Registered Medical Assistant Certification Haverstraw NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Haverstraw New York

Haverstraw NY medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Haverstraw NY, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? A number of prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You may choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Haverstraw NY nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Haverstraw NY clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending 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 support 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:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing general support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under New York law, some elect to specialize in a particular 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 Training Courses

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Haverstraw NY health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options available for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 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 alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma 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 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.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Haverstraw NY There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good alternative 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 a particularly good solution for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced also. But remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be completed in Haverstraw NY area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs 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. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Some possible Haverstraw NY medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Haverstraw NY medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Haverstraw NY with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must examine when researching programs. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good 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 plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in 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 allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Haverstraw NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs 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 select a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma 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 choose to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, verify that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Haverstraw NY area medical providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Haverstraw medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Finding that very first job may be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Haverstraw NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might 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 furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Haverstraw NY, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also have to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Haverstraw New York?

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

Haverstraw, New York

Haverstraw /ˈhævərˌstrɔː/ is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Ramapo; east of Orange County, New York; south of the Town of Stony Point; and west of the Hudson River. The town runs from the west to the east border of the county in its northern part. The population was 36,634 at the 2010 census.[4] The name comes from the Dutch word Haverstroo meaning "oats straw",[5] referring to the grasslands along the river. The town contains three villages, one of which is also known as Haverstraw. Haverstraw village is the original seat of government for the town, hosting the area's historic central downtown business district and the densest population in northern Rockland County.

In 1609, the region was explored by Henry Hudson. A land purchase was made in this town in 1666 from local natives and confirmed as a patent in 1671. The region was known as Haverstroo, meaning "oat straw" in Dutch.

During the American Revolution, it served as an important lookout for British activities on the Hudson. A blue-marked trail, the Long Path, may be taken 2 miles (3 km) eastward from Central Highway along the crest of South Mountain to High Tor. Halfway is Little Tor, the second highest peak on South Mountain.

Select the Best Medical Assistant Training Haverstraw NY

Haverstraw NY medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate 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 decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Registered Medical Assistant Certification. 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, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Haverstraw NY.