Clinical Medical Assistant Programs Teaneck NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Program near Teaneck New Jersey

Teaneck NJ medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Teaneck NJ, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Most future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You might want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Teaneck NJ nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their duty is ensure that the Teaneck NJ hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work run successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under New Jersey law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn 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 Education

In contrast to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Teaneck 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 basically two options available for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred 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 Teaneck NJ There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent option for those who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened also. But keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Teaneck NJ area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education might be the best option for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining employment after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Teaneck NJ medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Teaneck NJ medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Teaneck NJ with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to look at when researching programs. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to verify that the college you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Teaneck NJ employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to choose 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. Doing this is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to getting 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 about 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about two years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Teaneck NJ area healthcare providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Teaneck healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Finding that first job may be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Teaneck NJ area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Teaneck NJ, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will still have to schedule any internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Teaneck New Jersey?

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

Teaneck, New Jersey

Teaneck /ˈtiːnɛk/ is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 39,776,[10][11][12] reflecting an increase of 516 (+1.3%) from the 39,260 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,435 (+3.8%) from the 37,825 counted in the 1990 Census.[21] As of 2010 it was the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County, behind Hackensack, which had a population of 43,010.[22]

Teaneck was created on February 19, 1895 by an act of the New Jersey Legislature from portions of Englewood Township and Ridgefield Township, both of which are now defunct (despite existing municipalities with similar names), along with portions of Bogota and Leonia.[23] Independence followed the result of a referendum held on January 14, 1895, in which voters favored incorporation by a 46–7 margin.[24] To address the concerns of Englewood Township's leaders, the new municipality was formed as a township, rather than succumbing to the borough craze sweeping across Bergen County at the time.[24] On May 3, 1921, and June 1, 1926, portions of what had been Teaneck were transferred to Overpeck Township.[25]

Teaneck lies at the junction of Interstate 95 and the eastern terminus of Interstate 80.[26] The township is bisected into north and south portions by Route 4 and east and west by the CSX Transportation River Subdivision. Commercial development is concentrated in four main shopping areas, on Cedar Lane, Teaneck Road, DeGraw Avenue, West Englewood Avenue and Queen Anne Road, more commonly known as "The Plaza".[27]

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Course Teaneck NJ

Teaneck NJ medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Clinical Medical Assistant Programs. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Teaneck NJ.