Find Medical Assistant Training Online
Medical assisting training is a practical way to secure a position in the medical field without spending 8 years in college. If you're interested in pursuing a career as a medical assistant, you may choose to get your medical assistant training online. Online medical assistant programs offer flexible scheduling, a work-at-your-own-pace approach to education, and can be completed in a relatively short period of time when compared to university degree programs. Online medical training courses are abundant, so it is important to know what to look for. Follow these guidelines for how to find medical assistant training online.
Contents
Steps
- Search the Internet for online medical assisting schools. Input a variety of phrases related to medical assisting and training in order to get an abundant return of prospects.
- Create a list of the schools you want to investigate from search engine results.
- Research each online medical training institution to ensure it is accredited. Accreditation is top priority when choosing a school because you will not be able to sit for the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) national certification examination to receive a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) designation. While it is sometimes possible to find a job without the certification, it is unlikely, so don't waste your time or money on a training program that is not accredited.
- Inquire about the coursework. Not all medical assistant training programs are created equal. Look for programs that offer a well-rounded education and include courses in medical transcription, healthcare administration, phlebotomy, pharmacy, medical billing/coding and ultrasound technology.
- Ask about hands-on training. In many cases, you must log a certain amount of hours from the practical application of coursework in order to obtain certification. Online should be able to arrange internships or externships in order to fulfill this requirement.
- Consider your career goals. It pays to specialize, and some online medical training programs are better tailored to specialization than others. If you want to make yourself more marketable by choosing specializations, then find a school that offers applicable courses and that will allow you to apply your coursework toward the completion of specialty programs.
- Contact each school you are interested in and ask to speak with students who have completed the course. There's no better testimonial than that of a satisfied customer.
Tips
- Most reputable schools, online or otherwise, offer job placement services upon completion of a medical assisting program. Find out if your program offers this type of service before committing.
- If funding your education is an issue for you, be sure to speak with someone in the financial aid department before making a decision. Oftentimes, online schools offer special discounts or payment plans to help students complete a program.
- When choosing a medical assisting training program, keep your future career and educational goals in mind. The more comprehensive the program, the more transferable credits you will have toward an accelerated degree in the future.
