How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training School near Easton Maine
Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Easton ME, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Most future students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You may want to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.
The Role of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their role is ensure that the Easton ME hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate efficiently. Depending 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 support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Supplying general support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Maine law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices available 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 Courses
Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Easton ME health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at community and junior 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 courses. They often have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Medical Assistant Online Schools
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good option for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Easton ME area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the ideal option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for graduates who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Easton ME medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Easton ME with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to explore when researching programs. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to ensure that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Easton ME employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.
Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in 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 decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are looking at offer the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Easton ME area medical providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Easton health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Support Provided? Landing that very first job may be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Easton ME area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Easton ME, verify 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 will be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Easton Maine?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Easton ME area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Sheena Easton
Sheena Shirley Easton (née Orr; born 27 April 1959) is a Scottish singer, songwriter and actress with dual British-American nationality. Easton first came into the public eye as the focus of an episode in the first British musical reality television programme The Big Time: Pop Singer, which recorded her attempts to gain a record contract and her eventual signing with EMI Records.
Easton's first two singles, "Modern Girl" and "Morning Train (Nine to Five)", both entered the UK Top Ten, and she was the first UK female artist to appear twice in the same Top Ten since Ruby Murray. In 1981, "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" topped the US Hot 100, making her the third UK female solo artist to achieve this, following Petula Clark and Lulu, and she became one of the most successful British female performers of the 1980s.
A six-time Grammy nominee in the U.S., Easton is a two-time Grammy Award winner, winning Best New Artist in 1981[1] and Best Mexican-American Performance in 1985,[2] for her duet with Luis Miguel on the song "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres". She has received five U.S. Gold albums and one U.S. Platinum album. She has recorded 16 studio albums, released 45 singles total worldwide, and had 20 consecutive US singles, including 15 U.S. Top 40 singles, seven U.S. top tens and one U.S. No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1981 and 1991. She also had 25 top 40 hits in international territories around the world. In Canada, Easton scored three gold and two platinum albums. She has sold over 20 million albums and singles worldwide.
Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Program Easton ME
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the appropriate 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 personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Summer Medical Assistant Programs. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided 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 choosing the ideal program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Easton ME.
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