How to Pick a Medical Assistant Program near Detroit Maine
Now that you have decided to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Detroit ME, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Many potential students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You might want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have included several questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.
The Job of Medical Assistants
The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their role is ensure that the Detroit ME hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work run successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Maine law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Courses
Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Detroit ME health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Programs
There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent option for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized also. But remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be completed in Detroit ME area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the ideal choice for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for graduates who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Detroit ME medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you must determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Detroit ME with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to examine when assessing programs. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to confirm that the college you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Detroit 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 create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.
Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Detroit ME area medical providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Detroit medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Service Offered? Getting that initial job can be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Detroit ME area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before choosing a school to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the college you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Detroit ME, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also have to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Detroit Maine?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Detroit ME area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Detroit, Maine
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 20.42 square miles (52.89 km2), of which 20.25 square miles (52.45 km2) is land and 0.17 square miles (0.44 km2) is water.[1]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 852 people, 337 households, and 237 families residing in the town. The population density was 42.1 inhabitants per square mile (16.3/km2). There were 382 housing units at an average density of 18.9 per square mile (7.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.6% White, 0.1% African American, 0.7% Native American, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 337 households of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.7% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.89.
Pick the Right Medical Assistant College Detroit ME
It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Curriculum. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Detroit ME.
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