Medical Assistant School Online Accredited Hanscom Afb MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School Program near Hanscom Afb Massachusetts

Hanscom Afb MA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hanscom Afb MA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? A number of prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You may decide to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided some questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Hanscom Afb MA nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their role is to make sure that the Hanscom Afb MA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work run successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can 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 medical professionals but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Giving general support during examinations and procedures

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

Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Hanscom Afb MA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. 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.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Hanscom Afb MA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent choice 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 choice for students who continue working full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized as well. Just remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Hanscom Afb MA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the best option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Hanscom Afb MA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Hanscom Afb MA medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Hanscom Afb MA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must examine when assessing schools. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to confirm that the school you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Hanscom Afb MA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Hanscom Afb MA area medical care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Hanscom Afb medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Finding that very first job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Hanscom Afb MA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates 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 jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere 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 to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Hanscom Afb MA, make certain that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Hanscom Afb Massachusetts?

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

Hanscom Air Force Base

Hanscom Air Force Base (AFB) (IATA: BED, ICAO: KBED, FAA LID: BED) is a United States Air Force base located predominantly within Bedford, Massachusetts, with portions extending into the adjoining towns of Lincoln, Concord and Lexington. The facility is adjacent to Hanscom Field which provides general aviation and charter service.

Hanscom AFB is the part of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, one of six centers under Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC). The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center is the single center responsible for total life cycle management of Air Force weapon systems and is headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. The host unit at Hanscom is the 66th Air Base Group (66 ABG) assigned to AFMC.

A non-flying base, Hanscom Air Force Base is named after Laurence G. Hanscom (1906–1941), a pilot, aviation enthusiast, and State House reporter who was killed in a plane crash at Saugus, Massachusetts. Hanscom was a reporter for the Boston Globe, Worcester Telegram & Gazette and the Wilmington (MA) News. Hanscom was active in early aviation, founding the Massachusetts Civil Air Reserve. At the time of his death, Hanscom had been lobbying for the establishment of an airfield in Bedford. The base was named in his honor on 26 June 1941.

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Hanscom Afb MA

Hanscom Afb MA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant School Online Accredited. But irrespective of the type 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 supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Hanscom Afb MA.