyone begins at different levels. Focus on where you are going - not on how much you already know.
12. "1-2-3, deep breath!" In Venipuncture practice, take a moment to center yourself before working on somebody's arm. Most people respond best to a calm focused approach. Study your instructors. 
13. The more you know them the more likely you are to understand them and what they are expecting from you. Adjust your attitude, buy a good personal planner and log all projects, deadlines and tests in it. Plan a realistic schedule and follow it.

To learn more about the medical assisting career please visit Medical Assistant NET on the Web.

Medical Assisting: Fundamentals of Patient Care

NEW! WEBSITE FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANT REVIEW

Medical Assisting: Fundamentals of Patient Care

Are you planning a career in medical assisting? Are you currently employed and need to upgrade your knowledge? Do you recognize a need for additional learning beyond basic patient procedures? Have you been out of the profession and want to come back again but don’t know where to start?

With the recent changes in the healthcare system, the role of the medical assistant is becoming increasingly important. The demands on the medial assistant’s knowledge are rapidly increasing. Recruiting of medical assistants into medical offices, clinics, and hospitals is becoming more and more the norm.

If you are a medical assistant or interested in the medical assistant profession, with primary focus on clinical aspects, you might benefit greatly from my new website. 

This new medical assistant website closely resembles a simple online course. 

It is perfect for beginners as well as those who have already completed some level of training. Come in to recall basic principles of medical assisting, solidify your knowledge of effective and efficient techniques in contemporary patient care, and review important topics and necessary skills you should know as a medical assistant in a modern healthcare system.

As a former medical assistant educator I found that students who remain focused and work diligently through each lesson are able to finish a similar syllabus within a rather short time (36 - 40 hours over 5 weeks.)  Here you can work at your own pace, but please remember that any student with a thirty day period of inactivity will have to be removed. Please don't let this happen to you.

I firmly believe that acquiring a good grasp on skills and knowledge related to patient care, professional conduct, standard rules of safety, hygiene, aseptic techniques, as well as medical office management and legal issues provides a solid base from which to grow as a medical assistant.

This is a rather detailed medical assistant review, but it is by no means meant to be a replacement of the medical assisting curriculum taught at your local vocational training institutions or college medical assistant program.

Some knowledge of medical terminology and basic word parts may be helpful. The course follows a similar pattern a medial assisting text book would, but the difference is that this course is compacted to the most relevant information to give you solid, basic understanding of patient care and various situations that come along with it.

Danni R., CMA speaks

The Right Medical Assistant Diplomas and Certificates

WOW! Did you know...

If you follow the news you will learn that thousands of people have bought medical degrees from a bogus school in Liberia, Africa. Diploma mills make the unthinkable real! For a relatively small fee, and almost zero effort anybody can become a doctor, clergyman, or receive college level and advanced degrees.

It just blows the mind: doctors, clergymen, police officers, teachers, federal employees, such as White House staffers, National Security Agency employees, FBI agents, and a senior State Department official, purchased bogus degrees to seek employment, promotions, higher positions, and better pay.

A Warning about Diploma Mills!!!
Definitions:
1. Accreditation mill. "Accreditation mill" means an
entity that is created to give the appearance that certain substandard schools or institutions of higher education are legitimately accredited organizations, that is not recognized by any authorized state, professional or national agency and that has few, if any, standards for quality.

2. Diploma mill. "Diploma mill" means an institution of higher
education operating without accreditation or supervision of a state or a
nationally recognized professional agency and granting diplomas that are either fraudulent or, because of lack of proper standards, worthless.

Online Students:
Online students must be careful and know what to look for when they seek education or training. The best programs are those that are accredited by an organization that is approved by the United States Department of Education, or an accreditation body approved and recognized by the department, such as CAHEP or ABHES. But there also are institutions, which are not (yet!) accredited, but working on it, since accreditation does NOT happen over night.

Institutions:Insitutions that want to be licensed have to go through a rigorous review process by a commission of state elected officials who verify that the school meets a standard set of criteria; and many of them are planning, or are in the process of completing the much desired accreditation status. The institution of your choice should at least be licensed by their local Department of Education.

Bogus Certificates from diploma mills will not be worth the paper they are printed on. And any job placement assistance that might have been promised may consist of nothing but a copy of doctors listed in the local area's Yellow Pages (if that much!).

READ:
Extreme Caution Example!

© 2007 Danni R./Advanced Medical Assistant Custom Web Design, LLC.