Medical Assistant Course Outline Croton Falls NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Croton Falls New York

Croton Falls NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Croton Falls NY, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? A number of future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You might want to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Croton Falls NY nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Croton Falls NY hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

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

Although medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under New York law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Courses

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Croton Falls 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 generally two options provided 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 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 earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs available at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. 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 related field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Croton Falls NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good option for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced also. But remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Croton Falls NY area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the right choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for those who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Croton Falls NY medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Croton Falls NY medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Croton Falls NY with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to examine when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Croton Falls NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about 2 years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, make sure that the colleges you are looking at offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Croton Falls NY area medical providers. They are a great means to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Croton Falls healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Landing that initial job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Croton Falls NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the college you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Croton Falls NY, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any clinical training or internships that will be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Croton Falls New York?

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

Croton Falls station

The Croton Falls station is a commuter rail stop on the Metro-North Railroad's Harlem Line, located in Croton Falls, New York. It is 47.7 miles (77 km) from Grand Central Terminal and the average travel time to Grand Central is 1 hour, 16 minutes.

The station, the northernmost on the line in Westchester County, is not far from the Putnam County line. Putnam runs a shuttle to the station for commuters closer to its location than those of Brewster and Southeast stations. While Interstate 684 is further away from the station than at Purdy's and Golden's Bridge, the next two stations to the south, it is a short drive away via Hardscrabble Road (Exit 8).

It is somewhat smaller than some of the other stations on the line, located on the hamlet's main street. Only four cars can platform at Croton Falls. Service to Manhattan is provided approximately every 15–30 minutes during peak hours and approximately every hour during off-peak hours. Some parking is located at the station with more spaces available a short walk away.

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Croton Falls NY

Croton Falls NY medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged 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 Medical Assistant Course Outline. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Croton Falls NY.