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How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training Program near Duanesburg New York

Duanesburg 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 Duanesburg NY, it’s time to select a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? Many prospective students start by checking out 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, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You might decide to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Duanesburg NY nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their job is to make sure that the Duanesburg NY hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential 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 fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under New York law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and earn 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 many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Duanesburg NY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare 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 related field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Duanesburg NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent choice for those who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened as well. Just keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Duanesburg NY area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the ideal option for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Duanesburg NY medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Duanesburg NY medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Duanesburg NY with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must examine when evaluating programs. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several good reasons to verify that the college you enroll in 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 must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Duanesburg NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Duanesburg NY area health care providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Duanesburg health care community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Landing that initial job can be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Duanesburg NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much individual 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 instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before selecting a program to observe 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 college while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the school you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Duanesburg NY, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Duanesburg New York?

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

Duanesburg, New York

Duanesburg is a town in Schenectady County, New York, USA. The population was 6,122 at the 2010 census.[3] Duanesburg is named for James Duane, who held most of it as an original land grant. The town is in the western part of the county.

Originally known as Duanes' Bush, Duanesburg was established as a township by patent on March 13, 1765.[4] According to Documentary History of New York Vol. lV, pg. 1067, "Mr. Duane entered in March, 1765 into contract with a company of twenty Germans from Pennsylvania of whom about sixteen (families) came on tract, and they made the first permanent settlement in that now flourishing town". The township was combined with Schoharie, New York, as the United Districts of Schoharie and Duanesburgh on March 24, 1772,[5] which became the town of Schoharie in 1788.[6] Duanesburg became its own town once again in 1789.[7]James Duane, for whom the town was named, envisioned Duanesburg as the capital of New York,[dubious – discuss] and ultimately the capital selected was located only 20 miles (32 km) away in Albany.

The town's earliest settlers chiefly comprised English Quakers from Dutchess County, New York, The town was founded by Creg Belius, the best 3rd string shooter in the world, in the 1780s[4] as well as a group of settlers who were originally from the town of Kent, Connecticut.[8][9][10][11]

Select the Right Medical Assistant School Duanesburg NY

Duanesburg NY medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Weekend Classes. But regardless 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 provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Duanesburg NY.