Certified Medical Assistant Schools North Reading MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School Program near North Reading Massachusetts

North Reading 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 North Reading MA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the best one? Most future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have included some questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with North Reading MA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their role is to make sure that the North Reading MA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they can 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 in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing general support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Massachusetts law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn 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 healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many North Reading MA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two choices offered for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about a year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in North Reading MA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent alternative for individuals who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in North Reading MA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training may 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 Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for those who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some potential North Reading MA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably 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 exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask North Reading MA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must determine which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to North Reading MA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must look at when evaluating programs. To assist you with that process, following 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 School Accredited? There are many great reasons to confirm that the program you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to 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 one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential North Reading MA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop 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 looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, verify that the colleges you are considering provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with North Reading MA area health care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students establish relationships within the North Reading health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Landing that initial job can be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the North Reading 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 an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the program you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near North Reading MA, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will also need to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near North Reading Massachusetts?

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

North Reading, Massachusetts

The area was first settled in 1651 when the town of Reading received a special land grant north of the Ipswich River. It was officially incorporated as the separate town of North Reading in 1853. North Reading borders Andover, North Andover, Middleton, Lynnfield, Reading, and Wilmington.

"Original grants of large farmsteads along the river during the mid-17th century brought six families to the settlement before 1680. The economy of the town in the 17th and 18th century was based on subsistence farming with limited hop production. There was a sawmill on Lob's Pond by 1694 and grist and saw mills at the village center by 1794. Some small scale boot and shoe making was underway by 1820, and by 1850 small sheds or shops to make shoes were attached to almost every house in town. These shops produced cheap footwear that was sold south to clothe slaves, and the Civil War destroyed the town's industry. The principal products of the town in the early 20th century were milk, apples and fruits."[2]

Today the town flourishes; it has a beautiful town center showcased by a recently completed state of the art High School, historic buildings still standing, and proximity to Boston which makes it a desired location for suburban families.

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Course North Reading MA

North Reading MA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based on 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, 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 Certified Medical Assistant Schools. 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, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in North Reading MA.