Accredited Schools For Medical Assistant Hackensack NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training Program near Hackensack New Jersey

Hackensack NJ medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hackensack 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 prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You may choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects 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 schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Hackensack NJ nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Hackensack NJ clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers 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 facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

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

While medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under New Jersey law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the choices offered 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 Courses

Unlike most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Hackensack NJ health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about a year to finish, 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 earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical element requiring 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Hackensack NJ There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good option for those who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Hackensack NJ area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the right choice for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Hackensack NJ medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. 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 sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Hackensack NJ medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Hackensack NJ with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to look at when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to verify that the school you select is accredited. To start with, 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 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 either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Hackensack NJ employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, find out 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. Naturally programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths 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, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Hackensack NJ area medical care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Hackensack health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Getting that initial job can be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Hackensack NJ area and find out 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 signifies that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Hackensack NJ, make certain that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Hackensack New Jersey?

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

Hackensack, New Jersey

Hackensack is a city in Bergen County in New Jersey, United States, and serves as its county seat.[21] The area was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921, but it was informally known as Hackensack since at least the 18th century.[22] As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 43,010,[10][11][12] reflecting an increase of 333 (+0.8%) from the 42,677 counted in the 2000 Census, which had, in turn, increased by 5,628 (+15.2%) from the 37,049 counted in the 1990 Census.[23]

An inner suburb of New York City, Hackensack is located approximately 12 miles (19 km) northwest of Midtown Manhattan and about 7 miles (11 km) from the George Washington Bridge.[24] From a number of locations, the New York City skyline can be seen.[24]

The Metropolitan Campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University straddles the Hackensack River in both Hackensack and Teaneck. Hackensack is also the home of the New Jersey Naval Museum and the World War II submarine USS Ling. Astronaut Wally Schirra is perhaps Hackensack's most famous native son.

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant College Hackensack NJ

Hackensack NJ medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Accredited Schools For Medical Assistant. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure 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 ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Hackensack NJ.