How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training School near Lincoln Maine
Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lincoln 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 ultimately enroll in the best one? A number of prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You may choose to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to ask all 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 credentials and training that are available.
The Role of Medical Assistants
The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their role is ensure that the Lincoln ME hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Providing general support during exams and procedures
While medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Maine law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options available 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 Courses
In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Lincoln 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 basically 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about one year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Programs
There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent choice for individuals who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be performed in Lincoln ME area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the best option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some potential Lincoln 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 arguably the most respected 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 graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending 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 beginning of this article, many students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Lincoln ME with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to make certain that the program you enroll in 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 intend to become certified, you need to 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 one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Lincoln ME employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to select a program focused on that certification. Second, ask 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. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Lincoln ME area medical providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the Lincoln medical community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Getting that first job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Lincoln ME area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout 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 convenient, try to attend a few classes before selecting a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the program you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Lincoln ME, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol 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 Lincoln Maine?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Lincoln ME area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Lincoln, Maine
Lincoln developed around a water powered sawmill on the east bank of the Penobscot River.[6] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 74.65 square miles (193.34 km2), of which, 67.83 square miles (175.68 km2) of it is land and 6.82 square miles (17.66 km2) is water.[1]Rollins Mountain is located in Lincoln. The town has 13 different ponds.
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 5,085 people, 2,045 households, and 1,415 families residing in the town. The population density was 75.0 inhabitants per square mile (29.0/km2). There were 2,866 housing units at an average density of 42.3 per square mile (16.3/km2). The ethnic makeup of the town was 97.1% White, 0.3% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.
There were 2,045 households of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.8% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.87.
Pick the Best Medical Assistant Training Lincoln ME
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the right info on available programs before 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 covered in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Program. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan 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 compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Lincoln ME.
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