Medical Assistant Student Holtsville NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant Training Program near Holtsville New York

Holtsville NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Holtsville NY, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Most future students start 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, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You may want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Holtsville NY nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their job is to make sure that the Holtsville NY hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work run 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 support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners 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:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Giving general support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under New York law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and obtain 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 Programs

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 Holtsville NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Holtsville NY There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good option for students who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced as well. But remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be carried out in Holtsville NY area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the ideal option for you. Between the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Holtsville NY medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Holtsville NY medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must determine which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Holtsville NY with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to look at when assessing schools. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved organizations for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). 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 obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many potential Holtsville 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 create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to choose 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 just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Holtsville NY area health care providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Holtsville health care community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Finding that first job may be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Holtsville NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

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 likely to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a program to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full time, it’s essential that the program you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Holtsville NY, make certain that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any clinical training or internships that will be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Holtsville New York?

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

Koehler Instrument Company, Inc.

Koehler Instrument, or Koehler, is a US company which provides petroleum and petrochemical testing equipment and technical support services to testing laboratories worldwide. The company’s corporate headquarters is in Holtsville, NY and the manufacturing headquarters is in Bohemia, NY.

Koehler Instrument Company offers a full line of instruments for testing biofuels, fuels, lubes, greases as well as an extensive selection of tribology or wear testing instruments. All Koehler products conform to the latest ASTM, ISO, IP and related international specifications.

Other organizations that Koehler holds membership with include the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers [1] and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.[2] Koehler is also an active member of the National Association of Lubricating Grease Manufacturers, Inc. (NLGI), with a representative on the Board of Directors.[3]

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant College Holtsville NY

Holtsville NY medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection 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, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Student. But regardless of the type 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 provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Holtsville NY.