Medical Assistant Curriculum Fitchburg MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School near Fitchburg Massachusetts

Fitchburg MA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Fitchburg MA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Most future students start 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 critical factors as well. You may decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” 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 offered.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Fitchburg MA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Fitchburg MA clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Massachusetts law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

In contrast to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Fitchburg MA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two options available for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one year to finish, a few 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 option is to attain 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 comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare 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 Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Fitchburg MA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent choice for those who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Fitchburg MA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options 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 position after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Fitchburg MA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. Among 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). In order to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Fitchburg MA medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you must determine which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Fitchburg MA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must examine when researching schools. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to make sure that the school you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Fitchburg MA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the school’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. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one 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 junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Fitchburg MA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students build relationships within the Fitchburg medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Getting that first job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Fitchburg MA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before choosing a college to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the college you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Fitchburg MA, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Fitchburg Massachusetts?

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

Fitchburg, Massachusetts

Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.

Fitchburg was first settled in 1730 as part of Lunenburg, and was officially set apart from that town and incorporated in 1764. It is named for John Fitch, one of the committee that procured the act of incorporation.[2] In July 1748 Fitch and his family, living in this isolated spot, were abducted to Canada by Native Americans, but returned the next year.[3]

Fitchburg is situated on both the Nashua River and a railroad line. The original Fitchburg Railroad ran through the Hoosac Tunnel, linking Boston and Albany, New York. The tunnel was built using the Burleigh Rock Drill, designed and built in Fitchburg. Fitchburg was a 19th-century industrial center. Originally operated by water power, large mills produced machines, tools, clothing, paper, and firearms. The city is noted for its architecture, particularly in the Victorian style, built at the height of its mill town prosperity. A few examples of these 19th century buildings are the Fay Club, the old North Worcester County Courthouse[4] and the Bullock house.[5]

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Fitchburg MA

Fitchburg MA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate 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 lifetime career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Curriculum. 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, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Fitchburg MA.