How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Program near Bolton Landing New York
Once you have decided to join the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Bolton Landing NY, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the best one? Many prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You may want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have furnished some questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.
The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants
The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is ensure that the Bolton Landing NY clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work run efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under New York law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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
Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Bolton Landing NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to finish, 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 earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered at junior and community colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. 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 Schools
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent alternative for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be completed in Bolton Landing NY area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your training may be the best choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Many possible Bolton Landing NY medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded 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 have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Bolton Landing NY with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should explore when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain that the college you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many potential Bolton Landing NY 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 colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.
Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, verify that the schools you are considering provide the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Bolton Landing NY area medical providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students develop relationships within the Bolton Landing healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Offered? Getting that first job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Bolton Landing NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care 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 may be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a college to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the program you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Bolton Landing NY, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Bolton Landing New York?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Bolton Landing NY area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Matt Finley
Finley grew up performing in resorts in Bolton Landing and Lake George (New York), graduated from Phillips Academy and Union College where he studied composition with Edgar Curtis, Director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra. After obtaining a master's degree from the College of Saint Rose, he performed for seven years with Grammy Award-winning baritone saxophonist Nick Brignola. A multi-instrumentalist, Matt performs on flugelhorn, trumpet, soprano sax and flute. He is a retired professor of computer information systems and was academic dean at Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he earned the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service granted by the State University of New York.
He has been a member of the American Federation of Musicians since 1972, and is the leader of Rio JAZZ, a Brazilian jazz concert sextet formed in 1988.[1] Matt has performed with Nick Brignola, Kenny Blake, Brad Upton, Dave Holland, Glen Moore, Joel Rosenblatt, Mark Egan, Pete Levin, Terry Silverlight and many others. He is married to singer/songwriter Denise Jordan Finley and lives in Pine Plains, NY and Bolton Landing, NY.
Select the Right Medical Assistant School Bolton Landing NY
It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify 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 Requirements. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Bolton Landing NY.
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