Tag Archives: Top Accredited Medical Assistant Programs Yorktown Heights NY 10598

Medical Assistant Schools With Financial Aid Yorktown Heights NY

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Yorktown Heights New York

Yorktown Heights NY medical assistant checking pulseNow that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Yorktown Heights NY, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Most prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might decide to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have provided some questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Yorktown Heights NY nursing home patientThe responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their role is ensure that the Yorktown Heights NY hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving 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. A few of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

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

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under New York law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Programs

Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Yorktown Heights NY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Yorktown Heights NYThere are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent option for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized also. Just remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Yorktown Heights NY area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the ideal choice 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 earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Yorktown Heights NY medical employers simply will not employ 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) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Yorktown Heights NY medical assistant programsBefore you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Yorktown Heights NY with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must examine when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many good reasons to verify that the school 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 intend to become 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Yorktown Heights NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to select a program focused on that certification. Second, learn 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 assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring 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, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, verify that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Yorktown Heights NY area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Yorktown Heights health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Landing that first job can be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Yorktown Heights NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the program you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Yorktown Heights NY, verify 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 clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Yorktown Heights New York?

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

Yorktown Heights, New York

Yorktown Heights is in the town of Yorktown, New York, in northern Westchester County, 45 miles from New York City, with forty square miles of rolling hills, farmland, residential areas and light industry including the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center. First settled in 1683, Yorktown was of strategic importance during the American Revolution, with the Pines Bridge crossing of the Croton River guarded by the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, an integrated unit which included African Americans and Native Americans. Yorktown was incorporated in 1788 and named in commemoration of the Franco-American decisive victory at Yorktown, Virginia. The Yorktown Heights Railroad Station, which last had passenger service on the New York Central Railroad's Putnam Division in 1958, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.[4]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 7,972 people, 2,629 households, and 2,163 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,399.3/mi² (540.0/km²). There were 2,661 housing units at an average density of 467.1/mi² (180.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.49% White, 2.41% African American, 0.06% Native American, 4.69% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.85% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.59% of the population.

There were 2,629 households out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.0% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.7% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.37.

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Yorktown Heights NY

Yorktown Heights NY medical assistant studentIt’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges offering 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 a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Schools With Financial Aid. 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, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Yorktown Heights NY.

More Medical Locations in New York

  • How Long To Get Medical Assistant Certification Saranac Lake NY
  • Medical Assistant To Rn Gardiner NY
  • Certified Medical Assistant Training Churchville NY
  • Accredited Medical Assistant Programs Online Liverpool NY
  • Medical Assistant Externship Liberty NY
  • Certified Medical Assistant Training Mastic Beach NY
  • What Does A Medical Assistant Do Elizaville NY
  • What Does A Medical Assistant Do Oakland Gardens NY
  • Top Medical Assistant Programs Nicholville NY
  • Colleges That Offer Medical Assistant Degrees Bayville NY
  •  

     

    The location could not be found.

     

    Business Results 1 - 10 of 244

    AFC Urgent Care Yorktown Heights
    13 Reviews
    Urgent Care
    Phone:
    3379 Crompond Rd, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

    PhysicianOne Urgent Care
    9 Reviews
    Urgent Care
    Phone:
    80 Route 6, Baldwin Place, NY 10505

    Rachel Bennett, MD
    5 Reviews
    Fertility
    Phone:
    344 E Main St, Ste 403, Mount Kisco, NY 10549

    Rajveer Sachdev MD Primary Medical Care of Rockland
    2 Reviews
    Family Practice
    Phone:
    124 E Ramapo Rd, Ste 2, West Haverstraw, NY 10923

    Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Care
    12 Reviews
    Urgent Care
    Phone:
    28 Triangle Ctr, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

    CareMount Medical
    19 Reviews
    Medical Centers
    Phone:
    90 S Bedford Rd, Ste 110, Mount Kisco, NY 10549

    Seniors Helping Seniors Northern Westchester & Putnam
    1 Reviews
    Home Health Care
    Phone:
    70 Lake Marie Ln, Bedford Hills, NY 10507

    PhysicianOne Urgent Care
    9 Reviews
    Urgent Care
    Phone:
    3085 Main St, Ste 12A, Cortlandt Town Center, Mohegan Lake, NY 10567

    HRHCare Urgent Care
    2 Reviews
    Urgent Care, Walk-in Clinics
    Phone:
    1037 Main St, Peekskill, NY 10566

    FirstLight Home Care
    2 Reviews
    Home Health Care, Hospice, Personal Care Services
    Phone:
    344 E Main St, Ste LL004, Mount Kisco, NY 10549