Medical Assistant School Online Accredited Hollis NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School Program near Hollis New York

Hollis NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hollis NY, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You might want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short 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 available.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Hollis NY nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their role is to make sure that the Hollis NY clinics, hospitals and other medical care centers where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under New York law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices available 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 most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Hollis NY health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Hollis NY There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are an excellent option for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be performed in Hollis NY area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending 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 perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Hollis NY medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Hollis NY medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must determine which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Hollis NY with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must look at when assessing schools. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several great reasons to verify that the college you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become 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 either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Hollis NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Hollis NY area medical care providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students establish relationships within the Hollis health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Finding that initial job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Hollis NY area and find out 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 health care community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller 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 monitor a few classes before choosing a college to observe what the teaching environment 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 working full-time, it’s important that the program you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Hollis NY, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Hollis New York?

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

Hollis, Queens

Hollis is a residential middle-class neighborhood within the southeastern section of the New York City borough of Queens. While a predominantly African-American community, there are small minorities of Hispanics and Indians residing in the area. Boundaries are considered to be 181st St to the west, Hillside Avenue to the north, Francis Lewis Boulevard to the east (although parts of Queens Village are addressed as Hollis on water bills), and Murdock Avenue to the south. Much of this area is considered to be within the St. Albans postal district. Hollis is close to Jamaica and Queens Village. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 12.[3] Hollis is patrolled by the NYPD's 113th Precinct.[4] Public schools in the area are operated by the New York City Department of Education.

The first European settlers were Dutch homesteaders in the 17th century. A century later, early in the American Revolutionary War, it was the site of part of the Battle of Long Island, a battle in which the rebel Brigadier General Nathaniel Woodhull was captured at a tavern on what is now Jamaica Avenue. Woodhull Avenue in Hollis is named after him. The area remained rural until 1885, when developers turned 136 acres (55 ha) into houses, and the area is still developed primarily with single-family houses. In 1898, it became a part of New York City with the rest of the borough of Queens.

Since the end of the Korean War, the neighborhood has been settled primarily by African-American families. In recent years, the area has seen a large influx of South Asians and West Indians. The area has a majority of working parents with many early childhood schools in Hollis. Hollis is mainly within zip codes 11423 and 11412.

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Course Hollis NY

Hollis NY medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant School Online Accredited. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend 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 provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Hollis NY.