Medical Assistant Courses Near Me Brunswick ME

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near Brunswick Maine

Brunswick ME medical assistant checking pulseNow that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Brunswick ME, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? A number of future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You might decide to research 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 must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished some questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short 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 Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Brunswick ME nursing home patientThe duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their job is ensure that the Brunswick ME clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

  • Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Setting and confirming appointments
  • Weighing and taking patients vital signs
  • Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
  • Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
  • Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Maine law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options 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 Education

Unlike many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Brunswick ME health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two options available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about a year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Brunswick METhere are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good option for those who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be carried out in Brunswick ME area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining employment after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Brunswick ME medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and possibly 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, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Brunswick ME medical assistant programsPrior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must determine which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Brunswick ME with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should look at when researching programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to make certain that the program you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted organizations 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 either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Brunswick ME employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about 2 years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Brunswick ME area medical care providers. They are a great method to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Brunswick medical community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing that first job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Brunswick ME area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Brunswick 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 any clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Brunswick Maine?

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

Brunswick, Maine

Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 United States Census. Part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area, Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, The Theater Project, and the Maine State Music Theatre. It is also home to Mid Coast Hospital, one of Maine's newest full-service hospitals. It was formerly home to the U.S. Naval Air Station Brunswick, which was permanently closed on May 31, 2011.

Settled in 1628 by Thomas Purchase and other fishermen, the area was called by its Indian name, Pejepscot, meaning "the long, rocky rapids part [of the river]". In 1639, Purchase placed his settlement under protection of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. During King Philip's War in 1676, Pejepscot was burned and abandoned, although a garrison called Fort Andros was built on the ruins during King William's War. During the war, in Major Benjamin Church's second expedition a year later, he arrived on 11 September 1690 with 300 men at Casco Bay. He went up the Androscoggin River to the English Fort Pejepscot (present day Brunswick, Maine).[4] From there he went 40 miles up-river and attacked a native village. Three or four native men were shot in retreat; when Church discovered 5 English captives in the wigwams, six or seven prisoners were butchered as an example;[5] and nine prisoners were taken. A few days later, in retaliation, the natives attacked Church at Cape Elizabeth on Purpooduc Point, killing 7 of his men and wounding 24 others.[6] On September 26, Church returned to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

In 1714, a consortium from Boston and Portsmouth bought the land, thereafter called the Pejepscot Purchase. The Massachusetts General Court constituted the township in 1717, naming it Brunswick in honor of the House of Brunswick and its scion, King George I. A stone fort called Fort George was built in 1715 near the falls. But during Dummer's War on July 13, 1722, Abenaki warriors from Norridgewock burned the village. Consequently, Governor Samuel Shute declared war on the Abenakis. In 1724, 208 English troops left Fort Richmond and sacked Norridgewock during Dummer's War. Brunswick was rebuilt again in 1727, and in 1739 incorporated as a town. It became a prosperous seaport, where Bowdoin College was chartered in 1794.[7]

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Brunswick ME

Brunswick ME medical assistant studentIt’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Courses Near Me. 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 in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Brunswick ME.

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