Certified Medical Assistant Certification Northborough MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Program near Northborough Massachusetts

Northborough MA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Northborough MA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? A number of prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have included several questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Northborough MA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Northborough MA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Massachusetts law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

In contrast to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Northborough MA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover 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 diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. 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 related field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Northborough MA There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent option for students who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be performed in Northborough MA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the right option for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for those who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Northborough MA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Northborough MA medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Northborough MA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must examine when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to make certain that the program you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must 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 either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Northborough 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 colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive 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 opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are considering provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Northborough MA area healthcare providers. They are a great method to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Northborough medical community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Getting that initial job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Northborough 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 a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the program you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Northborough MA, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Northborough Massachusetts?

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

Northborough, Massachusetts

Northborough is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The official spelling of the town's name is "Northborough", but the alternative spelling "Northboro" is also used. The population was 14,155 at the 2010 census.

The areas surrounding Northborough were first settled by Nipmuc Indians.[1] Europeans set up a plantation on May 14, 1656, following a petition for resettlement from the people of the Sudbury Plantation to the General Court of the Bay Colony.[2] On January 24, 1766, the district of Northborough was established within neighboring Westborough. On August 23, 1775, the district became a town, and on June 20, 1807 part of neighboring Marlborough was annexed to Northborough.[3][4]

In 1775, Northborough split off as the "north borough" of Westborough, much as Westborough split off from Marlborough some 58 years before. However, the two towns shared a meetinghouse for some time more.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Northborough MA

Northborough MA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Certification. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Northborough MA.