Medical Assistant Prerequisites Florham Park NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training Program near Florham Park New Jersey

Florham Park NJ medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Florham Park NJ, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You might choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have included several questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Florham Park NJ nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their job is ensure that the Florham Park NJ hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under New Jersey law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Florham Park NJ health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs typically 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 prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Florham Park NJ There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good choice for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work 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 costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened as well. Just remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be completed in Florham Park NJ area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the best option for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a job after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Florham Park NJ medical employers simply will not employ 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). In order to take the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Florham Park NJ medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Florham Park NJ with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must look at when researching programs. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the school you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Florham Park NJ employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Florham Park NJ area health care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students establish relationships within the Florham Park healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Furnished? Landing that initial job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Florham Park NJ area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before choosing a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the school you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Florham Park NJ, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still need to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Florham Park New Jersey?

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

Florham Park, New Jersey

Florham Park is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 11,696,[9][10][11] reflecting an increase of 2,839 (+32.1%) from the 8,857 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 336 (+3.9%) from the 8,521 counted in the 1990 Census.[20]

The National Football League's New York Jets relocated their main headquarters in 2008 to the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, located in Florham Park. The Jets relocated to Florham Park from their old facilities at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. The team holds its day-to-day operations during the year in Florham Park, while relocating during July and August to Cortland, NY for training camp. Florham Park beat out Berkeley Heights, Jersey City, Millburn, South Amboy, and Wood-Ridge, which had all been finalists contending to be the host of the new facility.[23]

The area that is now Florham Park was first settled by the English sometime between 1680 and 1700, and the community was long recognized as a prime farming area. The area was known for the manufacture of quality brooms, which was the source of one of its town names, Broomtown. Through its history, the area was known as Hoppingtown, Broomtown, Columbia, Afton, and finally Florham Park.[24] It was part of Hanover Township, then Chatham Township before being incorporated as Florham Park in 1899.[21]

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Florham Park NJ

Florham Park NJ medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Prerequisites. 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 supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Florham Park NJ.