Medical Assistant Course Lakewood NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training School near Lakewood New Jersey

Lakewood NJ medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lakewood NJ, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You might choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Lakewood NJ nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Lakewood NJ clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible duties 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 specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are authorized to under New Jersey law, some opt 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 Training

In contrast to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Lakewood NJ health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about a year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Lakewood NJ There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good alternative for individuals who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced also. But keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Lakewood NJ area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the right choice for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary 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 those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Lakewood NJ medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Lakewood NJ medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Lakewood NJ with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to ensure that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Lakewood NJ employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Lakewood NJ area medical providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Lakewood healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Finding that very first job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Lakewood NJ area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a school to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full time, it’s important that the program you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Lakewood NJ, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will also have to schedule any internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Lakewood New Jersey?

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

Lakewood Township, New Jersey

As of 2016 the town had a population of approximately 100,758 residents.[19] As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 92,843,[9][10][11] representing an increase of 32,491 (+53.8%) from the 60,352 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 15,304 (+34.0%) from the 45,048 counted in the 1990 Census.[20] The township ranked as the seventh-most-populous municipality in the state in 2010 after having been ranked 22nd in 2000.[21] The sharp increase in population from 2000 to 2010 was led by increases in the township's Orthodox Jewish and Latino communities.[22][23]

Lakewood is a hub of Orthodox Judaism, and is home to one of the largest yeshivas in the world, the 6,500-student Beth Medrash Govoha, which was founded by Rabbi Aharon Kotler.[24] The large Orthodox population, which comprises more than half the township's population, wields considerable political clout in the township as a voting bloc.[25][26][27]

The earliest documented European settlement of the present Lakewood area was by operators of sawmills, from about 1750 forward. One such sawmill – located at the east end of the present Lake Carasaljo – was known as Three Partners Mill from at least 1789 until at least 1814. From 1815 until 1818, in the same area, Jesse Richards had an iron-smelting operation known as Washington Furnace, using the local bog iron ore. The ironworks were revived in 1833 by Joseph W. Brick, who named the business Bergen Iron Works, which also became the name of the accompanying town. In 1865, the town was renamed Bricksburg in 1865, and in 1880, it was renamed Lakewood and became a fashionable winter resort.

Select the Right Medical Assistant Program Lakewood NJ

Lakewood NJ medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Course. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend 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 provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Lakewood NJ.