How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near Storrs Mansfield Connecticut

Now that you have decided to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Storrs Mansfield CT, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? Most future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You may choose to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you should ask all of the schools 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 offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Storrs Mansfield CT hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

• Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
• Setting and confirming appointments
• Taking vital signs and weighing patients
• Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
• Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
• Giving general support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any task they are qualified to under Connecticut law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain 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 Courses

Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Storrs Mansfield CT health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about 1 year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are created 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 typically 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good option for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work 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, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened also. Just remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Storrs Mansfield CT area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training may be the right option for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed 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 an excellent option for those who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Storrs Mansfield CT medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. 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). In order to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Storrs Mansfield CT with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to explore when evaluating programs. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to verify that the school you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Storrs Mansfield CT employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Second, find out 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. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make certain that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Storrs Mansfield CT area healthcare providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Storrs Mansfield healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Getting that first job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Storrs Mansfield CT area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the college you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Storrs Mansfield CT, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Storrs Mansfield Connecticut?

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

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Storrs Mansfield CT

It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Definition. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Storrs Mansfield CT.

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