How Long Is Medical Assistant Training Bristol CT - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training Program near Bristol Connecticut

Bristol CT medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bristol CT, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? A number of potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You may want to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Bristol CT nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their role is ensure that the Bristol CT clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Connecticut law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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 Training

Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Bristol CT health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical component 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 Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Bristol CT There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are an excellent alternative 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 solution for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be completed in Bristol CT area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your education may be the ideal option for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Bristol CT medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. 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 graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Bristol CT medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you must decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Bristol CT with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should examine when evaluating programs. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to make sure that the program you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Bristol CT employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to select 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. Doing this is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, verify that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Bristol CT area health care providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students build relationships within the Bristol health care community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Finding that very first job can be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Bristol CT area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention 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 instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a school to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the program you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bristol CT, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also need to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bristol Connecticut?

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

Bristol, Connecticut

Bristol is a suburban city located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Hartford. The city is also 120 miles southwest from Boston, and approximately 100 miles northeast of New York City. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 60,477.[1]

Bristol is best known as the home of ESPN, whose central studios are in the city. Bristol is also home to Lake Compounce (1846), America's oldest continuously operating theme park. Bristol was known as a clock-making city in the 19th century, and is home to the American Clock & Watch Museum. For silver enthusiasts, Bristol is also known as the site of the former American Silver Company and its predecessor companies (1851-1935).[3][4]

Bristol's nicknames include the "Bell City", because of a history manufacturing innovative spring-driven doorbells, and the "Mum City", because it was once a leader in chrysanthemum production and still holds an annual Bristol Mum Festival.[5]

Select the Right Medical Assistant School Bristol CT

Bristol 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 planning to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in How Long Is Medical Assistant Training. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Bristol CT.