Medical Assistant To Medical School Bayside NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training Program near Bayside New York

Bayside NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bayside NY, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Many future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You may choose to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have included several questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Bayside NY nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their duty is ensure that the Bayside NY clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending 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 tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

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

While medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under New York law, some opt 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Bayside NY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about a year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs available 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 classes. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Bayside NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good alternative for individuals who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced as well. But remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be carried out in Bayside NY area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the best choice for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Bayside NY medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Bayside NY medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing 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 choices have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Bayside NY with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must look at when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies 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 one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Bayside NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are reviewing offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Bayside NY area medical care providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students develop relationships within the Bayside health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Getting that initial job can be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Bayside NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Bayside NY, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bayside New York?

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

Bayside, Queens

Bayside is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. The neighborhood is in the eastern section of Flushing and is part of Queens Community Board 11.[2]CNN Money ranked Bayside as one of the most expensive housing markets nationally when analyzing comparable detached homes throughout the United States.[3] Despite its large housing stock of free-standing homes, it nationally ranks high to very high in population density.[4][5][6] These homes give the neighborhood a similar feel to other wealthy Queens neighborhoods such as Douglaston, Whitestone and Little Neck.

Bayside's history dates back to 2000 B.C.E., when the Matinecock Native American tribe first settled there. In the late 17th century, the area was settled by English colonists. By the middle of the 18th century, early settlers left their homes in Flushing and developed a farming community, Bay Side. During the Revolutionary War, the Bayside-Little Neck area suffered from raids by whaleboatmen from the Connecticut shores. In the 19th century Bayside was still mostly farmland. Middle 20th century urban sprawl in New York City, with the help of more convenient and accessible transportation, led to its development.

During the 1920s, many actors and actresses, such as Rudolph Valentino, lived in Bayside. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century Bayside saw an influx of people associated with the theater and movie industries. The town was then established as a colony for stage and screen stars. When rumors ran rampant through the acting community that Bayside would be the location of a new movie and production studio, many actors purchased homes in anticipation of an easy commute to the studio. However, this rumored studio never materialized. When Hollywood emerged as the capital of the movie industry during the 1920s, many actors left Bayside to pursue careers in California.[7]

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Bayside NY

Bayside NY medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant To Medical School. But irrespective of the type 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 supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Bayside NY.