Certified Medical Assistant Certification Easton CT - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School Program near Easton Connecticut

Easton CT medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Easton CT, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Most prospective students begin by researching 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, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You might want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have provided several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Easton CT nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their function is to make sure that the Easton CT clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Connecticut law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options 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

In contrast to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Easton CT health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Easton CT There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent alternative for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be carried out in Easton CT area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the ideal option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Easton CT medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Easton CT medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those choices 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 students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Easton CT with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must examine when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to confirm that the program you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must complete 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Easton CT employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Easton CT area medical providers. They are an excellent method to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Easton healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Landing that initial job can be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Easton CT area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the college you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Easton CT, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will also need to schedule all internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Easton Connecticut?

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

Easton, Connecticut

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 28.6 square miles (74 km2), of which, 27.4 square miles (71 km2) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2) of it (23.83%) is water.

Easton was first settled in 1757 by men and women from Fairfield. In 1762 a congregation called the North Fairfield Society was established, and it gradually evolved into Easton. In 1787 Weston, then including lands now defined as Easton, was incorporated out of Fairfield. The area was slow to develop because of the rough hills along the Aspetuck River, and so it was not until 1845 that what is now Easton separated from Weston. Today, half of the town's property is owned by the Aquarion Water Company of Connecticut, the major supplier of water in the area.

On June 1, 1968, the deaf and blind activist Helen Keller died at the age of 87 in her Easton home, where she chose to spend her final days. Her house is still intact today and has been owned by several families since her death. The local middle school bears her name.

Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Easton CT

Easton CT medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Certification. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Easton CT.