Medical Assistant Training School Seekonk MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School near Seekonk Massachusetts

Seekonk MA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Seekonk MA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Most prospective students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate 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 may choose to research some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” 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

medical assistant with Seekonk MA nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Seekonk MA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions 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 facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

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

Although medical assistants may perform almost any task they are qualified to under Massachusetts law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Courses

Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Seekonk 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 choices offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component 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 related field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Seekonk MA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good alternative for those who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be carried out in Seekonk MA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Seekonk MA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and arguably 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 exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Seekonk MA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which type of credential you would like 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 begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Seekonk MA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to look at when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the college you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, 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 one 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 normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Seekonk MA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to select a program focused on that certification. Second, ask 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 evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Seekonk MA area medical care providers. They are an excellent way to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Seekonk health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Getting that very first job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Seekonk MA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few 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 anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the college you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Seekonk MA, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy 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 Seekonk Massachusetts?

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

Seekonk, Massachusetts

Seekonk is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Massachusetts border with Rhode Island. It was incorporated in 1812 from the western half of Rehoboth. The population was 14,371 at the 2016 census. Until 1862, the town of Seekonk also included what is now the City of East Providence, Rhode Island. The land in the western half of the town was given to Rhode Island by the United States Supreme Court as part of a longstanding boundary dispute with Massachusetts.[1]

The earliest known inhabitants of Seekonk were Native Americans from the Wampanoag Tribe. The name Wampanoag means People of the Morning Light. This name refers to the geographical area of the tribe. Living in the East they would be the first people to greet the sun each morning. The area now known as Seekonk and Rehoboth provided agricultural and water resources with abundant food supplies. During the warm summer months the Natives spent time near the rivers and oceans in what is now Southeastern Massachusetts. In the winter months the Natives lived inland, including several locations in Seekonk. At one time there were three Native American villages in the area we now call Seekonk.

There have been many spellings of the name Seekonk. Some of the various spellings include Seconch, Sink Hunk, Secquncke, Seaconke, and Squannakonk. The symbol of the goose in flight is used on the Town Seal.

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Seekonk MA

Seekonk MA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Training School. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Seekonk MA.