How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Medfield Massachusetts

Once you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Medfield MA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? A number of future students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might choose 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 need to finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have included several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their duty is to make sure that the Medfield MA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

• Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
• Setting and verifying appointments
• Weighing and taking patients vital signs
• Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
• Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
• Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Massachusetts law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and obtain 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

Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Medfield MA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 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 generally take about a year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics 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 provided at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good alternative for students who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as 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 usually be performed in Medfield MA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your education may be the ideal option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Medfield MA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. 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 sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many potential students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Medfield MA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to examine when assessing schools. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to ensure that the college you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged agencies 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 allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Medfield MA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to select a program concentrating 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 one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about two years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Medfield MA area health care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the Medfield medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Finding that initial job can be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Medfield MA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? 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 offer increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a school to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the program you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Medfield MA, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still need to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Medfield Massachusetts?

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

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Medfield MA

It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. 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 critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in How Long Does It Take To Become A Medical Assistant. 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, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Medfield MA.

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