Tag Archives: Top Accredited Medical Assistant Programs East Hartford CT 06108

Medical Assistant Certification Programs Near Me East Hartford CT

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near East Hartford Connecticut

East Hartford CT medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near East Hartford CT, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Many future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You may decide to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have included some questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with East Hartford CT nursing home patientThe job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their job is ensure that the East Hartford CT hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical 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 working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

  • Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Setting and verifying appointments
  • Weighing and taking patients vital signs
  • Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
  • Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Connecticut law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain 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 Courses

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many East Hartford CT health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as 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 classes. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied 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 East Hartford CTThere are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good alternative for students who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in East Hartford CT area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential East Hartford CT medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. 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). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask East Hartford CT medical assistant programsPrior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to East Hartford CT with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you should look at when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to verify that the program you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential East Hartford CT employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with East Hartford CT area health care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the East Hartford health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Landing that first job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the East Hartford CT area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near East Hartford CT, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near East Hartford Connecticut?

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

East Hartford, Connecticut

The town is located on the east bank of the Connecticut River, directly across from Hartford, Connecticut. The town includes the neighborhoods of Burnside and Hockanum. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 18.7 square miles (48.5 km2), of which 18.0 square miles (46.6 km2) is land and 0.73 square miles (1.9 km2), or 3.93%, is water.[1]

When the Connecticut Valley became known to Europeans around 1631, it was inhabited by what were known as the River Tribes — a number of small clans of Native Americans living along the Great River and its tributaries. Of these tribes the Podunks occupied territory now lying in the towns of East Hartford and South Windsor, and numbered, by differing estimates, from sixty to two hundred bowmen. They were governed by two sachems, Waginacut and Arramamet, and were connected in some way with the Native Americans who lived across the Great River, in what is now Windsor. The region north of the Hockanum River was generally called Podunk; that south of the river, Hockanum; but these were no certain designations, and by some all the meadow along the Great River was called Hockanum.[2]

In 1659, Thomas Burnham (1617–1688) purchased the tract of land now covered by the towns of South Windsor and East Hartford from Tantinomo, chief sachem of the Podunk Indians.[2] Burnham lived on the land and later willed it to his nine children.[3] The town of Hartford once included the land now occupied by the towns of East Hartford, Manchester, Bolton, Vernon, and West Hartford. In 1783, East Hartford became a separate town, which included Manchester in its city limits until 1823.[2]

Choose the Best Medical Assistant Course East Hartford CT

East Hartford CT medical assistant studentIt’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays 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 choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Certification Programs 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 so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in East Hartford CT.

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