Tag Archives: Top Accredited Medical Assistant Programs Harwinton CT 06791

Medical Assistant Course Cost Harwinton CT

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Harwinton Connecticut

Harwinton CT medical assistant checking pulseNow that you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Harwinton CT, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? A number of future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You may choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Harwinton CT nursing home patientThe duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their job is ensure that the Harwinton CT hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Connecticut law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and attain 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

Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Harwinton CT health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about a 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 alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. 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 similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Harwinton CTThere are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent choice for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened as well. But bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be completed in Harwinton CT area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your training might be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Harwinton CT medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among 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 have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Harwinton CT medical assistant programsPrior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices 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 Harwinton CT with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to examine when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to confirm that the program you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Harwinton CT employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to acquiring 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 about one year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Harwinton CT area health care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Harwinton healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Finding that very first job can be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Harwinton CT area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a couple of classes before selecting a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full time, it’s important that the school you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Harwinton CT, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still have to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol 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 Harwinton Connecticut?

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

Harwinton, Connecticut

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 31.1 square miles (81 km2), of which, 30.8 square miles (80 km2) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) of it (1.13%) is water. The southeastern portion of the town contains the Roraback Wildlife Area and several reservoirs.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 5,283 people, 1,958 households, and 1,546 families residing in the town. The population density was 171.8 people per square mile (66.3/km²). There were 2,022 housing units at an average density of 65.8 per square mile (25.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.69% White, 0.08% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.89% of the population.

There were 1,958 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.6% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.05.

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Training Harwinton CT

Harwinton CT medical assistant studentIt’s important to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Course Cost. 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, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Harwinton CT.

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