Medical Assistant Degree Ridgewood NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training School near Ridgewood New Jersey

Ridgewood NJ medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Ridgewood NJ, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Many potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You might decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have included some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Ridgewood NJ nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is ensure that the Ridgewood NJ clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work run 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 physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing 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 earn certification. Two of the options offered 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 healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Ridgewood NJ health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about one year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical facility. 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 Ridgewood NJ There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent option for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened as well. But remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be completed in Ridgewood NJ area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the best option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for individuals who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Some possible Ridgewood NJ medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Ridgewood NJ medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Ridgewood NJ with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must look at when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many great reasons to make sure that the college you select 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 plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations 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 qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Ridgewood NJ employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must learn which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Ridgewood NJ area health care providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Ridgewood health care community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Getting that first job may be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Ridgewood NJ area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Ridgewood NJ, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will also need to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Ridgewood New Jersey?

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

Ridgewood, New Jersey

Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958,[11][12][13] reflecting an increase of 22 (+0.1%) from the 24,936 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 784 (+3.2%) from the 24,152 counted in the 1990 Census.[21] Ridgewood is a suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Midtown Manhattan.

The Village of Ridgewood was created on November 20, 1894, with the same boundaries as Ridgewood Township (formerly known as Godwinville).[24] The Village became the municipal government while the Township remained a school district.[25] In 1902, the village added portions of Orvil Township,[26] which were returned to Orvil Township in 1915. In 1925, Ridgewood Village acquired area from Franklin Township (remainder now dissolved as Wyckoff). On February 9, 1971, Ridgewood acquired area from Washington Township. On May 28, 1974, it acquired area from Ho-Ho-Kus.[27] The name of the village derives from the characteristics of its terrain.[28]

Graydon began as a plot of land called Linwood Park and generously donated to the Village by resident Samuel Graydon in 1912. Before the pond that is there now, it was only the river, which is what children swam in. Every summer, Mr. Graydon would dam up the river and it would flood and create a deeper place to swim. People would picnic by the water and hold events there. Graydon remains one of the jewels of Ridgewood, treasured by residents young and old.

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant College Ridgewood NJ

Ridgewood NJ medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Degree. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online 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 best program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Ridgewood NJ.