Medical Assistant Curriculum Hauppauge NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School Program near Hauppauge New York

Hauppauge NY medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hauppauge NY, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many future students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might choose to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Hauppauge NY nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their duty is ensure that the Hauppauge NY hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Supplying general support during exams and procedures

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

Medical Assistant Education

In contrast to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Hauppauge NY health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to trade 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 usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Hauppauge NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good choice for individuals who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be carried out in Hauppauge NY area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your education might be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in attaining a job after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Hauppauge NY medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among 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 apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Hauppauge NY medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Hauppauge NY with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to look at when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to confirm that the college you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies 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 either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Hauppauge NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose 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 about one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Hauppauge NY area medical providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Hauppauge healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Offered? Finding that very first job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Hauppauge NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a college to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s essential that the program you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Hauppauge NY, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any clinical training or internships that will be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Hauppauge New York?

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

Hauppauge, New York

Hauppauge (/ˈhɔːpɒɡ/ HAWP-awg) is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the towns of Islip and Smithtown in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 20,882 at the time of the 2010 census.[1]

Hauppauge is located at 40°49′6″N 73°12′25″W / 40.81833°N 73.20694°W / 40.81833; -73.20694 (40.818205, -73.206878).[2] According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 10.8 square miles (28.1 km2), of which 10.7 square miles (27.7 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km2), or 1.37%, is water.[1] The name comes from the Native American word for "sweet waters." Local Native American tribes would get their fresh drinking water from this area, instead of near Lake Ronkonkoma where the water was not drinkable. Hauppauge is known for the underground water springs and high underground water table.

According to the historian Simeon Wood, the first house in greater Hauppauge dates to 1731, being located on what would be the Arbuckle Estate, and later the southeast corner of the Hauppauge Industrial Park, near the intersection of Motor Parkway and Old Willets Path.[3] The settlement of Hauppauge proper commenced with the family of Thomas Wheeler prior to 1753, at the present-day location of the Wave gas station between Townline and Wheeler Road.[3] The locale would take the Wheelers' name as its own until the 1860s when the name Hauppauge was restored.[3] On March 13, 1806, "a meeting of the male members of the Methodist Society of the 'Haupogues' was convened at the School House agreeable to public notice for the express purpose of Incorporating and Electing Trustees for said Society." The first trustees elected at the meeting presided by Timothy Wheeler and Issac Wheeler were Issac Nichols, Elkanah Wheeler, George Wheeler, and Samuel Brush. They were known as the "Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Congregation of the Haupogues".[4] In 1812 the Hauppauge Methodist Church that stands today was constructed on land donated by the Wheeler family.

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Hauppauge NY

Hauppauge NY medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program 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 acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Curriculum. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Hauppauge NY.