Medical Assistant Tech Southbridge MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near Southbridge Massachusetts

Southbridge MA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Southbridge MA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Many future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes 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 critical issues as well. You might choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have provided some questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Southbridge MA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their job is ensure that the Southbridge MA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Massachusetts law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options offered 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

Unlike many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Southbridge MA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Southbridge MA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be carried out in Southbridge MA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training may be the right choice for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Southbridge MA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Southbridge MA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Southbridge MA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must examine when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to verify that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must 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 either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Southbridge MA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Southbridge MA area health care providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Southbridge health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Finding that initial job can be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Southbridge MA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to instructors and one-on-one 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 Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Southbridge MA, make certain that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Southbridge Massachusetts?

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

Southbridge, Massachusetts

The Town of Southbridge has a city form of government with a city council legislative body, but via a statute calls itself a Town.[3] It is located in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,719 at the 2010 census. Southbridge is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "The town of" in their official names.[4]

The area was initially inhabited by the Nipmuck and Mohegan tribes, with the Quinebaug River dividing their territories. As early as 1638, John Winthrop, Jr. purchased Tantiusques a tract for mining lead centered at what is now Leadmine Road in Sturbridge (it was thought at the time that where there was lead, there should be silver nearby). In fact the mineral deposit was graphite which the Winthrops commercialized employing Nipmuck miners.

Southbridge was first settled by Europeans in 1730. In 1801 a poll parish, named the Second Religious Society of Charlton, and popularly called Honest Town, was formed from the west part of Dudley, the southwest part of Charlton and the southeast part of Sturbridge. In 1816 this parish was incorporated to become the township of Southbridge.[5] Among the first settlers was Moses Marcy, who owned a home on the site of what is now Notre Dame church and was elected to Congress, and the Dennison family. Water power from the Quinebaug River made Southbridge a good location for sawmills and gristmills in the 18th century, and textile mills in the 19th century. After the Civil War, many immigrants of Irish and French Canadian descent came to work and live there; by the 1930s they had been joined by Poles, Greeks, Italians and others.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Course Southbridge MA

Southbridge MA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Tech. But irrespective of the kind 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 so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Southbridge MA.