Your Certified Medical Assistant Training

When it comes to quality medical assistant training it is important to understand that certain medical office skills, such as taking vital signs, drawing up injections, administering ear lavage or instilling drops, collecting specimens, preparing slides, setting up EKGs, incubating Petri-dishes, sterilizing instruments, changing wound dressings and wrapping bandages are best learned under the direct guidance of an experienced healthcare instructor. Direct supervision and hands-on practice of skills in a safe and supervised setting assures that the medical assistant student is going to be well prepared for the "real" job upon graduation from the program.

What kind of medical assistant training did you get?

Student Has Noting to Show for...

For decades medical assistants used to be trained right on the job, however this practice is becoming increasingly less common in the USA. Most medical assistants now receive their training through community and junior colleges and vocational, or military training institutions and upon graduation from the program they elect to sit for a medical assistant certification exam of their choice. Applicants to these vocational training institutions usually need to have a HS diploma/GED to be admitted into a qualified medical assistant training program. This is where it is EXTREMELY important to have clear learing goals and a good understanding of different forms of available training avenues.

"After paying $9,000, I have nothing!" When Silvia Pascu laid out $9,000 to attend the Canadian Aesthetics Academy in 2007 she shared the aspirations of many new Canadians looking for a foothold in a promising career. Unfortunately she wound up enrolling into a program that did not hold up to the promise and her own expectations. The same is happening all over the USA at questionable cyber schools with questionable practices who target prospective medical assistant students.

We urge future medical assistants to do their research before signing up for anything. It is up to each individual to decide which type of medical assistant program, regardless whether it is on campus, or online, best meets their needs. One of the best places to begin checking for a formal healthcare training program's quality and reputation is the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), the largest programmatic accreditor in the health sciences field, Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) along with various consumer protection organizations, such as the Better Business Bureau.

Unrecognized School Accreditation Entities

Consumers must be aware that there is a list of unrecognized accreditation entities which identify themselves as accreditors of higher education institutions, but lack necessary legal authority or government recognition to provide such educational accreditation.

Being a Smart Consumer Pays Off

Don't become one of those horror stories where students wind up with certificates, or diplomas that are completely worthless and with job placement assistance that consists of nothing but a list of doctors copied from the local area's Yellow Pages (if that much!).

 This is not to discourage anybody; indeed, there are many excellent distance education programs offered online, including for the healthcare professionals.  

Like any consumer, prospective medical assistant students must be careful and aware of gray-area, non-accredited programs, or diploma mills, especially online as defined by the U.S. Department of Education. These programs are not designed for those hoping to start a new career, but rather to move unsuspecting consumer's money from their pocket into their own for very little in exchange. Read more: Warning signs that an institution may be offering fraudulent or substandard degrees

Be Smart and Choose Wisely

Those looking for a medical assistant school must first understand the purpose AND value of a good medical assistant training with supervised skill practice in a clinical setting. Before signing up anywhere you must be aware that there are bogus schools out there making false promises and false representations to churn out diplomas that will get you nowhere on today's highly selective and competitive job market. Here is Wikipedia's list of unrecognized school accreditors.

• Medical Assisting Schools
  
  Medical Assistant training programs that can be completed quickly. Vocational training schools and colleges in your area offering medical assistant career programs.
• Medical Assistant Training
  
  Medical assistant training comes in many forms -- from medical assistant training directly on the job, or medical assisting schools, to online medical assistant programs.
• Medical Assistant Externship
  
  Medical assistant externship gives MA students the opportunity to solidify learned medical knowledge and skills by extending their education to an actual work site.
• Government Consumer Warnings
  
  Accreditation doesn't automatically mean that learners will qualify for state or national certification upon completing the course. Be an informed consumer...
• Bogus Certificates and Degrees
  
  Prospective medical assistants looking for online medical assistant courses can find gray area online medical assistant programs without any special pre-enrollment conditions.