How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Surry Maine
Now that you have decided to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Surry ME, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? Most potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You may choose to research 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 need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the schools 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 kind of credentials and training that are available.
The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant
The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Surry ME clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Providing basic support during exams and procedures
While medical assistants can perform almost any task they are qualified to under Maine law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Education
In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Surry ME health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally 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 prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical component involving an internship with a local medical facility. 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
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent alternative 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 option for students who continue working full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Surry ME area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training might be the ideal option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for graduates who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Surry ME medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. 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 apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Prior to examining 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 from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Surry ME with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to look at when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make sure that the college you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Surry ME employers will not hire 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 develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to acquiring 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, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Surry ME area health care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Surry health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Landing that very first job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Surry ME area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a school to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the program you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Surry ME, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Surry Maine?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Surry ME area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Surry, Maine
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 51.13 square miles (132.43 km2), of which 36.97 square miles (95.75 km2) is land and 14.16 square miles (36.67 km2) is water.[1]
This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Surry has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.[4]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,466 people, 673 households, and 429 families residing in the town. The population density was 39.7 inhabitants per square mile (15.3/km2). There were 1,119 housing units at an average density of 30.3 per square mile (11.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.3% White, 0.2% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population.
Select the Best Medical Assistant Training Surry ME
It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Job Description. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision 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 picking the ideal program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Surry ME.
More Medical Locations in Maine
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
3 Reviews 