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How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School near Albany New York

Albany NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Albany NY, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Many future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You may want to research several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Albany NY nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their duty is ensure that the Albany NY clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Depending 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 can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

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

Medical Assistant Education

Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Albany NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. 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.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Albany NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good option for individuals who might not have the time to attend 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 attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be performed in Albany NY area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your training might be the best choice for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting employment after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Albany NY medical employers just 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 exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Albany NY medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Albany NY with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the college you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Albany NY employers will not hire 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 create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about 2 years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Albany NY area medical providers. They are a great method to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students build relationships within the Albany healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Finding that initial job can be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Albany NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and 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 imperative that the program you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Albany NY, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any clinical training or internships that will be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Albany New York?

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

Albany, New York

Albany (/ˈɔːlbəni/ ( listen) ALL-bə-nee) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York and the seat of Albany County. Albany is located on the west bank of the Hudson River approximately 10 miles (16 km) south of its confluence with the Mohawk River and approximately 150 miles (240 km) north of New York City.

Albany is known for its rich history, commerce, culture, architecture, and institutions of higher education. Albany constitutes the economic and cultural core of the Capital District of New York State, which comprises the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area, including the nearby cities and suburbs of Troy, Schenectady, and Saratoga Springs. With a 2013 Census-estimated population of 1.1 million [6] the Capital District is the third-most populous metropolitan region in the state. As of the 2010 census, the population of Albany was 97,856.

The area that later became Albany was settled by Dutch colonists who in 1614, built Fort Nassau for fur trading and, in 1624, built Fort Orange. In 1664, the English took over the Dutch settlements, renaming the city as Albany, in honor of the then Duke of Albany, the future James II of England and James VII of Scotland. The city was officially chartered in 1686 under English rule. It became the capital of New York in 1797 following formation of the United States. Albany is one of the oldest surviving settlements of the original British thirteen colonies, and is the longest continuously chartered city in the United States.[7]

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Program Albany NY

Albany NY medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you select 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 Summer 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 on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Albany NY.