How Long Are Medical Assistant Programs West Newfield ME

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near West Newfield Maine

West Newfield ME medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near West Newfield ME, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Many potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You might want to research some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have provided several 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 Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with West Newfield ME nursing home patientThe role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their duty is to make sure that the West Newfield ME clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

  • Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Setting and confirming appointments
  • Weighing and taking patients vital signs
  • Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
  • Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
  • Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Maine law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and obtain 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 many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of West Newfield ME health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, a few 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 option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 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 requiring an internship with a local medical 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 similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in West Newfield METhere are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent alternative for those who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized also. But keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in West Newfield ME area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education may be the best choice for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve 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 an excellent option for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining employment after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential West Newfield ME medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of 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 apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask West Newfield ME medical assistant programsBefore you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to West Newfield ME with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to explore when assessing programs. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to confirm that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential West Newfield ME employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with West Newfield ME area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the West Newfield healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Finding that first job can be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the West Newfield 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 an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full time, it’s essential that the college you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near West Newfield ME, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training 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 responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near West Newfield Maine?

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

Newfield, Maine

This was part of the large tract sold on November 28, 1668 by Newichawannock Indian Chief Sunday (or Wesumbe) to Francis Small, a Kittery trader. The price was two large Indian blankets, two gallons of rum, two pounds of gunpowder, four pounds of musket balls and twenty strings of beads.[4] The township was surveyed and first settled as Washington Plantation in 1778. A number of settlers had been soldiers in the Revolutionary War. It was incorporated as Newfield on February 25, 1794, and by 1859, the population was 1,418.[4]

The Little Ossipee River runs through Newfield village and once provided water power to operate two gristmills, two lumber mills, a barrel stave mill, a shook mill, a planing mill and a carding mill. West Newfield had a sawmill, gristmill and stave mill. There was an attempt in the community to mine silver and iron, but it was not profitable. By 1880, the population was 995.[5] Newfield would be heavily damaged by the Great Fires of 1947.

Don King of Topsfield, Massachusetts bought an old farm at Newfield in 1965, marking the beginning of what would become Willowbrook Museum Village, a re-created 19th-century village. Other properties and historic buildings were added, together with a collection of early farm implements, tools, carriages and sleighs. The museum is now a tourist attraction.[6]

Choose the Best Medical Assistant College West Newfield ME

West Newfield ME medical assistant studentIt’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college 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 lifetime career, you need to 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 individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example 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 Are Medical Assistant Programs. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in West Newfield ME.

More Medical Locations in Maine

  • Medical Assistant Training Near Me Long Island ME
  • National Medical Assistant South China ME
  • Medical Assistant Programs Near Me Kenduskeag ME
  • Certify Medical Assistant Solon ME
  • Become A Certified Medical Assistant Old Orchard Beach ME
  • Medical Assistant Trade School Orland ME
  • Colleges That Offer Medical Assistant Degrees Isle Au Haut ME
  • How Long Are Medical Assistant Programs Benedicta ME
  • Pediatric Medical Assistant West Kennebunk ME
  • Online Medical Assistant Certification Programs Mount Vernon ME
  •  

     

    The location could not be found.

     

    Business Results 1 - 10 of 4

    ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care
    4 Reviews
    Urgent Care, Walk-in Clinics
    Phone:
    24 Homestead Pl, Alton, NH 03809

    Home Instead Senior Care
    1 Reviews
    Home Health Care
    Phone:
    502 Main St, Gorham, ME 04038

    Avita of Wells
    1 Reviews
    Assisted Living Facilities
    Phone:
    86 Sanford Rd, Wells, ME 04090

    Saco River Medical Group
    3 Reviews
    Doctors
    Phone:
    7 Greenwood Ave, Conway, NH 03818