How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training Program near Dover Foxcroft Maine
Once you have made a decision to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Dover Foxcroft ME, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You may want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have included some questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.
The Job of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their job is ensure that the Dover Foxcroft ME hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate efficiently. Depending 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 physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Supplying general support during exams and procedures
Although medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Maine law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Training Programs
In contrast to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Dover Foxcroft ME health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at junior and community colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Medical Assistant Online Classes
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good option for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be carried out in Dover Foxcroft ME area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the ideal choice for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Dover Foxcroft ME medical employers simply 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) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many potential students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Dover Foxcroft ME with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to look at when researching programs. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several great reasons to ensure that the school you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become 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 either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many prospective Dover Foxcroft ME employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, verify that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Dover Foxcroft ME area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students establish relationships within the Dover Foxcroft medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Support Offered? Getting that initial job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Dover Foxcroft ME area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Small 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 convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the program you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Dover Foxcroft ME, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any internships or practical training that may be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Dover Foxcroft Maine?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Dover Foxcroft ME area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Dover-Foxcroft, Maine
Dover-Foxcroft is the largest town in, and the seat of, Piscataquis County, Maine, United States.[4] The population was 4,213 at the 2010 census. Dover-Foxcroft is home to the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival, an annual one-day event which takes place in late June each year. It started in 2009 to honor the whoopie pie. The whoopie pie became the official state treat of Maine in 2013. The 2012 festival brought 5,000 people to the town[5] while the 2014 event brought in more than 7,500 attendees.[6]
Dover was purchased from Massachusetts by Boston merchants Charles Vaughan and John Merrick, both of whom had emigrated from England. It was first permanently settled in 1803 by Eli Towne from Temple, New Hampshire, then incorporated on January 19, 1822. Agriculture was the principal early occupation, producing potatoes, corn and grain.[7]
Originally known as T5 R7 NWP, Foxcroft was one of five towns conveyed by Massachusetts in 1796 to Bowdoin College. It was purchased from the college in 1800 by Joseph E. Foxcroft of New Gloucester and settled by John, Eleazer and Seth Spaulding in 1806, when they built the first mill. It was dubbed Spauldingtown until February 29, 1812, when it was incorporated as Foxcroft, taking its proprietor's name.[8][9]
Select the Best Medical Assistant Course Dover Foxcroft ME
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare 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 selection. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Community College. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Dover Foxcroft ME.
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