Medical Assistant Education Livingston NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Livingston New Jersey

Livingston NJ medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Livingston NJ, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? A number of 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, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You might want to research several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask each of the schools 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 training and credentials that are offered.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Livingston NJ nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their role is to make sure that the Livingston NJ clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for 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 potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Giving general support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under New Jersey law, some opt 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) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Livingston NJ health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to complete, a few 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 acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical component involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Livingston NJ There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent 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 an especially good alternative for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Livingston NJ area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education might be the best choice for you. Between 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 stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Livingston NJ medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Livingston NJ medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you must choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Livingston NJ with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to examine when researching programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several great reasons to ensure that the college you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). 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 often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Livingston NJ employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need 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. This is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Livingston NJ area health care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Livingston healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Furnished? Landing that first job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Livingston NJ area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Livingston NJ, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also need to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Livingston New Jersey?

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

Livingston, New Jersey

Livingston is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 29,366,[9][10][11] reflecting an increase of 1,975 (+7.2%) from the 27,391 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 782 (+2.9%) from the 26,609 counted in the 1990 Census.[19]

Livingston was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 5, 1813, from portions of Caldwell Township (now Fairfield Township) and Springfield Township (now in Union County, New Jersey). Portions of the township were taken to form Fairmount (March 11, 1862, now part of West Orange) and Roseland (March 10, 1908).[20]

Livingston's history dates back to 1699 when 101 Newark settlers wanted to move westward. They set up a committee to negotiate from Lenni Lenape Native Americans for the purchase of the Horseneck Tract which today includes Livingston and eight other northern municipalities. Between 1698 and 1702, the rules for property ownership were unclear. There were many disputes between settlers and the English proprietors. For some unknown reasons, the Newark settlers did not obtain a grant from the proprietors before negotiating with the natives. They finally obtained the deed directly from Lenni Lenape in 1702 for £130. The settlements began until around the 1740s as the dispute between the proprietors and the settlers continued.[23]

Choose the Best Medical Assistant Training Program Livingston NJ

Livingston NJ medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as 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 Education. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided 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 selecting the ideal program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Livingston NJ.