Medical Assistant Certification Online Lewiston ME - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training Program near Lewiston Maine

Lewiston ME medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lewiston ME, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Many prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Lewiston ME nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their job is ensure that the Lewiston ME clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any task 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Courses

Unlike many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Lewiston ME health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about 1 year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied 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 Lewiston ME There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good option for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized also. But remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be performed in Lewiston ME area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the best option for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for graduates who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Lewiston ME medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among 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). In order to take the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Lewiston ME medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Lewiston ME with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should look at when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the program you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Lewiston ME employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready 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 to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about two years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Lewiston ME area health care providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Lewiston medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Landing that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Lewiston ME area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the school you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Lewiston ME, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will also have to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Lewiston Maine?

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

Lewiston, Maine

Lewiston (/ˈluːɪstən/;[5] officially the City of Lewiston, Maine)[6] is the second largest city in Maine and the most central city in Androscoggin County.[7] The city borders the coastal sideways of the Gulf of Maine and is south of Augusta, the state's capital, and north of Portland, the cultural hub of Maine. It is one-half of the Lewiston-Auburn Metropolitan Statistical Area, commonly referred to as "L.A." or "L-A."[8] Lewiston exerts a significant impact upon the diversity, religious variety, commerce, education, and economic power of Maine. It is known for a relatively low cost of living, substantial access to medical care, and an extremely low violent-crime rate.[9][10] While the dominant language spoken in the city is English, it is home to the largest French-speaking population in the United States (by population) while it is second to St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, in percentage of speakers.[11][12][13]

The Lewiston area traces its roots to 1669 with the early presence of the Androscoggin tribe (the namesake of the county the city resides in). In the late 18th century, the area slowly became populated by Quebec families and was incorporated as "Lewistown" in 1795.[14] The presence of the Androscoggin River and Lewistown Falls made the town an attractive area for manufacturing and hydro-power businesses. The rise of Boston rail and textile tycoon Benjamin Bates saw rapid economic growth rivaling that of Cambridge, Worcester, and Concord. The increase in economic stimulus prompted thousands of Quebecers to migrate, causing a population boom; the populace rose from 1,801 in 1840 to 21,701 in 1890. In 1855, local preacher Oren Burbank Cheney founded the Maine State Seminary, the first coeducational university in New England and one of the first universities to admit black students before the Emancipation Proclamation. Lewistown quickly became associated with the liberal arts and was incorporated as "Lewiston" in 1864, a year before the college was chartered as Bates College.

The city is home to the only basilica in Maine, Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul; 15 colleges and universities; 44 listings on the National Register of Historic Places; the Androscoggin Bank Colisée; the Stephens Observatory; the Olin Arts Center; the Bates College Museum of Art (BCMoA); and two significant general hospitals: Central Maine Medical Center and Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center.

Select the Best Medical Assistant Training Program Lewiston ME

Lewiston ME medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, 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 Certification Online. But regardless of the kind 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 so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Lewiston ME.