How To Be A Medical Assistant East Hampton CT

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training Program near East Hampton Connecticut

East Hampton CT medical assistant checking pulseNow that you have decided to become a part of the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near East Hampton CT, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the right one? Most potential students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You may choose to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have provided 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 role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with East Hampton CT nursing home patientThe job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their role is ensure that the East Hampton CT clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type 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 responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

  • Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Setting and confirming appointments
  • Taking vital signs and weighing patients
  • Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
  • Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
  • Providing basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Connecticut law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices 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 Training Courses

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of East Hampton CT health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 options available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about a year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a practical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in East Hampton CTThere are many accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good alternative for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized also. But bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be performed in East Hampton CT area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the right option for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. Some possible East Hampton CT medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate 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 Schools

Questions to ask East Hampton CT medical assistant programsBefore you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must choose which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to East Hampton CT with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to examine when assessing programs. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to confirm that the school you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective East Hampton CT employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to obtaining 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, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with East Hampton CT area healthcare providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students build relationships within the East Hampton healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Landing that very first job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the East Hampton CT area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

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

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near East Hampton Connecticut?

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

East Hampton, Connecticut

East Hampton is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,959 at the 2010 census. The town center village is listed as a census-designated place (CDP). East Hampton includes the villages of Cobalt, Middle Haddam, and Lake Pocotopaug.

The southern trailhead of the Shenipsit Trail is in Cobalt, and the Airline State Park (a rail trail) has its southern trailhead in East Hampton, at Main Street in the Village Center. The 884-acre (358 ha) Hurd State Park, Meshomasic State Forest, and Salmon River State Forest are located in town. Comstock's Bridge, more commonly known as the Comstock Covered Bridge and the only remaining covered bridge in eastern Connecticut, spans the Salmon River near Route 16 in East Hampton.

The European-derived first settlers of the area arrived in 1739 by sea from Eastham, Massachusetts. They traveled up the Connecticut River to Middle Haddam parish between the two adjacent towns of Middletown and Haddam. Led by Isaac Smith, some of these settlers went on to the hills near Lake Pocotopaug, the present-day location of East Hampton. In 1746, the settlers named their community Easthampton parish after their former home of Eastham. In 1767, the community was separated from Middletown incorporated by the Connecticut General Assembly as the township of Chatham, after Chatham, Medway due to the important shipbuilding industries that both places had in common. An iron forge at the outlet of Lake Pocotopaug was one of the earliest in Connecticut. The forge supplied the local needs and the shipbuilding industry on the banks of the Connecticut River. Shipbuilding up the Connecticut River was given a boost during the War of 1812 when the British raided a town at the mouth of the Connecticut River. The knowledge gained in forging and casting iron was later used for creating other items including waffle irons. Bell making continued to grow during the 1800s with firms utilizing the water power of the Pocotopaug Stream. After the Civil War numerous coffin trimming concerns lined the stream. Some firms changed focus over time such as the Watrous Mfg. Co. which started making just bells, later making coffin trimmings, and still later making bell toys.

Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Program East Hampton CT

East Hampton CT medical assistant studentIt’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish the right 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 must acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools providing 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 certain that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example 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 How To Be A Medical Assistant. But regardless of the type 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 rewarding career as a medical assistant in East Hampton CT.

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