Medical Assistant Overview Phillipsburg NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Phillipsburg New Jersey

Phillipsburg NJ medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Phillipsburg NJ, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Most future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You might choose to research several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have provided some questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Phillipsburg NJ nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Phillipsburg NJ clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are qualified to under New Jersey law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training

Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Phillipsburg NJ health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Phillipsburg NJ There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good option for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened also. Just remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Phillipsburg NJ area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the right choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some potential Phillipsburg 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 possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Phillipsburg NJ medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Phillipsburg NJ with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should examine when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to ensure that the school you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Phillipsburg NJ employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in 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 about 1 year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require about two years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the schools you are considering provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Phillipsburg NJ area health care providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students develop relationships within the Phillipsburg health care community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Landing that initial job may be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Phillipsburg NJ area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before selecting a college to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the school you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Phillipsburg NJ, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still need to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Phillipsburg New Jersey?

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

Phillipsburg, New Jersey

The town is located along the Delaware River in western New Jersey, on the border with Pennsylvania, and is considered part of the Delaware Valley region and the eastern border of the Lehigh Valley region. The Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line (formerly the main line of the Lehigh Valley Railroad with a mix of main line trackage combined long leased to the Central Railroad of New Jersey by its builder Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company), runs through Phillipsburg on its way cross river to Easton, Pennsylvania. The Belvidere Delaware Railroad was leased (1871) and later acquired by the Pennsylvania Railroad connecting the lower Poconos to Trenton, New Jersey and Philadelphia.

As of 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 14,950,[10][11][12] reflecting a decline of 216 (-1.4%) from the 15,166 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 591 (-3.8%) from the 15,757 counted in the 1990 Census.[22]

The town grew from a sleepy agricultural village (in 1824), and was transformed into a transportation hub and shipping center as the Delaware terminus of the Morris Canal (1829-1924), the first transportation infrastructure project (of several, each eventually) giving the community a direct connection 107 miles (172 km) to New York City. The Central Railroad of New Jersey would soon follow with a connection, but the community's growth (and for a long while, its importance) was that it reached the canal terminals of both the Delaware Canal and the Lehigh Canal by its cross-river cable ferry system to Easton, PA. In 1853, the Lehigh Valley Railroad connected across the river with the CNJ and a passenger shortline railroad, the Belvidere Delaware Railroad, as well as the Morris Canal, all within Phillipsburg. Rapid growth followed quickly.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant College Phillipsburg NJ

Phillipsburg NJ medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare 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 prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Overview. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Phillipsburg NJ.