Medical Assistant Degree Programs Norwich CT - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Norwich Connecticut

Norwich CT medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Norwich CT, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Most potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You may choose to research some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have included a few questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Norwich CT nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their duty is ensure that the Norwich CT hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Giving general support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Connecticut law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Programs

Unlike most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Norwich CT health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical element 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 related field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Norwich CT There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized also. Just remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Norwich CT area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the ideal choice for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for graduates who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Norwich CT medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among 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 take the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Norwich CT medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you have to determine 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 selections have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Norwich CT with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must explore when assessing schools. To help you with that process, below 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 Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the school you select is accredited. To start with, 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 must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Norwich CT employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. 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 want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally 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, from as little as 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 require about two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Norwich CT area medical care providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Norwich healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Getting that very first job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Norwich 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 healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before selecting a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

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 important that the school you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Norwich CT, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Norwich Connecticut?

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

Norwich, Connecticut

Norwich, known as 'The Rose of New England', is a city in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 40,493 at the 2010 United States Census. Three rivers, the Yantic, the Shetucket, and the Quinebaug, flow into the city and form its harbor, from which the Thames River flows south to Long Island Sound.

Norwichtown was founded in 1659, by settlers from Old Saybrook led by Major John Mason and Reverend James Fitch.[4] They purchased the land "nine miles square" that would become Norwich from the local Native Mohegan Sachem Uncas.[5] In 1668, a wharf was established at Yantic Cove. Settlement was primarily in the three-mile (4.8 km) area around the Norwichtown Green. The 69 founding families soon divided up the land in the Norwichtown vicinity for farms and businesses.

By 1694, the public landing built at the head of the Thames River allowed ships to offload goods at the harbor; the harbor area is known as the Chelsea neighborhood. The distance between the port and Norwichtown was serviced by the East and West Roads, which later became Washington Street and Broadway.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Norwich CT

Norwich CT medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Degree Programs. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Norwich CT.