Medical Assistant Accreditation East Waterboro ME - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training School near East Waterboro Maine

East Waterboro ME medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near East Waterboro ME, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Most potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You may decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, 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 kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with East Waterboro ME nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their job is ensure that the East Waterboro ME clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

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

Although medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of East Waterboro ME health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals 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 provided at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in East Waterboro ME There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent alternative 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 solution for students who continue working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced as well. Just remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in East Waterboro ME area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your education might be the right choice for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for those who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting employment after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of possible East Waterboro ME medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask East Waterboro ME medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to East Waterboro ME with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must look at when researching schools. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several great reasons to ensure that the program you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged agencies for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential East Waterboro ME employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to select a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically 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, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are considering provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with East Waterboro ME area health care providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students build relationships within the East Waterboro health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Landing that initial job can be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the East Waterboro ME area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school 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 can be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a college to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near East Waterboro ME, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also have to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near East Waterboro Maine?

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

Waterboro, Maine

The town includes the districts of North (04061), South (04087), and East (04030) Waterboro, in addition to the largest development in southern Maine, Lake Arrowhead Community. The introduction of Maine subdivision regulation, and Maine Planning Boards, is the direct result of the creation of the largest subdivision, Lake Arrowhead Community. The reaction of the Maine State Legislature was mandatory Planning Boards, and subdivision regulation.

Abenaki Indians called the area Massabesic, meaning "the place of much water", a reference to the region's lakes. It was part of an extensive tract of land purchased in 1661 by Major William Phillips of Saco from Chief Fluellin. Known as Massabesic Plantation, it included most of modern-day Waterboro, Alfred and Sanford. Phillips died in 1683, and the plantation eventually passed from his heirs to 10 proprietors. One of those proprietors was Colonel Joshua Waters, for whom the town would be named.[4]

Lumbering began to thrive there about 1764. Captain John Smith from Kittery was the first permanent settler, arriving in 1768. On March 6, 1787, the Massachusetts General Court incorporated the township as Waterborough. In 1790, Old Corners became the site of the Court of General Sessions, although in 1805 the county seat shifted to Alfred. In 1895, the name was shortened to Waterboro.[4]

Select the Best Medical Assistant Training Program East Waterboro ME

East Waterboro ME medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Accreditation. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in East Waterboro ME.