Medical Assistant Skills Waterboro ME - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Waterboro Maine

Waterboro ME medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Waterboro ME, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? A number of future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might choose to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your short 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 offered.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Waterboro ME nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their job is ensure that the Waterboro ME hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Based 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 responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Maine law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the options 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 Programs

Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Waterboro ME health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at junior and community colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Waterboro ME There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good option for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized as well. But bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be performed in Waterboro ME area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the ideal option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Waterboro ME medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and arguably 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 have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Waterboro ME medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Waterboro ME with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must explore when researching programs. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to ensure that the college you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many prospective Waterboro ME employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, ask 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 college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Waterboro ME area healthcare providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students build relationships within the Waterboro medical community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Getting that very first job can be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Waterboro ME area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a program to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the program you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Waterboro ME, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Waterboro Maine?

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

Waterboro, Maine

The town includes the districts of North (04061), South (04087), and East (04030) Waterboro, in addition to the largest development in southern Maine, Lake Arrowhead Community. The introduction of Maine subdivision regulation, and Maine Planning Boards, is the direct result of the creation of the largest subdivision, Lake Arrowhead Community. The reaction of the Maine State Legislature was mandatory Planning Boards, and subdivision regulation.

Abenaki Indians called the area Massabesic, meaning "the place of much water", a reference to the region's lakes. It was part of an extensive tract of land purchased in 1661 by Major William Phillips of Saco from Chief Fluellin. Known as Massabesic Plantation, it included most of modern-day Waterboro, Alfred and Sanford. Phillips died in 1683, and the plantation eventually passed from his heirs to 10 proprietors. One of those proprietors was Colonel Joshua Waters, for whom the town would be named.[4]

Lumbering began to thrive there about 1764. Captain John Smith from Kittery was the first permanent settler, arriving in 1768. On March 6, 1787, the Massachusetts General Court incorporated the township as Waterborough. In 1790, Old Corners became the site of the Court of General Sessions, although in 1805 the county seat shifted to Alfred. In 1895, the name was shortened to Waterboro.[4]

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Waterboro ME

Waterboro ME medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school 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 practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. 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 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 Skills. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Waterboro ME.