Medical Assistant Course Maynard MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Maynard Massachusetts

Maynard MA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Maynard MA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the best one? A number of future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You may decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have included some questions that you should ask each of the colleges 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 training and credentials that are offered.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Maynard MA nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their role is to make sure that the Maynard MA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any task they are qualified to under Massachusetts law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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 Courses

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Maynard MA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about one year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed 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 offered at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Maynard MA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good choice 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 alternative for students who continue to work full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized also. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be carried out in Maynard MA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your training may be the ideal option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting employment after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Maynard MA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate 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 discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Maynard MA medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you must choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Maynard MA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should examine when evaluating programs. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the college you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 one of these organizations, you will not be qualified 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 Maynard MA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Maynard MA area medical care providers. They are an excellent way to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Maynard healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Getting that initial job can be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Maynard MA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a program to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the school you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Maynard MA, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also need to schedule any clinical training or internships that will be required. Also, ask what the policy 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 Maynard Massachusetts?

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

Maynard, Massachusetts

Maynard is a small suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is located 22 miles west of Boston, in the MetroWest and Greater Boston region of Massachusetts and borders Acton, Concord, Stow and Sudbury. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 10,106.

Maynard is located on the Assabet River, a tributary of the Concord River. A large part of the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge is located within the town.[1] Historic downtown Maynard is home to many shops, restaurants, galleries, a movie theater, and the former Assabet Woolen Mill, which produced wool fabrics from 1846 to 1950, including cloth for Union Army uniforms during the Civil War. Owners of the former mill complex currently lease space to office and light industry businesses and restaurants.

Maynard, located on the Assabet River, was first settled as a farming community by Puritan colonists in 1600s who acquired the land comprising modern-day Maynard from local Native American tribe members who referred to the area as Pompositicut or Assabet.[2] In 1651 Old Jethro (Tantamous) transferred land in what is now Maynard to Herman Garrett by defaulting on a mortgaged horse and mare, and in 1684 Tantamous' son Peter Jethro, a praying Indian, and Jehojakim and ten others transferred further land in the area to the settlers.[3] In 1676 during King Philip's War, Native Americans gathered on Pompasitticut Hill (also known as Summer Hill) to plan an attack on Sudbury.[3] Residents of what is now Maynard fought in the Revolutionary War, including Luke Brooks of Summer Street who was in the Stow militia company which marched to Concord on April 19, 1775.[4] In 1851 transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau wrote about his walk through the area in his famous journal.[5] and he published a poem about Old Marlboro Road, part of which runs through Maynard.[6] During the American Civil War, at least thirty-six residents of Assabet Village fought for the Union.[3]

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant School Maynard MA

Maynard MA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the right info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized 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 Course. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Maynard MA.