How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School near Lake George New York
Now that you have decided to enter the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lake George NY, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? A number of prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You may decide to research several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have provided some questions that you need to ask each of the schools 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 Duties of a Medical Assistant
The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their duty is to make sure that the Lake George NY clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work run successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and verifying appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
- Providing general support during exams and procedures
While medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized to under New York law, some prefer 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 Programs
Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Lake George NY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about a year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed 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 community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical element requiring 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 Colleges
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good choice for those who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be carried out in Lake George NY area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your training may be the best choice for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Lake George NY medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of 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). In order to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered 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
Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the process of comparing 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 nearest to Lake George NY with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to explore when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the college you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in 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 school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Lake George NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to 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 naturally you will want 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 ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, verify that the schools you are considering provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Lake George NY area health care providers. They are a great method to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Lake George medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Support Offered? Landing that initial job may be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Lake George NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before selecting a program to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the college you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Lake George NY, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Lake George New York?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Lake George NY area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Lake George, New York
Lake George is a town in Warren County, New York, United States. The population was 3,578 at the 2000 census.[2] The town is named after the lake, Lake George. Within the town is a village also named Lake George. The town is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.[4]
The first European to visit the lake was Father Isaac Jogues in August 1642.[5] He was later captured by Mohawks, escaped, and returned home to France. In 1646, he was sent on a political mission to the Iroquois to propose a treaty of peace, and at that point named the lake "Lac du Saint Sacrement" (Lake of the Blessed Sacrament).[5]
Lake George was also the site of Fort William Henry, named in honor of Prince William Henry, grandson of King George II, by General Johnson. The fort, its surrender to the Marquis de Montcalm after a six-day siege by the French and Indians, and the following massacre all in 1757 were used by James Fenimore Cooper as the background for his famous novel The Last of the Mohicans. The fort was reconstructed and opened to the public as a museum in 1953.[5]
Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant College Lake George NY
It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Regardless if 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 must obtain the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing 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, make certain that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example 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 What Do Medical Assistants Do. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Lake George NY.
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