Good Medical Assistant Schools Palisades Park NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Palisades Park New Jersey

Palisades Park NJ medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Palisades Park NJ, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might want to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have provided a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Palisades Park NJ nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their job is to make sure that the Palisades Park NJ clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. 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 assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

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

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

Medical Assistant Programs

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Palisades Park NJ health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as 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 classes. They frequently have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical facility. 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Palisades Park NJ There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent choice for students who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened also. Just remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in Palisades Park NJ area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the ideal option for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for individuals who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Palisades Park NJ medical employers just will not hire 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) 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. Other certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Palisades Park NJ medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Palisades Park NJ with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must look at when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to make certain that the school you choose is accredited. To begin 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 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Palisades Park NJ employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, verify that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Palisades Park NJ area medical care providers. They are a great method to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students establish relationships within the Palisades Park healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Landing that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Palisades Park NJ area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal attention 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 teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a program to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Palisades Park NJ, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

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

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

Palisades Park, New Jersey

Palisades Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 19,622,[9][10][11] reflecting an increase of 2,549 (+14.9%) from the 17,073 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,537 (+17.5%) from the 14,536 counted in the 1990 Census.[20]

The borough of Palisades Park was created by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 22, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township. A portion of its area was annexed by the neighboring borough of Fort Lee in April 1909.[21][22][23] The borough was named for its location atop the New Jersey Palisades.[24][25]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.276 square miles (3.304 km2), including 1.251 square miles (3.241 km2) of land and 0.025 square miles (0.064 km2) of water (1.93%).[1][2]

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant College Palisades Park NJ

Palisades Park NJ medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Good Medical Assistant Schools. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan 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 compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Palisades Park NJ.