Medical Assistant Community College Framingham MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School Program near Framingham Massachusetts

Framingham MA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Framingham MA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? A number of prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You may choose to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have included a few questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Framingham MA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Framingham MA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Depending 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 assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can 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 filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing general support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any task they are qualified to under Massachusetts law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and obtain 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 Training Programs

Unlike many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Framingham MA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Framingham MA There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good alternative for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Framingham MA area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your education may be the ideal choice for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Framingham MA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. 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 take the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Framingham MA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Framingham MA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should look at when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many good reasons to make sure that the program you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Framingham MA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are reviewing offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Framingham MA area healthcare providers. They are a great method to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students establish relationships within the Framingham health care community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Finding that first job may be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Framingham MA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a college to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Framingham MA, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Framingham Massachusetts?

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

Framingham, Massachusetts

Framingham (/ˈfreɪmɪŋhæm/ (listen)) is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. Incorporated in 1700, it is within Middlesex County and the MetroWest subregion of the Greater Boston metropolitan area. The city proper covers 25 square miles (65 km2) with a population of 68,318 in 2010,[1] making it the 14th most populous municipality in Massachusetts.[2][3] As of 2017 the estimated population was 72,032.[4] Residents voted in favor of adopting a charter to transition from a representative town meeting system to a mayor–council government in April 2017, and the municipality transitioned to city status on January 1, 2018.[5]

Framingham, sited on the ancient trail known as the Old Connecticut Path, was first settled by a European when John Stone settled on the west bank of the Sudbury River in 1647. Native American leader, Tantamous lived in the Nobscot Hill area of Framingham prior to King Philip's War in 1676. In 1660, Thomas Danforth, an official of the Bay Colony, formerly of Framlingham, Suffolk, received a grant of land at "Danforth's Farms" and began to accumulate over 15,000 acres (100 km2). He strenuously resisted petitions for incorporation of the town, which was officially incorporated in 1700, following his death the previous year. Why the "L" was dropped from the new town's name is not known. The first church was organized in 1701, the first teacher was hired in 1706, and the first permanent schoolhouse in 1716.

On February 22, 1775, the British general Thomas Gage sent two officers and an enlisted man out of Boston to survey the route to Worcester, Massachusetts. In Framingham, those spies stopped at Buckminster's Tavern. They watched the town militia muster outside the building, impressed with the men's numbers but not their discipline. Though "the whole company" came into the tavern after their drill, the officers remained undetected and continued on their mission the next day.[6] Gage did not order a march along that route, instead ordering troops to Concord, Massachusetts, on April 18–19. Framingham sent two militia companies totaling about 130 men into the Battles of Lexington and Concord that followed; one of those men was wounded.[7]

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Framingham MA

Framingham MA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Community College. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Framingham MA.