Certified Medical Assistant Career Preston CT - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near Preston Connecticut

Preston CT medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Preston CT, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Many prospective students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You might want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have provided several questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Preston CT nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their role is ensure that the Preston CT hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Connecticut law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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 Education

Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Preston CT health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive 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 requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Preston CT There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent option for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized 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 Preston CT area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education might be the right choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a position after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Preston CT medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Preston CT medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Preston CT with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you should look at when researching schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain 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. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to 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 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 aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Preston CT employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are considering offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Preston CT area medical providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students build relationships within the Preston medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Getting that initial job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Preston CT area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator 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 provide greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a college to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the program you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Preston CT, make certain that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also have to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol 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 Preston Connecticut?

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

Preston, Connecticut

In 1686, Thomas Parke, Thomas Tracy, and several others petitioned for and were granted by the Connecticut General Court authority to establish a plantation seven miles square to the east of Norwich and north of New London and Stonington. Owaneco, son of the Mohegan sachem Uncas, gave a confirmatory deed for the land in 1687. In October of that same year, the town was formally incorporated as Preston, named for the English city of Preston, Lancashire.[2][3]

The Ecclesiastical Society of Preston was first organized in 1698, with the first meetinghouse located in present-day Preston City. At the request of residents in the northern part of Preston (now the town of Griswold), the North Society was established in 1716. A splinter group, the Separate Church of Preston, was established in 1747 and continued until 1817. The Preston City Baptist Church (now the Preston City Bible Church) was established in 1812.[5][6] The town of Griswold separated from the town of Preston in 1815.[7][8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 31.8 square miles (82 km2), of which 30.9 square miles (80 km2) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2), or 2.71%, is water.

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Preston CT

Preston CT medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Career. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online 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 subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Preston CT.