Medical Assistant Training Hampton NH - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Hampton New Hampshire

Hampton NH medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hampton NH, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the right one? Many future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You may decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have provided some questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Hampton NH nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their duty is ensure that the Hampton NH hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run 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 nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under New Hampshire law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and obtain 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 Training Courses

In contrast to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Hampton NH health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two options available for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to 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 often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Hampton NH There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent alternative for those who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized as well. Just remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be carried out in Hampton NH area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your education might be the best choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Hampton NH medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps 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, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Hampton NH medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Hampton NH with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should look at when researching 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 selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Hampton NH employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select 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 closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Hampton NH area medical care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Hampton medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Getting that initial job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Hampton NH area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests 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 attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a program to witness 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 college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the college you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Hampton NH, confirm that those times are offered. 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 clinical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Hampton New Hampshire?

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

Hampton, New Hampshire

Hampton is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 14,976 at the 2010 census.[1][2] Located beside the Atlantic Ocean, Hampton is home to Hampton Beach, a summer tourist destination.

The densely populated central part of the town, where 9,656 people resided at the 2010 census,[1] is defined as the Hampton census-designated place (CDP) and is centered on the intersection of U.S. 1 and NH 27.

First called the "Plantation of Winnacunnet", Hampton was one of four original New Hampshire townships chartered by the General Court of Massachusetts, which then held authority over the colony. Winnacunnet is an Algonquian Abenaki word meaning "pleasant pines" and is the name of the town's high school, serving students from Hampton and the surrounding towns of Seabrook, North Hampton, and Hampton Falls.

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Hampton NH

Hampton NH medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools offering training these days 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 pick is accredited by a recognized organization, such as 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 Training. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Hampton NH.