How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Smithfield Maine
Now that you have decided to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Smithfield ME, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? A number of prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You might choose to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have included several 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 kind of credentials and training that are offered.
The Duties of Medical Assistants
The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their role is ensure that the Smithfield ME hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential 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 fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Providing general support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Maine law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Training Programs
Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Smithfield ME health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Medical Assistant Online Colleges
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent alternative for those who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened also. But bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be performed in Smithfield ME area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the ideal choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain 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 choice for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Smithfield ME medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you must choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Smithfield ME with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must examine when researching programs. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the school you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in 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 organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Smithfield ME employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Smithfield ME area health care providers. They are a great method to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students develop relationships within the Smithfield medical community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Finding that very first job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Smithfield ME area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a program to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the college you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Smithfield ME, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Smithfield Maine?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Smithfield ME area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Smithfield, Maine
Smithfield is a town in Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,033 at the 2010 census. The town was incorporated on February 29, 1840 making it the only town in Maine incorporated on Leap Day.[4] The town was named after the Rev. Henry Smith, an early settler.[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 24.76 square miles (64.13 km2), of which, 19.90 square miles (51.54 km2) of it is land and 4.86 square miles (12.59 km2) is water.[1]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,033 people, 451 households, and 314 families residing in the town. The population density was 51.9 inhabitants per square mile (20.0/km2). There were 727 housing units at an average density of 36.5 per square mile (14.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.6% White, 0.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.
Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Smithfield ME
It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish 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 acquire the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Weekend Classes. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Smithfield ME.
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