Best Online Medical Assistant Programs

As part of the healthcare field, medical assistants make a difference in the lives of those under their care. This is a great field for people who are compassionate and driven to help others. Medical assistants should also have the composure to handle the unique realities of healthcare settings, as some of their clinical responsibilities may include collecting samples such as blood. Their administrative duties require attention to detail and organization skills as well.

An associate degree in medical assisting fits in to a variety of professional goals. Some people prefer the role of medical assistant as a career and let their associate degree stand alone. Others see medical assisting as a stepping-stone toward other positions in the healthcare profession and use the degree as their basis for continuing education. With completion of an associate degree possible in as little as two years, this type of program can fit in to a variety of career timelines.

Application, Admissions, and Enrollment for Online Medical Assistant Associate Degree Programs

Certain criteria must be met in order to apply for an online associate degree in medical assisting. These criteria vary by institution, but there are some general trends. The successful completion of a high school education, general education development, or equivalent is often expected. An application form is almost always required, which will provide the school with basic personal information as well as any other documentation they require. There may also be an interview held with an admissions counselor from the school.

Due to the online nature of these programs, there are certain technology requirements. Proper equipment will ensure successful access to virtual coursework. These requirements will vary by institution, but the most common components are

• high-speed internet access
• an operating system past a specific update level, such as Windows 10 or macOS
• office programs, such as Microsoft Office suite
• an email address

Upon acceptance to the program, students will complete any and all remaining tasks, such as paperwork, program onboarding, and course selection. Some programs have a pre-specified curriculum outline that offers little flexibility, while others offer more choices. These choices might include things like the number of courses taken per semester, or what electives are selected.

Earning a medical assistant degree online, as opposed to earning it at a physical campus, offers some distinct advantages. It also comes with certain disadvantages. When choosing the type of program you'd like to pursue, it's important to consider all relevant factors in the decision.

One of the primary benefits of online education is flexibility. Many online degree programs are offered asynchronously. In asynchronous learning, students don't have to log in to their course at a specific time and interact with others in a live setting. Rather, students can log in at whatever time fits their schedule best and work on their assignments at their own pace. This offers flexibility in both scheduling and also location; students can work from anywhere with a stable internet connection.

A weakness of online learning is the lack of in-person coaching for practical skills. Since medical assistants may complete routine testing for their patients, it's important for them to be competent with skills such as phlebotomy. The principles of sample collection can be taught through a computer, but some hands-on practice is certainly required. Some online medical assistant associate degree programs address this problem by incorporating clinical labs and/or externships in the curriculum.

Online associate degree programs offer lots of scheduling flexibility, so the time it takes to earn the degree varies. Students who take a full load of courses per semester will complete the requirements faster than those who only enroll in one or two classes per semester. For a full-time student, an online associate degree may take around an average of 20 months to complete. Required credits will take the form of both classwork and clinical experience. 160 to 180 hours of externship experience is a normal range.

Some schools present their tuition as cost-per-credit, while others present the amount as cost-per-semester; when comparing prices of programs, it's important to account for this. The cost of an online medical assistant associate degree traverses a wide range depending on the school selected. Tuition rates could be around $80 per credit, or they could be closer to $441 per credit with scholarship applied. There may be additional fees applied by the school, as well as potential expenses for class materials such as textbooks. Financial aid through the form of loans, scholarships, or grants may be available and could adjust the total cost of attendance.

While each program will have its own variations, there are some topics which are common in a medical assistant curriculum across schools, including:

• medical terminology
• anatomy and physiology
• billing and medical coding
• pharmacology
• administrative strategies for healthcare settings
• privacy and confidentiality rights of patients
• ethics
• health insurance

Some general education courses, such as English language composition, may also be required. Additionally, there may be options for electives; these may be limited to course offerings from a specific department.

As the name suggests, an associate degree in medical assisting can help you to become a medical assistant. This can stand alone as its own goal, or it can be the foundation toward pursuit of a different goal. For example, one might become a medical assistant first and then pursue a position as a physician's assistant, nursing assistant, licensed practical nurse, nurse, or doctor.

Begin a Career as a Medical Assistant

Medical assistants can serve in both an administrative and clinical capacity. Their tasks within the administrative realm may include things like: greeting patients in the office and on the phone; making and adjusting appointments as needed; liaising with insurance companies, laboratories, and imaging centers; managing inventory of medical supplies; and completing paperwork related to patients' charts, bills, and more. On the clinical side, tasks might include: changing out bandages and re-dressing wounds; removing sutures; giving injections; completing tests such as blood tests, electrocardiograms, and other diagnostic tests; and explaining medical concepts to patients and helping to ensure that they're fully prepared for their examinations. Medical assistants often work in physician's offices, but they may also find employment in hospitals, rehab facilities, or other long-term care facilities.

Medical assistance is projected to have a positive occupational outlook; that is, it's expected to grow significantly over the next decade. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for medical assistants is $35,850 per year, or around $17 an hour. The states with the highest salaries for medical assistants are Alaska; Washington; Washington, D.C.; Massachusetts; and Minnesota.

