What Can You Do With A Medical Assistant Degree Astoria NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Program near Astoria New York

Astoria NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Astoria NY, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? A number of future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You might choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have provided a few questions that you need to ask all 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 kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Astoria NY nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their role is to make sure that the Astoria NY hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work run successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support 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 potential functions of a medical assistant include:

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

Although medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized to under New York 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) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Astoria NY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options available for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Astoria NY There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good alternative for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue to work full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced also. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be carried out in Astoria NY area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the ideal choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for graduates who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Astoria NY medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Astoria NY medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you must choose which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Astoria NY with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to look at when researching programs. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several good reasons to confirm that the school you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in 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 program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Astoria NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Astoria NY area health care providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students establish relationships within the Astoria healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Finding that first job can be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Astoria NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before choosing a program to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the college you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Astoria NY, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Astoria New York?

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

Astoria, Queens

Astoria is a middle-class[4] and commercial neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside (bordering at Northern Boulevard), and Woodside (bordering at 50th Street). It is located in Community Board 1, and is patrolled by the New York City Police Department's 114th Precinct.[5] As of 2016[update], Astoria has an estimated population of 78,793.[2]

The area now known as Astoria was originally called Hallett's Cove, after its first landowner William Hallet, who settled there in 1652 with his wife, Elizabeth Fones. Beginning in the early 19th century, affluent New Yorkers constructed large residences around 12th and 14th streets, an area that later became known as Astoria Village (now Old Astoria). Hallett's Cove, incorporated on April 12, 1839[6] and previously founded by fur merchant Stephen A. Halsey, was a noted recreational destination and resort for Manhattan's wealthy.[7][8]

The area was renamed for John Jacob Astor, then the wealthiest man in America with a net worth of more than $40 million, in order to persuade him to invest in the neighborhood. He only invested $500, but the name stayed nonetheless, as a bitter battle over naming the village finally was won by Astor's supporters and friends. From Astor's summer home in Hell Gate, Manhattan—on what is now East 87th Street near York Avenue—he could see across the East River the new Long Island village named in his honor. Astor, however, never actually set foot in Astoria.

Select the Right Medical Assistant Program Astoria NY

Astoria NY medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the right info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What Can You Do With A Medical Assistant Degree. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Astoria NY.