How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Monmouth Maine
Once you have decided to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Monmouth ME, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? A number of potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You may decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.
The Function of a Medical Assistant
The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Monmouth ME hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Maine law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options offered 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 Training Courses
Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Monmouth ME health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. 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 Schools
There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good option for those who might not have the time to attend 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 pursuing their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be completed in Monmouth ME area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training may be the best choice for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for individuals who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Monmouth ME medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. After those choices have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Monmouth ME with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain that the program you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Monmouth ME employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to 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 instance, then of course you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Monmouth ME area medical care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students develop relationships within the Monmouth medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Assistance Furnished? Getting that first job may be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Monmouth ME area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a program to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the college you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Monmouth ME, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that may be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Monmouth Maine?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Monmouth ME area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Monmouth, Maine
Monmouth is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,104 at the 2010 census. A popular summer resort area, with many lakeside cottages, Monmouth is part of the Winthrop Lakes Region.
Part of the Plymouth Patent, it was first settled as Freetown in 1776-1777 by families from Brunswick. It would also be called Bloomingborough and Wales before being incorporated by the Massachusetts General Court on January 20, 1792 as Monmouth,[5] after Monmouth, New Jersey.[6] The name was suggested by landowner General Henry Dearborn, who had fought in the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778.[7]
Monmouth was considered one of the best agricultural towns in the state, producing hay, apples and potatoes, in addition to beef cattle and dairy products.[8] It also had excellent sites for watermills. By 1859, when the population was 1,925, it had two factories for making boot-webbing and binding, a shovel and hoe factory, a tannery, a machine shops, some mechanic shops, some wood turning shops, a sleigh and carriage factory, some boot and shoe shops, a carpet factory, and a sash, blind and door factory. In 1849, the Androscoggin & Kennebec Railroad (later part of the Maine Central Railroad) opened to the town.[7]
Pick the Right Medical Assistant Course Monmouth ME
It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in How Long Is Medical Assistant School. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided 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 right program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Monmouth ME.
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