Rhode Island Archives - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School near Cranston Rhode Island

Cranston RI medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Cranston RI, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? A number of potential students start 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 very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You might decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must carry out 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 each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Cranston RI nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their duty is ensure that the Cranston RI clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work run successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

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

While medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Rhode Island law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

In contrast to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Cranston RI health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Cranston RI There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent choice for individuals who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be completed in Cranston RI area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your education may be the best option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some potential Cranston RI medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Cranston RI medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Cranston RI with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must examine when evaluating schools. To assist 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 ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the college you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved agencies 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 agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Cranston RI 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 schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, verify that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Cranston RI area medical care providers. They are a great method to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Cranston health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting that first job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Cranston RI area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before choosing a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the school you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Cranston RI, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Cranston Rhode Island?

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

Cranston, Rhode Island

Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,529 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston.[3] Cranston is a part of the Providence metropolitan area.

Cranston was named one of the "100 Best Places to Live" in the United States by Money magazine in 2006.[4] It is among the top 25 safest cities in the country, according to CQ Press's research. According to the survey done by 24/7 Wall St website, Cranston ranked 36th on the list of “America’s 50 Best Cities to Live”[5]

The Town of Cranston was created in 1754 from a portion of Providence north of the Pawtuxet River. After losing much of its territory to neighboring towns and the city of Providence, Cranston itself became a city on 10 March 1910.

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Course Cranston RI

Cranston RI medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. 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, confirm that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Registration. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Cranston RI.