Clinical Medical Assistant Schools Pennsville NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Pennsville New Jersey

Pennsville NJ medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Pennsville NJ, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? Many prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You may decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have provided some questions that you need to ask all 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 kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Pennsville NJ nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their job is ensure that the Pennsville NJ hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under New Jersey law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options 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 Training Programs

Unlike many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Pennsville NJ health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Pennsville NJ There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent option for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened as well. But remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Pennsville NJ area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your training might be the right option for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a job after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Pennsville NJ medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. 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). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Pennsville NJ medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Pennsville NJ with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to look at when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to make sure that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training 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 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Pennsville NJ employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

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 considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to select a program concentrating on 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 means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are considering provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Pennsville NJ area healthcare providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students build relationships within the Pennsville healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Landing that very first job may be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Pennsville NJ area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms 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 positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can 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 teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a school to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the program you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Pennsville NJ, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still need to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Pennsville New Jersey?

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

Pennsville Township, New Jersey

Pennsville Township is a township in Salem County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 13,409,[9][10][11] reflecting an increase of 215 (+1.6%) from the 13,194 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 600 (-4.3%) from the 13,794 counted in the 1990 Census.[20] The township is named for William Penn.[21] The township includes the state's westernmost point.[22]

Lower Penns Neck Township was formed on July 10, 1721, when Penn's Neck Township was subdivided and Upper Penns Neck Township (now Carneys Point Township) was also formed. The township was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's original group of 104 townships. The township was renamed Pennsville Township based on the results of a referendum held on November 2, 1965.[23]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 24.588 square miles (63.683 km2), including 21.277 square miles (55.108 km2) of land and 3.311 square miles (8.575 km2) of water (13.47%).[1][2]

Select the Right Medical Assistant College Pennsville NJ

Pennsville NJ medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin 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 before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Clinical Medical Assistant Schools. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Pennsville NJ.