Tag Archives: Top Accredited Medical Assistant Classes Bethany CT 06524

Medical Assistant Certification Online Bethany CT

How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Bethany Connecticut

Bethany CT medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to enter the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bethany CT, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Most prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You may choose to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Bethany CT nursing home patientThe job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their function is ensure that the Bethany CT clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

  • Completing insurance forms and filing claims
  • Scheduling and confirming appointments
  • Weighing and taking patients vital signs
  • Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
  • Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
  • Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Connecticut 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 Training Programs

In contrast to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Bethany CT 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 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about one year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Bethany CTThere are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good option 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 alternative for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be completed in Bethany CT area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training may be the best option for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything needed 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 choice for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Bethany CT medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Bethany CT medical assistant programsBefore you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Bethany CT with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must explore when researching schools. To assist you with that process, following 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 Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make sure that the program you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted organizations for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Bethany CT employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to enroll in 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 one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Bethany CT area medical care providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students develop relationships within the Bethany healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Finding that first job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Bethany CT area and ask 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 medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a college to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the college you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bethany CT, make certain that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bethany Connecticut?

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

Bethany, Connecticut

Bethany was first settled in 1717, but it was not until May 1832 that Bethany separated from Woodbridge to become incorporated as a town.[4] This slightly remote, sparsely populated, residential town retains its rural character. There is some dairying and agriculture. The town is dotted with reservoirs serving Naugatuck and, principally, New Haven.

There have been inhabitants in Bethany since before 1638, predominantly Naugatucks of the Paugusset tribe and Mattabessitts of the Wanguck tribe. The first European settlers arrived in the area around April 1638, creating the towns of Milford and New Haven, with their boundary split down the middle of what is now Bethany. The area of the boundary was settled in 1678, twelve years after New Haven County was organized. In 1717, the Amity Parish was accepted by the General Assembly of the Connecticut Colony and in 1832, Bethany was incorporated as a town.[1] The town is named after the biblical place.[2]

In the mid-to-late 19th century, the population of the town and the land decreased as parts were annexed by the neighboring town of Woodbridge and the new town of Beacon Falls was incorporated into the general geography of Connecticut. The population would continue to decrease until about the 1940s, when the population would spike.

Pick the Right Medical Assistant College Bethany CT

Bethany CT medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as 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 Certification Online. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Bethany CT.

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