Medical Assistant Tech Exeter NH - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Exeter New Hampshire

Exeter NH medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Exeter NH, it’s time to select a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Many future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Exeter NH nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their job is to make sure that the Exeter NH clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work run successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
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 activity they are qualified to under New Hampshire law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options 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 Training Courses

Unlike most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Exeter NH health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 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 two year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Exeter NH There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good choice for individuals who may not have time to attend 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, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be carried out in Exeter NH area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the right option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for individuals who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Exeter 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 perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Exeter NH medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Exeter NH with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several great reasons to make certain that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education 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 acknowledged organizations 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 examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Exeter NH employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, make certain that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Exeter NH area health care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Exeter medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Finding that first job can be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Exeter NH area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal attention 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 teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full time, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Exeter NH, confirm that those times are offered. You might 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 will be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Exeter New Hampshire?

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

Exeter, New Hampshire

Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census.[1] Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood. Home to the Phillips Exeter Academy, a private university-preparatory school, Exeter is situated where the Exeter River feeds the tidal Squamscott River.

The area was once the domain of the Squamscott Native Americans, a sub-tribe of the Pennacook nation, which fished at the falls where the Exeter River becomes the tidal Squamscott, the site around which the future town of Exeter would grow. On April 3, 1638, the Reverend John Wheelwright and others purchased the land from Wehanownowit, the sagamore. Wheelwright had been exiled by the Massachusetts Bay Colony, a puritan theocracy, for sharing the dissident religious views of his sister-in-law, Anne Hutchinson. The minister took with him about 175 individuals to found the town he named after Exeter[2] in Devon, England. Local government was linked with Massachusetts until New Hampshire became a separate colony in 1679, but counties weren't introduced until 1769.

One of the four original townships in the province, Exeter originally included Newmarket, Newfields, Brentwood, Epping and Fremont. On July 4, 1639, 35 freemen of Exeter signed the Exeter Combination, a document written by Reverend Wheelwright to establish their own government.[3] The settlers hunted, planted and fished. Others tended cattle and swine, or made shakes and barrel staves.

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant College Exeter NH

Exeter NH medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Tech. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget 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 gratifying career as a medical assistant in Exeter NH.