Medical Assistant Registration Franklin MA

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training School near Franklin Massachusetts

Franklin MA medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have decided to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Franklin MA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You may choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Franklin MA nursing home patientThe job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their duty is to make sure that the Franklin MA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

  • Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
  • Setting 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

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Massachusetts law, some prefer 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

Unlike many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Franklin MA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two choices offered for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals 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 offered at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Franklin MAThere are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent alternative for those who may 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 working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be completed in Franklin MA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the best choice for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified 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 employment after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Franklin MA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Franklin MA medical assistant programsPrior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Franklin MA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must explore when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to make certain that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Franklin MA 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 prepare 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 to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Franklin MA area health care providers. They are a great method to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Franklin healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Furnished? Finding that first job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Franklin MA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a program to see 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 working full time, it’s essential that the program you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Franklin MA, make certain that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also need to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Franklin Massachusetts?

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

Franklin, Massachusetts

The Town of Franklin is a city[3] in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Franklin is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "The town of” in their official names.[4] As of 2012, the city's population was 33,092. It is home to the country's first library, the Franklin Public Library with its first books donated by Benjamin Franklin in 1790. It also contains the largest Catholic parish in the Boston Archdiocese, St. Mary's Catholic church, with some 15,000 members.

Franklin was first settled by Europeans in 1660 and officially incorporated during the American Revolution. The town was formed from the western part of the town of Wrentham, and it was officially incorporated on March 2, 1778; its designated name at incorporation was to be Exeter.[5] However, the town's citizens opted to call it Franklin, in honor of the statesman Benjamin Franklin, the first municipality in the U.S. to be so named.

It was hoped that Benjamin Franklin would donate a bell for a church steeple in the town, but he donated 116 books instead,[6] beginning a debate over who should be allowed access to these books. On November 20, 1790, it was decided that the volumes would be lent to the residents of Franklin for free via its library, which has been in operation since then as the Franklin Public Library. The Ray Memorial Library building was dedicated in 1904. In 1990, on the library's bicentennial, its staff published a booklet, "A History of America's First Public Library at Franklin Massachusetts, 1790 ~ 1990" to commemorate America's first public library and book collection.[7]

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Franklin MA

Franklin MA medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Registration. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Franklin MA.

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