Category Archives: Maine

Clinical Medical Assistant Topsfield ME

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School Program near Topsfield Maine

Topsfield ME medical assistant checking pulseNow that you have decided to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Topsfield ME, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Most prospective students start 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 extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You may choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have included several questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Topsfield ME nursing home patientThe duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their duty is ensure that the Topsfield ME clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions 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 facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

  • Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Scheduling and verifying appointments
  • Taking vital signs and weighing patients
  • Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
  • Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Maine law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and attain 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 Programs

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Topsfield ME health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover 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 earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Topsfield METhere are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good choice for students 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 option for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized 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 Topsfield ME area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the best option for you. With the online classes and the clinical 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 an excellent choice for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Topsfield ME medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded 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 be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Topsfield ME medical assistant programsBefore you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you must choose which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Topsfield ME with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must examine when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to ensure that the school you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Topsfield ME employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want 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 ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Topsfield ME area health care providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students develop relationships within the Topsfield medical community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Getting that very first job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Topsfield ME area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a school to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the program you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Topsfield ME, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Topsfield Maine?

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

Topsfield, Maine

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 55.32 square miles (143.28 km2), of which, 50.09 square miles (129.73 km2) of it is land and 5.23 square miles (13.55 km2) is water.[1]

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Topsfield has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.[5]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 237 people, 95 households, and 74 families residing in the town. The population density was 4.7 inhabitants per square mile (1.8/km2). There were 195 housing units at an average density of 3.9 per square mile (1.5/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 99.2% White, 0.4% Native American, and 0.4% from other races.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant School Topsfield ME

Topsfield ME medical assistant studentIt’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if 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 must acquire the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Clinical Medical Assistant. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Topsfield ME.

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