What Do Medical Assistants Do Bethel CT - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School near Bethel Connecticut

Bethel CT medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bethel CT, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? A number of potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean 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 critical factors also. You might decide to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Bethel CT nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their function is ensure that the Bethel CT hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate efficiently. Based 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 physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

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

While medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Connecticut law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options available 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

Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Bethel CT health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 options available for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Bethel CT There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good choice for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be completed in Bethel CT area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the best choice for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for those who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Bethel CT medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Bethel CT medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Bethel CT with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to look at when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to confirm that the school 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 plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Bethel CT employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally 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 ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are considering provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Bethel CT area healthcare providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Bethel medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Finding that initial job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Bethel CT area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before selecting a program to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the program you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bethel CT, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all internships or clinical training that might 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 responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bethel Connecticut?

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

Bethel, Connecticut

Bethel (/ˈbɛθəl/) is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, about 69 miles (111 km) from New York City. Its population was 18,584 at the 2010 census.[1] The town center is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP). The core area of the town center has also been designated as a historic district

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 16.9 square miles (44 km2), of which 16.8 square miles (44 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), or 0.53%, is water. The CDP corresponding to the town center has a total area of 4.1 square miles (11 km2), all land. Bethel borders Redding to the south, Danbury to the west, Brookfield to the north, and Newtown to the east.

As of the 2010 census Bethel had a population of 18,584. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 88.8% white, 1.8% black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 4.5% Asian, 2.8% from some other race and 1.9% from two or more races. 7.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino from any race.[10]

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Course Bethel CT

Bethel CT medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What Do Medical Assistants Do. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend 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 picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Bethel CT.