How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Bennington New Hampshire
Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bennington NH, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? Most prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You might decide to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have provided several questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.
The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their function is ensure that the Bennington NH clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work run efficiently. 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 providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under New Hampshire law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain 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 Courses
In contrast to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Bennington NH health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed 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 normally two year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Programs
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good choice for individuals 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 solution for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced also. But keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be performed in Bennington NH area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training may be the right choice for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for graduates who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Bennington NH medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of 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 be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to choose which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Bennington NH with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to look at when researching schools. To help 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 final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to confirm that the program you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, 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 either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Bennington NH employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to enroll in a program targeting 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 means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Bennington NH area medical care providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Bennington health care community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Finding that very first job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Bennington NH area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive during 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 monitor a few classes before enrolling in a college to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s imperative that the school you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bennington NH, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still need to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, ask what the policy 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 Bennington New Hampshire?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Bennington NH area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Bennington, New Hampshire
The main village of the town, where 381 people resided at the 2010 census,[1] is defined as the Bennington census-designated place (CDP), and is located on the Contoocook River at the intersection of New Hampshire routes 31 and 47.
Situated in an area once called "Society Land", the town was formed from parts of Deering, Francestown, Greenfield and Hancock.[2] It was named to commemorate the 1777 Battle of Bennington, an American Revolutionary War battle fought in New York near Bennington, Vermont. The Vermont town in turn derived its name from New Hampshire governor Benning Wentworth. The town was incorporated in 1842.[2] The first census, taken in 1850, recorded 541 residents.
Located at the Great Falls of the Contoocook River, which drop 70 feet (21 m) over 1.2 miles (1.9 km), Bennington provided water power for mills. The first gristmill was built in 1782, with a cotton mill in 1810. A tannery and tool manufacturing industry would follow. A factory with paper-making machinery was established in 1835, located at or near the site of the present-day Monadnock Paper Mill. In 1858, the town's industries included a cutlery manufacturer, a gristmill, 2 paper mills and a sawmill. Bennington also had quite a number of farms.
Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Bennington NH
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering 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, make sure that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Prerequisites. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Bennington NH.
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