Medical Assistant Skills Bridgeport CT - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training Program near Bridgeport Connecticut

Bridgeport CT medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bridgeport CT, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Many prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You might decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Bridgeport CT nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their duty is to make sure that the Bridgeport CT hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run 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 giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

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

Unlike most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Bridgeport CT health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices 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 typically take about one year to finish, 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 earn an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Bridgeport CT There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent alternative for those who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened as well. But bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Bridgeport CT area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training might be the best choice for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining employment after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Bridgeport CT medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Bridgeport CT medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Bridgeport CT with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to examine when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to confirm that the program you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Bridgeport CT employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths 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 one year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Bridgeport CT area health care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Bridgeport healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Finding that very first job can be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Bridgeport CT area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates 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 individual instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Bridgeport CT, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bridgeport Connecticut?

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

Bridgeport, Connecticut

Bridgeport is a historic seaport city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The largest city in the state, it is located in Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnock River on Long Island Sound. As of 2017, Bridgeport had an estimated population of 151,267,[4] making it also the 5th-most populous in New England[5] Located 60 miles from Manhattan and 40 miles from the Bronx, it is bordered by the towns of Trumbull to the north, Fairfield to the west, and Stratford to the east. The Greater Bridgeport area is the 48th-largest urban area in the United States.

The showman P.T. Barnum was a resident of the city and served as the town's mayor in the late 19th century. Barnum built four houses in Bridgeport, and housed his circus in town during winter. The first Subway restaurant opened in the North End section of the city in 1965.[6] The Frisbie Pie Company was located here, and Bridgeport is credited as the birthplace of the Frisbee.[7]

After World War II, industrial restructuring and suburbanization caused the loss of many jobs and affluent residents, leaving Bridgeport struggling with problems of poverty and crime. In the 21st century, with the city being gentrified and other redevelopment, the city is attracting new residents and widespread interest. Bridgeport has become a destination for cultural and sporting events.

Select the Best Medical Assistant Course Bridgeport CT

Bridgeport CT medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re planning 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 get the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Skills. 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, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Bridgeport CT.