What Does A Medical Assistant Do Beverly MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Beverly Massachusetts

Beverly MA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Beverly MA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Most potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You might choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Beverly MA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their function is to make sure that the Beverly MA clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Massachusetts law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices offered 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 Courses

Compared to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Beverly MA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options available for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a 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 obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Beverly MA There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent choice for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Beverly MA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Beverly MA 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 sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Beverly MA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending 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 covered at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Beverly MA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should explore when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several good reasons to make sure that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies 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 one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Beverly MA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, learn what the school’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 college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain 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 decide to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Beverly MA area health care providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Beverly medical community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Landing that very first job may be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Beverly MA area and find out 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 medical community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator 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 greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a program to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the program you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Beverly MA, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also need to schedule all internships or practical training that might be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Beverly Massachusetts?

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

Beverly, Massachusetts

Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, (MA) United States. The population was 39,502 at the 2010 census.[2] A resort, residential, and manufacturing community on the Massachusetts North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides Crossing. Beverly is a rival of Marblehead for the title of being the birthplace of the U.S. Navy.

Originally part of Salem and the Naumkeag Territory, the area was first settled by Europeans in 1626 by Roger Conant. Because of religious differences with Governor John Endecott, Beverly would be set off and officially incorporated in 1668, when it was named "Beverley" after Beverley, the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.[3][4][5] Surviving from the settlement's early history is the Balch House, built, according to dendrochronological testing performed in 2006, about 1679.[6]

The first ship commissioned for the US military, by the US Army (the US Navy had yet to exist), was the armed schooner Hannah. It was outfitted at Glover's Wharf and first sailed from Beverly Harbor on September 5, 1775. For this reason Beverly calls itself the "Birthplace of America's Navy"—a claim disputed by other towns, including nearby Marblehead. The Hannah can be found on the patch of the city's police department.

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant College Beverly MA

Beverly MA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Whether 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 need to get the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, 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 What Does A Medical Assistant Do. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Beverly MA.