Medical Assistant Classes Online Cambridge MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Program near Cambridge Massachusetts

Cambridge MA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Cambridge MA, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Many prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean 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 issues as well. You may decide to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Cambridge MA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their job is ensure that the Cambridge MA hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate 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 tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

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

Although medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under Massachusetts law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options 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

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Cambridge MA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on 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 obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as technical 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 training. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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 similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Cambridge MA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent alternative for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened as well. But bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be completed in Cambridge MA area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online lessons 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, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Many possible Cambridge MA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and arguably the most respected 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 have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Cambridge MA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Cambridge MA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to examine when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the program you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Cambridge MA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program focused 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 one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about 2 years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, verify that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Cambridge MA area medical providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Cambridge healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Landing that first job may be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Cambridge MA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical 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 might be an indicator of how much personal attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a college to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and 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 important that the school you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Cambridge MA, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical 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 Cambridge Massachusetts?

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

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Situated directly north of Boston, across the Charles River, it was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders.[4]:18

Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), two of the world's most prestigious universities, are in Cambridge,[5] as was Radcliffe College, one of the leading colleges for women in the United States until it merged with Harvard on October 1, 1999.

According to the 2010 Census, the city's population was 105,162.[6] As of July 2014[update], it was the fifth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and Lowell.[7] Cambridge was one of two seats of Middlesex County until the county government was abolished in Massachusetts in 1997. Lowell was the other.

Select the Best Medical Assistant College Cambridge MA

Cambridge MA medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Classes Online. 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, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Cambridge MA.