How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Antrim New Hampshire
Once you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Antrim NH, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? A number of potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You might choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.
The Role of Medical Assistants
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their role is ensure that the Antrim NH clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Giving general support during exams and procedures
Although medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are qualified to under New Hampshire law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the choices available 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 Courses
In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Antrim NH health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two choices provided for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about one year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Medical Assistant Online Schools
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent alternative for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be carried out in Antrim NH area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the right option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting employment after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Antrim NH medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Antrim NH with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to look at when researching programs. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to verify that the program you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, 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 Antrim NH employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Antrim NH area medical care providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the Antrim medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Finding that very first job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Antrim NH area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much individual attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before choosing a program to see 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 school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Antrim NH, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also need to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, find out 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 Antrim New Hampshire?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Antrim NH area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Antrim, New Hampshire
Antrim is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,637 at the 2010 census.[1] The primary settlement in the town, where 1,397 people resided at the 2010 census,[1] is defined as the Antrim census-designated place (CDP) and is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 202 and New Hampshire Route 31. The town of Antrim also includes the villages of Antrim Center, North Branch, Clinton Village and South Village.
Settled in 1741 and incorporated on 22 March 1777,[2] this town did not receive its incorporated name until 1778. It was named for County Antrim in the north of Ireland, presently a part of Northern Ireland, which was the native home of the land's owner, Philip Riley. Scots-Irish settlers established a Presbyterian church in Antrim in 1788.[3]
With falls providing water power, Great Brook was once lined with over twenty mills along its course from Gregg Lake to the Contoocook River. Commercial development centered on South Antrim. Cutlery was the major industry in this town, beginning with the manufacturing of apple-paring machines in 1864. The manufacture of cutlery continued in Antrim through 1989. The town is now largely a bedroom community for Peterborough and Hillsborough. It was home to the now-defunct Nathaniel Hawthorne College.[4]
Pick the Best Medical Assistant College Antrim NH
It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the right information on available programs before making your decision. 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, verify that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example 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 Curriculum. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Antrim NH.
More Medical Locations in New Hampshire
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
2 Reviews 