Accredited Schools For Medical Assistant Shrewsbury MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Shrewsbury Massachusetts

Shrewsbury MA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to enter the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Shrewsbury MA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the best one? Most prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate 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 factors also. You may want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Shrewsbury MA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their job is ensure that the Shrewsbury MA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Massachusetts law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

In contrast to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Shrewsbury MA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 options available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often 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 Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Shrewsbury MA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good alternative for those who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced also. But remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be completed in Shrewsbury MA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education might be the best option for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a position after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Shrewsbury MA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Shrewsbury MA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to choose which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Shrewsbury MA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must examine when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to make sure that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Shrewsbury MA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Shrewsbury MA area medical care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students develop relationships within the Shrewsbury medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Getting that first job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Shrewsbury MA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a program to observe 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 school you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Shrewsbury MA, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Shrewsbury Massachusetts?

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

Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

Shrewsbury is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Shrewsbury, unlike surrounding towns like Grafton, Millbury, Westborough, and Northborough, did not become a mill town or farming village; most of its 19th-century growth was due to its proximity to Worcester and visitors to Lake Quinsigamond. The population was 35,608 according to the 2010 US Census, in nearly 12,400 households.

Incorporated in 1727, the town is governed now under the New England representative town meeting system, headed by the Town Manager and five-member elected Board of Selectmen whose duties include licensing, appointing various administrative positions, and calling a town meeting of citizens annually or whenever the need arises.

The Town of Shrewsbury, named for Shrewsbury, England, is a suburban community with an uneven and hilly terrain cut by a number of minor streams providing several small water power sites. Grants of land were made in what would eventually be the town beginning in 1664, with the 3,200-acre (13 km2) grant called Haynes Farm as the largest. Settlers came primarily from Sudbury and Marlborough, and the first permanent settler was Gersham Wheelock in 1720. As a town, Shrewsbury was first settled in 1722 and officially incorporated in 1727.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant Program Shrewsbury MA

Shrewsbury MA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Accredited Schools For Medical Assistant. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be 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 start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Shrewsbury MA.