Accredited Schools For Medical Assistant Newington CT

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Program near Newington Connecticut

Newington CT medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to enter the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Newington CT, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Most future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You may decide to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Newington CT nursing home patientThe role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Newington CT clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

  • Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Scheduling and confirming appointments
  • Taking vital signs and weighing patients
  • Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
  • Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
  • Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may perform almost any task they are authorized to under Connecticut law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options 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 Courses

In contrast to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Newington CT health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options available for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to finish, a few 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 alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. 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.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Newington CTThere are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent option for students who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Newington 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 may be the best option 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 requirement, but is an excellent idea for those who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing a job after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Newington CT medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit 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 available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Newington CT medical assistant programsPrior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Newington CT with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should look at when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to make certain that the college you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must 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 agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Newington CT employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Newington CT area medical providers. They are an excellent method to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Newington health care 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 help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Newington CT area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few 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 Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the program you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Newington CT, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still need to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Newington Connecticut?

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

Newington, Connecticut

Newington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. Located 8 miles (13 km) south of downtown Hartford, Newington is an older, mainly residential suburb located in Greater Hartford. As of the 2010 census, the population was 30,562.[2] The Connecticut Department of Transportation has its headquarters in Newington.

Newington has a history of nearly 375 years. While not established officially as a separate town until 1871, settlers from nearby Wethersfield took up residence on the western frontier of their riverside town in 1636. “West Society,” as some called it, was an area rich in timber that was used for pipe staves, barrel-sized containers used for colonial trade. Grand pastures also made the land ideal for herding and grazing cattle. Its inhabitants received land grants from Wethersfield leaders. Known as “West Farms,” the area west of the central portion of Wethersfield became settled by those who were almost exclusively the descendants of the earliest Wethersfield settlers. In 1721, the “western” farmers requested that the General Assembly of the Connecticut Colony give their land the name “Newington” to denote “the new town in the meadow.” The Assembly granted the request, even though it took another 150 years before Newington officially became an incorporated town. The town’s name predates its official existence.

Newington’s motto inscribed on its town seal is “growth and progress,” which it began putting into effect at the end of the eighteenth century. In 1798, the precursor to the Berlin Turnpike was authorized and it changed the complexion of the land by dividing the vast farmlands from the commercial center. Originally called the Hartford and New Haven Turnpike, the route attracted a number of businesses from north to south between Hartford and New Haven.

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Newington CT

Newington CT medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Accredited Schools For Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the kind 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 right program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Newington CT.

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