Distance Education and You

Medical offices, clinics, and hospitals need medical assistants MORE than EVER! Join the "Community of Caring" by starting a rewarding career as a medical assistant! We provide important resources, such as career and self-study guides, certification and scope-of-practice info, active message boards, schools, and job listings in every state to help you get started.

Follow your heart... be a medical assistant!

Explore Hundreds of Medical Assistant Schools Near You!

Click button below

Select your state

View all schools---It's that simple!

	Distance Education and You

	Move Your Career In The Right Direction!
	Do You Want Your Career To Stand Out or Stand Still? Sadly, many medical assistants have told us that not having sought certification sooner was a mistake they came to regret. Until they took charge their career went nowhere... but precious time was lost. We don't want this to happen to you! Take the first step in the right direction today. Receive this FREE Career Information Kit IT'S IMPORTANT - And 100% FREE!

What is Distance Education and E-Learning?

Many colleges, universities and institutes are offering online study, also known as e-learning programs.

To prospective medical assistant students the possibility of earning a certificate, diploma, or degree without ever stepping into a classroom and never meeting instructors and classmates face-to-face is very attractive. However, earning a Medical Assistant certificate from a corner desk in your living room or home office without direct personal contact and interaction might be a bit more challenging than you thought. Hidden Pitfalls of Online Medical Assistant.

Why Distance Education?

With our modern society's busy schedules and fast lifestyles distance education over the Internet provides adult students with the convenience, flexibility and the ability to study anywhere, any time without being on campus.

Many students in remote areas are looking toward web-based courses to supplement or advance their education. Understandably, single parents, or those with full-time jobs are also very interested in online education from the convenience of their home.

Indeed, there are many excellent distance education programs out there....

But if anybody promises vocational training completely online, a medical assistant diploma, or certificate in just 6-8 weeks—then consumer beware! Caution and awareness is necessary. The Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) has published the so-called "Recognition Chart" consumers can print out for reference.

Distance Education and You

The Classroom:

The classroom provides medical assistant students with the student-teacher interaction, feedback to realistic case scenarios, introduction to work technology, hands-on exercises and support that prepares them to anticipate, respond and relate to situations that can arise at their future workplace.

When it Comes to Medical/Clinical Learning Objectives and Goals:

Learning skilled tasks and certain routines involves the whole body. Despite of modern delivery methods and sophisticated online programs distance education can hardly ever adequately simulate problems as they typically arise at any moment in a medical office or clinic—especially those that are considered emergencies.

Even the best simulations and animations provided to online students can hardly measure up to workplace scenarios discussed in a group and practiced as a team or one-on-one in a classroom under the guidance of their instructor or field supervisor.

The Definition of Distance Education

Distance education is most typically defined as education that takes place independent of location, in contrast to education delivered solely in the classroom and that may be independent of time as well. It's online technologies can be used to enhance learning!

How Does Distance Education Work?

Distance education is created and delivered online. The student's main tool is the computer and Internet service to retrieve the lessons, assignments, quizzes and tests. Communication tools such as message boards and live chats to share ideas, debate issues and learn from each others' experiences are also often an integral part of distance education.

What Attracts People to Distance Education Programs?

Distance education online is great for those who seek personal and professional advancement in certain areas of existing knowledge and expertise. Learning from home is especially attractive to students who want to be near their family, work on their own, show what they can do, avoid the hassle of the commute, avoid discrimination and save money on childcare, books and tuition.

How Does Distance Education Work?

Access to online research libraries and services are often provided by the instructor, as well as to other relevant websites for further research and self-study. Once a student has submitted an assignment response or quiz the instructor reviews the work via computer. Unless there are certain time limits or restraints everybody works at their own pace on their own time and location that's convenient for them.

Is Distance Education/E-Learning as Good as Traditional Education?

Distance education is very different from education provided by instructores in a traditional brick-and-mortar classroom. Although most of the online courses are engaging, useful, and learnable, partaking in a distance education course requires considerable amounts of self-discipline, computer skills and Internet know-how. For the computer and Internet savvy student online programs are great to learn fundamental theories, or even as a refresher course to solidify and expand existing knowledge, however when it comes to vocational training to learn clinical and patienc care nursing skills students are better off learning these skills in a real classroom setting hands-on.

In the August 2005 CLO article “Usability Testing for E-Learning” Shailesh Shilwant and Amy Haggarty who have years of experience in the educational technology field address the fact that even the best online programs cannot achieve their potential impact on e-learners unless certain conditions are met. They stress the importance of usability testing which can address common shortfalls.

Read: Vocational Training: Diploma Mills!