Medical Assistant Associate Degree Stamford CT - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Program near Stamford Connecticut

Stamford CT medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Stamford CT, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Many potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You may decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have furnished some questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Stamford CT nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their duty is ensure that the Stamford CT hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work run successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they can 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 health practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Connecticut law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn 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 Training Courses

Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Stamford CT health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Stamford CT There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good option for those who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue to work full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be carried out in Stamford CT area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education might be the best choice for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Stamford CT medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Stamford CT medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you must decide which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Stamford CT with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to explore when evaluating programs. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to ensure that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies 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 one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Stamford CT employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately two years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are considering offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Stamford CT area health care providers. They are a great method to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Stamford medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Finding that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Stamford CT area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college 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 broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before selecting a program to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the school you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Stamford CT, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still need to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Stamford Connecticut?

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

Stamford, Connecticut

Stamford (/ˈstæmfərd/) is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643. As of 2017, according to the Census Bureau, the population of Stamford had risen to 131,000, making it the third-largest city in the state (behind Bridgeport and New Haven) and the seventh-largest city in New England. Approximately 30 miles (50 kilometers) from Manhattan, Stamford is in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk Metro area which is a part of the Greater New York metropolitan area.

Stamford is home to four Fortune 500 Companies,[4] nine Fortune 1000 Companies, and 13 Courant 100 Companies, as well as numerous divisions of large corporations. This gives Stamford the largest financial district in New York Metro outside New York City itself and one of the largest concentrations of corporations in the nation.

Stamford was known as Rippowam by the Native American inhabitants to the region, and the very first European settlers to the area also referred to it as such. The present name is after the town of Stamford, Lincolnshire, England.[5] The deed to Stamford was signed on July 1, 1640 between Captain Turner of the New Haven Colony and Chief Ponus. By the 18th century, one of the primary industries of the town was merchandising by water, which was possible due to Stamford's proximity to New York.

Select the Best Medical Assistant College Stamford CT

Stamford CT medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Associate Degree. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Stamford CT.