Tag Archives: Top Accredited Medical Assistant Classes Bradford ME 04410

Medical Assistant Training Program Bradford ME

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Program near Bradford Maine

Bradford ME medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bradford ME, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the best one? A number of prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You might choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished some questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Bradford ME nursing home patientThe job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their function is to make sure that the Bradford ME hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work run successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

  • Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Scheduling and verifying appointments
  • Weighing and taking patients vital signs
  • Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
  • Providing basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Maine law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

Unlike most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Bradford ME health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Bradford METhere are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good choice for students who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened as well. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Bradford ME area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your training may be the best option for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a job after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Bradford ME medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Bradford ME medical assistant programsBefore you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Bradford ME with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the school you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged agencies for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Bradford ME employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Bradford ME area health care providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Bradford healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Landing that initial job can be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Bradford ME area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal attention you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a program to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Bradford ME, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also need to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bradford Maine?

If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Bradford ME area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.

Bradford, Maine

According to some early documents, Bradford was said to be first settled between 1803-05 by James White and Robert Marshall of Thomaston however early settler Cornelius Bradford was among the first to live in the settlement and died there in 1790. Cornelius Bradford is a lineal descendant of Governor William Bradford of the Plymouth Colony. He was the eldest child of Joshua and Hannah Bradford, who were killed during the Raid on Meduncook. Bradford was organized as Blakesburg Plantation in 1820 and was incorporated as a town on March 12, 1831.[5] By the mid-1850s its population had peaked at 1,500, which is about 200 more people than it has today.[citation needed]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,290 people, 493 households, and 338 families residing in the town. The population density was 31.3 inhabitants per square mile (12.1/km2). There were 583 housing units at an average density of 14.2 per square mile (5.5/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.4% White, 0.8% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

There were 493 households of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.4% were non-families. 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.01.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant Program Bradford ME

Bradford ME medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Training Program. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Bradford ME.

More Medical Locations in Maine

  • Medical Assistant Graduation Gorham ME
  • Medical Assistant Degree Baileyville ME
  • Medical Assistant Description Union ME
  • Quick Medical Assistant Programs Hiram ME
  • Become A Medical Assistant In 6 Weeks Boothbay ME
  • How To Become A Certified Medical Assistant Livermore Falls ME
  • Become A Certified Medical Assistant Fast Greenville ME
  • Accredited Schools For Medical Assistant Sangerville ME
  • National Medical Assistant South China ME
  • What Is A Certified Medical Assistant Buckfield ME
  •  

     

    The location could not be found.

     

    Business Results 1 - 10 of 3

    Helen Hunt Health Center
    2 Reviews
    Medical Centers
    Phone:
    242 Brunswick St, Old Town, ME 04468

    Acadia Foot & Ankle PA
    1 Reviews
    Podiatrists
    Phone:
    700 Mt Hope Ave, Ste 620, Bangor, ME 04401

    Home Instead Senior Care
    3 Reviews
    Home Health Care
    Phone:
    442 Pleasant St, Blue Hill, ME 04614