Certified Medical Assistant Duties Groton MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

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

Groton MA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Groton MA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? A number of potential students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You may choose to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have provided several questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Groton MA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their function is ensure that the Groton MA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals 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:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Massachusetts law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and attain 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 Courses

Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Groton MA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed 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 usually two year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Groton MA There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent choice for students 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 option for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be completed in Groton MA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your education might be the ideal option for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work 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 wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Groton MA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Groton MA 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 would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Groton MA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must explore when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to verify that the program you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Groton MA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want 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 means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Groton MA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent method to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Groton healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Landing that first job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Groton MA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms 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 Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a program to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Groton MA, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Groton Massachusetts?

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

Groton, Massachusetts

Groton is a town in northwestern Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, within the Greater Boston metropolitan area. The population was 10,873 at the 2012 town census.[3] It is home to two prep schools: Groton School, founded in 1884,[4][5] and Lawrence Academy at Groton, founded in 1792 and the third-oldest private school in Massachusetts. Lawrence Academy was founded with a charter from John Hancock.[6]

Near the former border with Maine, the historic town was a battlefield in King Philip's War[7] and Queen Anne's War, with children taken captive in a raid by Abenaki and French;[7] it had had incidents of insurrection during Shays' Rebellion,[8] and was the birthplace of William Prescott, who commanded the colonial forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolution.[9]

The area surrounding modern-day Groton has, for thousands of years, been the territory of various cultures of indigenous peoples. They settled along the rivers, which they used for domestic tasks, fishing and transportation. Historic tribes were the Algonquian-speaking Nipmuc and Nashaway Indians.[10]

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Training Groton MA

Groton MA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, 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 Certified Medical Assistant Duties. 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, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Groton MA.