Accredited Medical Assistant Programs North Andover MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training School near North Andover Massachusetts

North Andover MA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to enter the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near North Andover MA, it’s time to select a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? A number of prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You may want to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with North Andover MA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their function is ensure that the North Andover MA clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

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

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under Massachusetts law, some prefer 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 Programs

Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many North Andover MA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in North Andover MA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good alternative for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in North Andover MA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the right option for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve 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 an excellent idea for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible North Andover MA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask North Andover MA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you must choose which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to North Andover MA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to examine when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to make sure that the college you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education 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 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 qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential North Andover MA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to choose a program targeting 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 methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the schools you are reviewing offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with North Andover MA area health care providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students establish relationships within the North Andover health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Finding that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the North Andover MA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before selecting a school to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full-time, it’s imperative that the college you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near North Andover MA, make certain that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near North Andover Massachusetts?

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

North Andover, Massachusetts

North Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts. The lands south of the Merrimack River around Lake Cochichewick and the Shawsheen River were set aside by the Massachusetts General Court in 1634 for the purpose of creating an inland plantation. The Cochichewick Plantation, as it was called, was purchased on May 6, 1646 when Reverend John Woodbridge, who had settled the land for the English, paid Pennacook chief Cutshmache six pounds and a coat for the lands.[3] The plantation was then incorporated as Andover, most likely in honor of the hometown of many early residents, Andover, Hampshire, England. The town was centered in what is now North Andover, but the spread of settlement south and west of the old town center created much conflict in the early years about the location of the parish church. In 1709, the matter was brought to the General Court, which set aside two parish churches, north and south.[4] The parishes grew apart as the years went on and on April 7, 1855, the North parish separated from the south and was incorporated as North Andover.

There are several first period (pre-1720) houses still standing in town. The oldest house is probably the Bridges House, relocated from Marbleridge Road to Court Street in 2001; the original portion of this house probably dates to about 1690. Other first period houses include the Stevens House on Great Pond Road; the Faulkner House on Appleton Street; the Abiel Stevens House on Salem Street; the Parson Barnard House, which is a museum; a house on Andover Street near the intersection with Chickering Road; and the Carlton-Frie-Tucker House[5] at 140 Mill Road. No house in North Andover has been scientifically dated by dendrochronology, so dates are based solely on stylistic elements, original deeds, and tradition.

The North Parish Church on the North Andover Green is a historic church building built in 1836.[6] It was the 5th meetinghouse of the Puritan church congregation founded in 1645 in North Andover. In about 1836 the congregation chose to become a Unitarian church and commissioned this Gothic building.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Program North Andover MA

North Andover MA medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools 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, verify that the program you decide on 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 Accredited Medical Assistant Programs. 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, make sure 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 subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in North Andover MA.