How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School near Bethel Maine
Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bethel ME, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? A number of prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You may decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have provided several questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.
The Function of Medical Assistants
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their function is ensure that the Bethel ME hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work run successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they can 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 health practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Providing general support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under Maine law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices 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 Training Programs
Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Bethel ME health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about a year to finish, some 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 attain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical element involving 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 related field.
Medical Assistant Online Courses
There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. 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 option for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened also. But bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in Bethel ME area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your training might be the ideal choice for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Bethel ME medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.
Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Bethel ME with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must look at when assessing schools. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several good reasons to confirm that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must 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 school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Bethel ME employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about two years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Bethel ME area medical providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the Bethel medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Finding that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Bethel ME area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full-time, it’s imperative that the school you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Bethel ME, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also need to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Also, find out what the protocol 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 Bethel Maine?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Bethel ME area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Bethel, Maine
Bethel is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,607 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of West Bethel and South Bethel. The town is home to Gould Academy, a private preparatory school, and is near the Sunday River ski resort.
An Abenaki Indian village was once located on the north side of the Androscoggin River, but had been abandoned before its subsequent English settlement. In 1769, the township was granted as Sudbury-Canada by the Massachusetts General Court to Josiah Richardson of Sudbury, Massachusetts and others (or their heirs) for services at the Battle of Quebec in 1690. It was first settled in 1774 when Nathaniel Segar of Newton, Massachusetts started clearing the land.
The Revolutionary War, however, delayed many grantees from taking up their claims. Only 10 families resided at Sudbury-Canada when it was plundered on August 3, 1781 during the last Indian attack in Maine. Two inhabitants, Benjamin Clark and Nathaniel Segar, were abducted and held captive in Quebec until the war's conclusion, after which the community grew rapidly. On June 10, 1796, Sudbury-Canada Plantation was incorporated as Bethel,[5] the name taken from the Book of Genesis and meaning "House of God."[6][7]
Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Bethel ME
It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon 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 a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Externship. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend 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 in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Bethel ME.
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