Medical Assistant Trade School Guilford CT - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Guilford Connecticut

Guilford CT medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Guilford CT, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? A number of potential students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You may decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have provided some questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Guilford CT nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their job is ensure that the Guilford CT hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work run efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they can 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 medical professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Connecticut law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Guilford CT health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. 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 transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Guilford CT There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good choice for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Guilford CT area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the best choice for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Many possible Guilford CT medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Guilford CT medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Guilford CT with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to examine when evaluating programs. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to verify that the program you select is accredited. To begin 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 need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted organizations for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Guilford 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 schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to select a program concentrating on that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can select 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 about one year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Guilford CT area healthcare providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Guilford healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing that very first job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Guilford CT area and ask 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 medical community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a program to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Guilford CT, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Guilford Connecticut?

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

Guilford, Connecticut

Guilford is an affluent coastal town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, that borders Madison, Branford, North Branford and Durham, and is situated on I-95 and the Connecticut seacoast. The population was 22,375 at the 2010 census. In 2015 the population stands at approximately 22,413 people. It was named one of the top 100 places to live in the United States by Money magazine in 2005.[3]

Guilford was named after the town of Guildford, in England,[4] the native home of a share of its first settlers.[5] In early maps of the Connecticut Colony, the town is seen on several maps as Gilford.

First settled by Europeans in 1639 after being purchased from Native American leader Wequash, Guilford is considered by some to have the third largest collection of historic homes in New England, with important buildings from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.[6] There are five historic house museums, including Dudley Farm and the Henry Whitfield House (1639), the oldest dwelling house in Connecticut and the oldest stone house built by English settlers in North America. The Comfort Starr House (1645–46) is one of the oldest wooden framed private dwellings in Connecticut, and one of the few houses remaining of the original signers who settled Guilford.[7]

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Guilford CT

Guilford CT medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Trade School. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided 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 choosing the ideal program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Guilford CT.