Medical Assistant Graduation Gorham ME - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Gorham Maine

Gorham ME medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Gorham ME, it’s time to select a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the best one? Many potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You might want to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Gorham ME nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their job is to make sure that the Gorham ME hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities 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 possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing general support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Maine law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices offered 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 many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Gorham 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 essentially 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Gorham ME There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good alternative for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Gorham ME area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the ideal option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Gorham ME medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of 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). To qualify to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Gorham ME medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many potential students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Gorham ME with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must explore when evaluating programs. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make sure that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training 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 organizations 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 agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Gorham ME employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Second, learn 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 evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? 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 closer to one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Gorham ME area medical providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Gorham health care community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Getting that very first job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Gorham ME area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal attention you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the college you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Gorham ME, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also have to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Gorham Maine?

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

Gorham, Maine

Gorham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 16,381 at the 2010 census. The 2012 estimate of Gorham's population was 16,667. In addition to its urban village center known as Gorham Village or simply "the Village," the town encompasses a number of smaller, unincorporated villages and hamlets with distinct historical identities, including South Gorham, West Gorham, Little Falls, White Rock, and North Gorham. Gorham is home to one of the three campuses of the University of Southern Maine. In 2013, Gorham was voted second best town in Maine after Hampden by a financial website.

First called Narragansett Number 7 was one of seven townships granted by the Massachusetts General Court to soldiers (or their heirs) who had fought in the Narragansett War of 1675, also called King Philip's War. The land was first settled in 1736 by Captain John Phinney and his family, followed in 1738 by Hugh McLellan and Daniel Mosher. By 1743, the first sawmill was established by John Gorham at Little River. Without window-glass, the first dwellings were constructed of logs chinked with moss and clay.[6]

Narragansett Number 7 suffered its first Indian raid in 1745 during King George's War, when the meeting house and Gorham's sawmill were burned. It was attacked again in 1746, when five colonists were killed and three abducted. Incursions during the French and Indian Wars would finally end, however, with the 1763 Treaty of Paris. The town was incorporated as Gorham in 1764.[7] It would annex land from Standish in 1831 and 1839, and from Scarborough in 1864.

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant College Gorham ME

Gorham ME medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Graduation. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can 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 Gorham ME.