How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Program near Penobscot Maine
Now that you have made a decision to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Penobscot ME, it’s time to select a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? A number of prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You might decide to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have provided a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.
The Duties of Medical Assistants
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Penobscot ME hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Supplying basic support during exams and procedures
Even though medical assistants can perform almost any task they are qualified to under Maine law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Training
Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Penobscot ME health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about one year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical 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.
Online Medical Assistant Colleges
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good choice for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be carried out in Penobscot ME area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your training might be the ideal option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing a job after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Some possible Penobscot ME medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Penobscot ME with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should examine when researching schools. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the college you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete 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 school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Penobscot ME employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Penobscot ME area medical providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Penobscot medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Finding that first job may be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Penobscot ME area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may 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 teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the program you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Penobscot ME, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, ask 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 Penobscot Maine?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Penobscot ME area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Penobscot County, Maine
Penobscot County is a county in the U.S. state of Maine. As of the 2010 census, the population was 153,923.[1] Its county seat is Bangor.[2] The county was established on February 15, 1816 from part of Hancock County when the area was still part of Massachusetts. Penobscot County is home to the University of Maine.
As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 144,919 people, 58,096 households, and 37,820 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 66,847 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The county's racial makeup was 96.60% White, 0.49% Black or African American, 1.00% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. 0.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.8% were of English, 17.3% United States or American, 14.0% French, 13.0% Irish and 6.7% French Canadian ancestry. 95.8% spoke English and 2.3% French as their first language.
There were 58,096 households, of which 30.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.50% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.90% were non-families. 26.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.88.
Choose the Best Medical Assistant Training Program Penobscot ME
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Training Cost. But regardless 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, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Penobscot ME.
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