How Long Does It Take To Become A Medical Assistant South Glastonbury CT

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training School near South Glastonbury Connecticut

South Glastonbury CT medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near South Glastonbury CT, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You might decide to research some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with South Glastonbury CT nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the South Glastonbury CT hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
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 obtain 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 many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of South Glastonbury CT health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in South Glastonbury CT There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent alternative for those 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 solution for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in South Glastonbury CT area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the ideal option for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential South Glastonbury CT medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably the most respected 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 have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask South Glastonbury CT medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to South Glastonbury CT with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must look at when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to verify that the school you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be eligible 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 finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective South Glastonbury 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 schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with South Glastonbury CT area medical care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the South Glastonbury medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Landing that first job may be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the South Glastonbury CT area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before choosing a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the college you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near South Glastonbury CT, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near South Glastonbury Connecticut?

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

Glastonbury, Connecticut

Glastonbury is an affluent town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, formally founded in 1693 with settlers first arriving in 1636. The town was named after Glastonbury in Somerset, England.[1] Glastonbury is located on the banks of the Connecticut River, 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Hartford. The town center is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 34,427 at the 2010 census.[2]

In 2013, the South Glastonbury zip code, 06073, was ranked the 11th wealthiest zip code in Connecticut. The town also has the Crystal Ridge neighborhood, which is estimated to be the wealthiest neighborhood in the Greater Hartford area.[3][4]

In 1636, thirty families were settled in Pyaug, a tract of land belonging to Wethersfield on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River, bought from the Native American chief Sowheag for 12 yards (11 m) of trading cloth. In 1672, Wethersfield and Hartford were granted permission by the General Court to extend the boundary line of Pyaug 5 miles (8 km) to the east. By 1690, residents of Pyaug had gained permission from Wethersfield to become a separate town and, in 1693, the town of Glassenbury was created.[5]

Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Program South Glastonbury CT

South Glastonbury CT medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right 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 on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in How Long Does It Take To Become A Medical Assistant. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in South Glastonbury CT.