Where Can I Get My Medical Assistant Certification Stow MA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

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

Stow MA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Stow MA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Most future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences 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 critical issues also. You may choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Stow MA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their duty is ensure that the Stow MA hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work run efficiently. 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 responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Massachusetts law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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 Education

Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Stow MA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical facility. 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 related field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Stow MA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good 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 an especially good option for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened also. But remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in Stow MA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training may be the ideal option for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Stow MA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Stow MA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Stow MA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must look at when researching schools. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many good reasons to make sure that the college you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Stow MA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are looking at offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Stow MA area medical providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Stow health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Getting that initial job may be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Stow MA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication 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 provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a college to see what the teaching atmosphere 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 full-time, it’s essential that the program you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Stow MA, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still have to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Stow Massachusetts?

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

Stow, Massachusetts

Stow is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is located 21 miles west of Boston, in the MetroWest region of Massachusetts. The population was 6,590 at the 2010 census. Stow was officially incorporated in 1683 with an area of approximately 40 square miles. Over centuries it gave up land as newer, smaller towns were created, ceding land to Harvard (1732), Shirley (1765), Boxborough (1783), Hudson (1866) and Maynard (1871). Stow now has an area of 18.1 square miles (47 km2). With the exception of factories at Assabet Village and Rock Bottom (later Maynard and Gleasondale), Stow was primarily sparsely settled farm and orchard land until the 1950s.

Stow was officially incorporated in 1683.[1] The earliest Colonial settlers, c. 1660, were Matthew Boon and John Kettell, who settled the land of Tantamous (Jethro), a Native American, whose land was called "Pompocitticut." Boon settled by a pond (later bearing his name: Lake Boon) with a vast tract of land surrounding him. It is said that he traded all this for a single jackknife. A monument bearing his name is located on the plot of land where he formerly resided. John Kettell took up residence in a portion of land in the southwestern corner of Stow. Both families were affected by King Philip's War, an attempt by Native Americans to drive out colonists. Boon and Kettell were killed. Their families had been moved to other locations, and survived. The area that was to become Stow was not resettled by colonists for several years.[2][3]

The original development of Stow - a mile east of the current center, became known as Lower Village after a meeting hall, and later, churches, were built to the west. The old cemetery on Route 117/62 is officially Lower Village Cemetery.[2] On October 28, 1774, Henry Gardner, a Stow resident, was elected Receiver-General of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, the government of Massachusetts during the American Revolution. After the war, Gardner served as State Treasurer. Gardner's grandson, also Henry Gardner, was the governor of Massachusetts from 1855 to 1857.[4]

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Training Stow MA

Stow MA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in healthcare 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 decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Where Can I Get My Medical Assistant Certification. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Stow MA.