Quick Medical Assistant Programs South Portland ME - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training Program near South Portland Maine

South Portland ME medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near South Portland ME, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Many potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You might choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with South Portland ME nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their role is ensure that the South Portland ME hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible responsibilities 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 tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any task they are authorized to under Maine law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain 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 Education

Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many South Portland ME health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about one year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a practical element 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 Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in South Portland ME There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good 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 solution for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced also. But bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be carried out in South Portland ME area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your training might be the right option for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for those who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of potential South Portland ME medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of 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 examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask South Portland ME medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to South Portland ME with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should examine when assessing programs. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved organizations 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 one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential South Portland ME employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to obtaining 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 one year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with South Portland ME area medical providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students establish relationships within the South Portland medical community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Offered? Landing that initial job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the South Portland ME area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get 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 practical, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a program to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the school you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near South Portland ME, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still have to schedule any clinical training or internships that might 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 South Portland Maine?

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

South Portland, Maine

South Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state, incorporated in 1898. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of Portland and the islands of Casco Bay. Due to South Portland's close proximity to air, marine, rail, and highway transportation options, the city has become a center for retail and industry in the region.

Despite the name, South Portland was never part of the city of Portland, but rather part of Cape Elizabeth. It broke off in 1895. However, both Cape Elizabeth and Portland were once part of Falmouth. Cape Elizabeth, then including what later became South Portland, broke away from Falmouth in 1765. South Portland is a principal city of the Portland – South Portland – Biddeford metropolitan area.

South Portland was first settled in 1630, and it grew to become a small residential community with many farms. The village was raided by natives in Father Rale's War (1724). In 1858, the City of Portland purchased land near the Fore River for the Forest City Cemetery. On March 15, 1895, it was incorporated as a town after it broke away from Cape Elizabeth, based on a disagreement on a future source of public drinking water. Three years later South Portland became a city, destined to receive its drinking water, like Portland, from Sebago Lake, while Cape Elizabeth used wells or other local sources.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Course South Portland ME

South Portland ME medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Quick Medical Assistant Programs. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in South Portland ME.