How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training Program near Newport Maine
Once you have decided to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Newport ME, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Most future students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might choose to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting 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
The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Newport ME clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work run 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 tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
- Providing basic support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Maine law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the choices available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Training Courses
Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Newport ME health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics 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 junior and community colleges as well as 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 classes. They frequently have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly 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 Classes
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent choice for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened also. But remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Newport ME area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your education may be the ideal option for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for those who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting employment after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Newport ME medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Newport ME with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must look at when researching programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Newport ME employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast 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 ones that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Newport ME area healthcare providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students establish relationships within the Newport health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Finding that initial job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Newport ME area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s imperative that the school you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Newport ME, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Also, find out 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 Newport Maine?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Newport ME area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Newport, Maine
The town was settled about 1808 as East Pond Plantation, then incorporated on June 14, 1814, as Newport. Agriculture was a principal early occupation, and industries included several sawmills, a gristmill, a foundry, cabinet shop, and a number of harness and blacksmith shops. By 1859, when the population was 1,120, Newport was an important producer of carriages "...which, for durability and finish, [were] not excelled by any in the state."[5] The Maine Central Railroad connected to Newport and made it the terminus for its Dexter & Newport Railway, which opened in 1868. By 1880, the population reached 1,451, and industries included a marble, granite and slate works, and a maker of boots and shoes.[6] In 1891, the woolen mill was built, and the Aroostook Condensed Milk Company founded. The latter became the Maine Condensed Milk Company in 1894, then Borden's Condensed Milk Company in 1902.[7]
In 1901, a large fire destroyed the Maine Central Railroad freight depot and two mills, and damaged 20 houses.[8] In 1990, two boys, aged 8 and 9, started a fire which burned half of Newport's historic downtown (three buildings more than a century old). [9]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.97 square miles (95.75 km2), of which, 29.50 square miles (76.40 km2) of it is land and 7.47 square miles (19.35 km2) is water.[1] Situated on Sebasticook Lake, Newport is drained by Martin Stream and the East Branch of the Sebasticook River. Sebasticook Lake is contained entirely in the town of Newport, and is the largest lake contained in one town in the state of Maine.[10]
Select the Right Medical Assistant College Newport ME
It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. 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, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Technician. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Newport ME.
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