Become A Certified Medical Assistant Fast Dobbs Ferry NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training School near Dobbs Ferry New York

Dobbs Ferry NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Dobbs Ferry NY, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? A number of prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You might decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Dobbs Ferry NY nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their role is to make sure that the Dobbs Ferry NY clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work run successfully. 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 giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties 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
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under New York law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain 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 Courses

In contrast to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Dobbs Ferry 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 basically two options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to finish, 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 option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical 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 related field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Dobbs Ferry NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent alternative for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened as well. But remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be performed in Dobbs Ferry NY area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the ideal choice for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Dobbs Ferry 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 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 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Dobbs Ferry NY medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many potential students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Dobbs Ferry NY with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should examine when assessing programs. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to make sure that the program you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Dobbs Ferry NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to select a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are considering offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Dobbs Ferry NY area health care providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Dobbs Ferry medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Furnished? Getting that initial job may be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Dobbs Ferry NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the college you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Dobbs Ferry NY, make certain 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 all clinical training or internships that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Dobbs Ferry New York?

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

Dobbs Ferry, New York

Dobbs Ferry is a village in Westchester County, New York. The population was 11,093 according to the 2016 census.[2] The Village of Dobbs Ferry is located in, and is a part of, the town of Greenburgh. The village ZIP code is 10522. Most of the Village falls into the boundaries of the Dobbs Ferry Union Free School District.

Dobbs Ferry was ranked seventh in the list of the top 10 places to live in New York State for 2014 according to the national online real estate brokerage Movoto.[3] Dobbs Ferry is also the first village in New York State certified as a Climate Smart Community, honored in 2014 with the highest level given out in the state.[4][5]

Dobbs Ferry was named after Jeremiah Dobbs, a descendent of William Dobbs, of Swedish and Dutch ancestry[6] whose family ran a ferry service[7] that traversed the Hudson River at this location.[8] Jeremiah Dobbs was a fisherman and settled near the southern part of what is now Dobbs Ferry, and he "added to his meager income by ferriage of occasional travelers across the Hudson. He used a style of boat known at that day as a periauger, a canoe hollowed out of a solid log. . . From this primitive ferry the village took its name."[6]

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant College Dobbs Ferry NY

Dobbs Ferry NY medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Become A Certified Medical Assistant Fast. 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 evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Dobbs Ferry NY.