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How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training Program near South Kent Connecticut

South Kent CT medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near South Kent CT, it’s time to select a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Most future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You might want to research several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that task, 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 function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with South Kent CT nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their job is to make sure that the South Kent CT hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants may perform almost any task they are qualified to under Connecticut law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Programs

Unlike many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of South Kent CT health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts 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 four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in South Kent CT There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent option for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be performed in South Kent CT area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible South Kent CT medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask South Kent CT medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to South Kent CT with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to explore when researching schools. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the program you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential South Kent CT employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must learn 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 of course you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are considering provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with South Kent CT area medical providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the South Kent healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Getting that very first job can be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the South Kent CT 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 employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can 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 likely to provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the school you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near South Kent CT, confirm 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 internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, ask 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 South Kent Connecticut?

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

South Kent, Connecticut

South Kent is a village located in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States, alongside the border with New York, and within and part of Kent, Connecticut. South Kent has its own Post Office whose ZIP code is 06785. South Kent is also home to South Kent School, a private prep school.

South Kent is located in Litchfield County. Its location is 41°42′01″N 73°26′49″W / 41.70028°N 73.44694°W / 41.70028; -73.44694. South Kent's terrain is mostly hilly, with small valleys and upland plateaus. There are several bodies of water in South Kent, including Hatch Pond, Mill Pond, Mud Pond, and South Spectacle Lake.

The median income for a household in the town was $60,208, and the median income for a family was $56,964. Males had a median income of $58,875 versus $34,135 for females. The per capita income for the town was $59,245.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Course South Kent CT

South Kent CT medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the right info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Classes Near Me. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in South Kent CT.