Medical Assistant Colleges Near Me Glastonbury CT - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Glastonbury Connecticut

Glastonbury CT medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Glastonbury CT, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Glastonbury CT nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Glastonbury CT hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

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

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Connecticut law, some prefer 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) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Glastonbury 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 basically 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about one year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Glastonbury CT There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good choice for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Glastonbury CT area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the ideal option for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing employment after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Some potential Glastonbury CT medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Glastonbury CT medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the process of researching 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 Glastonbury CT with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must explore when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to confirm that the college you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must complete 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 organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Glastonbury CT employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are considering provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Glastonbury CT area medical care providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Glastonbury healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Finding that first job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Glastonbury CT area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high 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 contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a program to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the school you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Glastonbury CT, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Glastonbury Connecticut?

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

Glastonbury, Connecticut

Glastonbury is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, formally founded in 1693 with settlers first arriving in 1636. The town was named after Glastonbury in Somerset, England.[1] Glastonbury is located on the banks of the Connecticut River, 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Hartford. The town center is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 34,427 at the 2010 census.[2]

In 2013, the South Glastonbury zip code, 06073, was ranked the 11th wealthiest zip code in Connecticut. The town also has the Crystal Ridge neighborhood, which is estimated to be the wealthiest neighborhood in the Greater Hartford area.[3][4]

In 1636, thirty families were settled in Pyaug, a tract of land belonging to Wethersfield on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River, bought from the Native American chief Sowheag for 12 yards (11 m) of trading cloth. In 1672, Wethersfield and Hartford were granted permission by the General Court to extend the boundary line of Pyaug 5 miles (8 km) to the east. By 1690, residents of Pyaug had gained permission from Wethersfield to become a separate town and, in 1693, the town of Glassenbury was created.[5]

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Glastonbury CT

Glastonbury CT medical assistant student It’s essential to begin 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 launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the right 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 addressed in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, 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 Medical Assistant Colleges Near Me. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan 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 in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Glastonbury CT.