Tag Archives: Top Accredited Medical Assistant Classes Kennebunk ME 04043

Medical Assistant Job Description Kennebunk ME

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Kennebunk Maine

Kennebunk ME medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Kennebunk ME, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Many future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You may want to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Kennebunk ME nursing home patientThe job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Kennebunk ME hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

  • Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
  • Scheduling and confirming appointments
  • Taking vital signs and weighing patients
  • Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
  • Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
  • Giving basic support during exams and procedures

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

Medical Assistant Education

Unlike most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Kennebunk ME health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options available for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Kennebunk METhere are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good option for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Kennebunk ME area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your training might be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for individuals who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Kennebunk ME medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Kennebunk ME medical assistant programsBefore you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Kennebunk ME with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should examine when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to ensure that the college you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Kennebunk ME employers will not hire 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 prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Kennebunk ME area medical providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students develop relationships within the Kennebunk medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Finding that very first job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Kennebunk ME area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator 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 greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the school you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Kennebunk 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 any 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 work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Kennebunk Maine?

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

Kennebunk, Maine

Kennebunk (/ˈkɛnɪbʌŋk/ or locally /ˈkɛniːbʌŋk/) is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 10,798 at the 2010 census (The population does not include Kennebunkport, a separate town). Kennebunk is home to several beaches, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, the 1799 Kennebunk Inn, many historic shipbuilders' homes, the Brick Store Museum and the Nature Conservancy Kennebunk Plains (known locally as the Blueberry Plains), with 1,500 acres (6 km²) of nature trails and blueberry fields.

First settled in 1621, the town developed as a trading and, later, shipbuilding and shipping center with light manufacturing. It was part of the town of Wells until 1820, when it incorporated as a separate town. "Kennebunk, the only village in the world so named," was featured on a large locally famous sign attached to the Kesslen Shoe Mill on Route One. To the Abenaki Indians, Kennebunk meant "the long cut bank," presumably the long bank behind Kennebunk Beach. Kennebunk's coastline is divided into three major sections. Mother's Beach, Middle Beach or Rocky Beach, and Gooch's Beach or Long Beach. Separate from Kennebunk Beach is secluded Parson's Beach, a quiet alternative to the summer crowds. Note there is some local controversy regarding the "Mother's Beach" moniker, (nickname). According to many local residents, the smaller of the three main beaches - at the intersection of Beach Ave and Ridge Ave - is officially Kennebunk Beach or, alternatively, Boothby Beach. The term Boothby beach was from the mid-1730s when a Mabel Littlefield married Richard Boothby and settled on land near what came to be known as Boothby Beach.The information about the Boothbys was taken from "Old News From Southern Maine" article on Mable and Richard Boothby, by Sharon Cummins. Many natives today may not remember it being called Boothby Beach and over the years the beach came to be known as Kennebunk Beach or Mothers Beach. Older residents also recall the name Dipsy Bath Beach, a reference to the baths once located there. The term Mother's Beach didn't come into widespread use until the mid '80s; Although other native residents will dispute that date and say they remember it being called "Mothers Beach" as far back as the late 1950s. The name likely evolved due to its small size and generally calmer water, due to the rocks under and above the ocean, thus making it a natural made harbor of refuge that is safer for swimming and which makes it popular with mothers keeping a watchful eye on their progeny, (children). The name is clearly descriptive rather than official, in spite of the recent installation of road signs pointing the way to "Mother's Beach".[5] Contradicting the above beach naming is the Town's website listing "Permits are valid for Gooch’s Beach, Kennebunk Beach (Middle Beach) and Mother’s Beach."[6] Additionally without public parking access both Libbys and Crescent beaches are in Kennebunk between Parson's beach and Mother's beach.

In the 19th Century and early 20th Century many industrial concerns were attracted to Mousam River at Kennebunk to provide motive force for their mills. Among the firms to do business there were the Kennebunk Manufacturing Company, the Mousam Manufacturing Company, the Leatheroid Company and the Rogers Fibre Company.

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Kennebunk ME

Kennebunk ME medical assistant studentIt’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Job Description. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Kennebunk ME.

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