Begin a Career as a Physician's Assistant

A physician assistant (PA) is a medical professional who can diagnose and treat an illness. They can take a patient's medical history, carry out a physical examination, diagnose an issue and develop and execute a corresponding treatment plan, prescribe medications, perform some medical procedures, and even provide assistance in surgery settings. For some patients, the physician assistant is their primary point of contact; they may see their PA more than a fully-fledged medical doctor. Physical assistants are very knowledgeable and skilled; they become certified after many hours of schooling and hands-on experience.

The number of physician assistant positions is expected to grow rapidly over the next ten years. The average salary of a PA is $115,390 per year, or approximately $55 an hour, according to the BLS. Alaska, Connecticut, Rhode Island, California, and Nevada are the highest paying states for this profession.

Because they have very similar names, these two positions are often mistaken for interchangeable terms. In actuality, they represent very different jobs with very different qualifications. A medical assistant can earn their certification after completing an associate degree. Once certified, they're ready to start working. A physician assistant, on the other hand, must complete both a bachelor and master's degree program before getting certified. Most online medical assistant associate degree programs require fewer than 200 hours of experience. The average physical assistant program requires more than 2,000 hours of clinical experience in a variety of healthcare settings.

Both of these assistant roles interact with patients on a regular basis, and work to provide valuable medical care for those patients. Medical assistants can execute routine tasks, but physician assistants are able to listen to the individual patient, diagnose them, and make personalized recommendations for their unique situation. Physician assistants may also carry out research, which helps to advance the knowledge of the medical field as a whole.

Accreditation is a process that ensures that colleges and universities live up to their promises. An independent organization, which is referred to as the accrediting body, sets standards for quality of education. If a school wants to be accredited, then representatives of that organization will examine the school and its offerings. This may include steps such as campus visits, faculty and student interviews, and more. If the school can prove that they meet the standards set by the accrediting body, then they are said to be accredited. Re-examinations are typically carried out on a regular basis to ensure that the quality stays at a satisfactory level.

There is no accrediting body that specializes in medical assistant associate degrees. Instead, look for colleges and universities that have been accredited by a generalized body in their region.

An online medical assistant associate degree can serve as the foundation for additional schooling in the medical field. Many schools allow students enrolling in their bachelor's degree programs to transfer in an amount of credits earned as part of an associate degree. This amount varies by institution; some schools, for example, allow you to transfer 45 out of 60 credits toward a higher degree.

An associate degree in medical assisting is a natural fit for a bachelor's degree in the health care field. Some examples include of relevant bachelor's degree programs to consider include:

• biomedical science
• pre-med
• exercise science
• physical therapy
• imaging and radiology
• medical lab science
• nursing
• health services administration
• health information management

These tracks can build on the clinical or administrative aspects of medical assisting, depending on your preference.

An online associate degree in medical assisting is sufficient to earn certification and begin a career in this role. Other options include earning an associate degree on campus or completing a certificate program rather than an associate degree. Medical assisting degrees are not offered at the bachelor's or master's levels. Rather, a medical assistant associate degree can serve as a strong foundation for the pursuit of other undergraduate and graduate degrees in the medical field.

Online Nursing Bachelor's Programs

Medical assistants who have transitioned into a role as registered nurse can easily pursue an online bachelor's degree in nursing. An RN to BSN program allows registered nurses to transfer in credits and life experience, shortening the road to degree completion significantly. The online nature of these programs allows for scheduling flexibility, which means that students can schedule their coursework around their nursing shifts without interruption. A bachelor's degree in nursing elevates students' knowledge and exposes them to the most contemporary methodologies.

Online Physician Assistant Master's Programs

These types of programs are usually offered as Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS). They'll require a blend of classroom learning to master concepts and clinical experience to apply those concepts. Themes in this curriculum include medical science, diagnostics and treatment, professional standards, ethics in the medical field, and principles of supervised and independent practice. Graduates of this type of program should be prepared to provide care for their patients that is effective and ethical.

Online Medical Assistant Certificate Programs

A certificate program is completed outside of a traditional degree pathway. A certificate program is not the same thing as national or state certification. The former acknowledges that you have satisfactorily completed a set of required courses. The latter is required by the government in order to begin relevant employment and ensures that all medical assistants can demonstrate the knowledge needed to succeed in their field.

Most online medical assistant certificate programs will prepare you to sit for examination and earn your certification upon completion. Much like an online associate degree, this preparation is achieved through classes and hands-on clinical experience.

The first and most important step toward getting scholarships and financial aid is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. This form quantifies your current financial standing, and your chosen school's financial aid department can use it to match you up with all of the financial aid options for which you qualify. This can include things like federal grants, federal loans, state grants, state loans, and scholarships from your school.

You can also search for scholarships awarded by independent organizations. There are all sorts of scholarships available, with varying amounts and qualifying criteria. Some scholarships or grants are targeted specifically toward students in the medical field. The American Medical Technologists Scholarship, for example, is awarded to students enrolled in a medical technology, medical assisting, dental assisting, or phlebotomy program. Similarly, the American Association of Medical Assistants offers the Maxine Williams Scholarship, a scholarship offered to students enrolled in a medical assisting program.