Clinical Medical Assistant Schools Hollis Center ME - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Hollis Center Maine

Hollis Center ME medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hollis Center ME, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? A number of prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You may decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have provided some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Hollis Center ME nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their job is ensure that the Hollis Center ME clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Maine law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Education

Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Hollis Center ME health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 options available for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about a year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Hollis Center ME There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good alternative for students who might not have time to attend 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 degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be performed in Hollis Center ME area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the best option for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a position after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Hollis Center ME medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Hollis Center ME medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Hollis Center ME with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to explore when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to ensure that the program you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Hollis Center ME employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Hollis Center ME area medical providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Hollis Center health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Landing that first job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Hollis Center 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 medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a program to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the school you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Hollis Center ME, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol 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 Hollis Center Maine?

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

Hollis, Maine

Hollis is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,281 at the 2010 census. Hollis is a rural bedroom community of Portland and is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.

The town of Hollis was originally called Little Falls Plantation, which also encompassed all of the town of Dayton and a small part of Limington, namely the area south of the Little Ossipee River. It was bought in 1664 by Major William Phillips from Hobinowell and Mogg Hegon, sagamores of the local Abenaki Indians. In 1728, the Massachusetts General Court ordered that a combination trading post and stockaded blockhouse be constructed on the Saco River to conduct trade with the Native Americans. It was made crudely of logs and equipped with a cannon. Ten men and a sergeant garrisoned it.[4]

John and Andrew Gordon tried to settle the land in 1754, but were driven away by the Native Americans. On March 27, 1781, the first recorded plantation meeting took place and Joseph Chadbourne was elected moderator. By 1790 the population had grown to 607. The first vote for state office came in 1791, when Little Falls gave John Hancock 27 votes. In 1798, Little Falls was incorporated into Phillipsburg, named in honor of Major Phillips. The first town meeting took place on September 27, 1798, at the home of Stephen Hopkinson. The moderator was Joseph Chadbourne. In 1810 a committee was put together to rename the town, headed by Colonel Isaac Lane and Captain Eben Cleaves. It was finally decided upon the name Hollis. The reasoning behind the name is not known; it is thought to have been inspired by Hollis, New Hampshire, or possibly by the Duke of Newcastle, whose family name was Holles.[5]

Select the Right Medical Assistant Program Hollis Center ME

Hollis Center ME medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. 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 covered in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Clinical Medical Assistant Schools. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan 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 compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Hollis Center ME.