What Can A Certified Medical Assistant Do Dublin NH - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training Program near Dublin New Hampshire

Dublin NH medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Dublin NH, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You may want to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have included some questions that you need to ask each 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 available.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Dublin NH nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their function is ensure that the Dublin NH clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

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

While medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under New Hampshire law, some elect 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) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

Unlike most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Dublin NH 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 choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to finish, 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 acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Dublin NH There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good alternative for those who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized also. Just remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Dublin NH area health care 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 best option for you. With 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 stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for graduates who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Dublin NH medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Dublin NH medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Dublin NH with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must explore when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction 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 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 agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Dublin NH employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Dublin NH area medical providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Dublin medical community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Finding that initial job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Dublin NH area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher 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 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 during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a college to witness what the teaching environment 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 to work full time, it’s important that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Dublin NH, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will also need to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Dublin New Hampshire?

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

Dublin, New Hampshire

In 1749, the Masonian proprietors granted the town as Monadnock No. 3 (or North Monadnock) to Matthew Thornton and 39 others. But the French and Indian War thwarted permanent settlement until the 1760s, when Henry Strongman moved from Peterborough. Other early settlers arrived from Sherborn, Massachusetts. In 1771, Governor John Wentworth incorporated the town, naming it after Strongman's birthplace: Dublin, Ireland.[2]

Like all towns in this area, the terrain features hills and valleys. Farmers found the soil hard and rocky, but with effort it yielded maize, oats, barley and potatoes, with some wheat and rye. Orchards were common. The first census, taken in 1790, reported 901 residents.[3] By 1859, there were 1,088.[2] Then in 1870, the small mill town of Harrisville voted to separate from Dublin, leaving the latter with only 455 residents during the 1880 census.[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 29.1 square miles (75 km2), of which 28.0 sq mi (73 km2) is land and 1.1 sq mi (2.8 km2) is water, comprising 3.78% of the town. The northern slopes of Mount Monadnock occupy the southern part of town. The highest point in Dublin is along Monadnock's northeast ridge, where the elevation reaches 2,834 feet (864 m) above sea level at the town line. Roughly the western half of Dublin lies within the Connecticut River watershed, drained by tributaries of the Ashuelot River, with the eastern half located in the Merrimack River watershed, drained by tributaries of the Contoocook River.[5]

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant School Dublin NH

Dublin NH medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long 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 selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What Can A Certified Medical Assistant Do. But irrespective of the type 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 choosing the right program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Dublin NH.