Accredited Medical Assistant Programs Maple Shade NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

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

Maple Shade NJ medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Maple Shade NJ, it’s time to select a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? Many prospective students start by checking out 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 take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting 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 Maple Shade NJ nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their function is ensure that the Maple Shade NJ clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Based 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 responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized to under New Jersey law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Training Courses

Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Maple Shade NJ health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two options provided for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed 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 usually 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare 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 Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Maple Shade NJ There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good option for individuals who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened also. But remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Maple Shade 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 getting your training might be the ideal option for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for graduates who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Maple Shade NJ medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained 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 take the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Maple Shade NJ medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Maple Shade NJ with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to examine when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the college you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved agencies 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 qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Maple Shade NJ employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to select a program focused on that certification. Next, 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 assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to accomplish 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 have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Maple Shade NJ area health care providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Maple Shade healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Landing that very first job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Maple Shade NJ area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent 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 may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

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

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Maple Shade New Jersey?

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

Maple Shade Township, New Jersey

Maple Shade Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 19,131,[9][10][11] reflecting an increase of 52 (+0.3%) from the 19,079 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 132 (-0.7%) from the 19,211 counted in the 1990 Census.[20]

What is now Maple Shade was originally formed as Chester Township on November 6, 1688, and was known as Cropwell Township from June 5, 1690, through February 22, 1699. Chester was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Cinnaminson Township (March 15, 1860) and Moorestown Township (March 11, 1922). The municipality's name was changed to Maple Shade Township as of November 6, 1945, based on the results of a referendum passed that same day.[21]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 3.823 square miles (9.901 km2), including 3.822 square miles (9.898 km2) of land and 0.001 square miles (0.003 km2) of water (0.03%).[2][3]

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Program Maple Shade NJ

Maple Shade NJ medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Accredited Medical Assistant Programs. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Maple Shade NJ.