Clinical Medical Assistant Salem CT - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Salem Connecticut

Salem CT medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Salem CT, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Most potential students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You might decide to research some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Salem CT nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Salem CT hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work run efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they may 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 practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any task they are qualified to under Connecticut law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices available 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 Programs

Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Salem CT health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to finish, a few 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 alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Salem CT There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good alternative for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened 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 Salem CT area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the right choice for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. Some possible Salem CT medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Salem CT medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Salem CT with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must examine when evaluating 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 selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the program you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Salem CT employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get 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 opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Salem CT area medical providers. They are a great means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Salem health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Getting that very first job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Salem CT area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full-time, it’s imperative that the college you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Salem CT, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also need to schedule all internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Salem Connecticut?

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

Salem, Connecticut

The area was originally inhabited by the Mohegan people. The first settlement of European origin in present-day Salem (then part of the town of Montville) was deeded in 1664. In the early 18th century, more settlements appeared in what was then Colchester. During this time period, the area was called "Paugwonk". The small neighborhood around the Gardner Lake Firehouse on Route 354 is sometimes still referred to by that name.

Because of the remote location of these settlements and the considerable distance to churches, the people petitioned the Connecticut General Court for a new parish in 1725. It was named New Salem Parish, in honor of Colonel Samuel Browne, the largest landowner at the time, who was from Salem, Massachusetts. Recent archaeological evidence suggests that Colonel Browne owned slaves. The people of New Salem strongly supported the Patriot cause in the Revolution. Salem was the first town in the state of Connecticut to have a plantation, owned by the Browne family.

Salem was incorporated as a town in 1819 from lands of Colchester, Lyme, and Montville.[2] The rocky and craggy land that constituted much of the town kept the population low and new settlement at a minimum. Salem has always been a crossroads town; the old Hartford and New London Turnpike (now Route 85) was a toll road, traveled frequently by legislators during the winters of the 19th century when the Connecticut River was impassable. The Turnpike provided stage coach service until the 1890s.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Program Salem CT

Salem CT medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, 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 Clinical Medical Assistant. 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 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 Salem CT.