How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Mount Desert Maine
Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Mount Desert ME, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Most prospective students start by checking out 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 very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have included some questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.
The Duties of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their job is ensure that the Mount Desert ME hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Giving basic support during exams and procedures
Although medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Maine law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices available 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 Programs
Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Mount Desert ME health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly 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 Colleges
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent option for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be performed in Mount Desert ME area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your education might be the right choice for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Mount Desert ME medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Mount Desert ME with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to explore when researching programs. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several great reasons to ensure that the college you choose 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 plan on becoming 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 school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Mount Desert ME 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 colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to select a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Mount Desert ME area health care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Mount Desert health care community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Getting that first job can be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Mount Desert ME area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high 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 large network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the school you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Mount Desert ME, make sure 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 might be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Mount Desert Maine?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Mount Desert ME area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Mount Desert, Maine
Mount Desert is a town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,053 at the 2010 census. Incorporated in 1789, the town currently encompasses the villages of Otter Creek, Seal Harbor, Northeast Harbor, Somesville, Hall Quarry, and Pretty Marsh.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 54.88 square miles (142.14 km2), of which 36.88 square miles (95.52 km2) is land and 18.00 square miles (46.62 km2) is water.[1]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 2,053 people, 984 households, and 586 families residing in the town. The population density was 55.7 inhabitants per square mile (21.5/km2). There were 2,287 housing units at an average density of 62.0 per square mile (23.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.1% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population.
Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Training Program Mount Desert ME
It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Accredited Medical Assistant Programs. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Mount Desert ME.
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