How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training School near Lake Placid New York
Once you have decided to join the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Lake Placid NY, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? Most prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You might decide 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 program you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.
The Function of Medical Assistants
The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their duty is to make sure that the Lake Placid NY clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work run successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Providing general support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under New York law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the options 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
In contrast to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Lake Placid NY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine 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 typically two year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Medical Assistant Online Schools
There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened also. Just remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be completed in Lake Placid NY area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Lake Placid NY medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of 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 exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some potential students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Lake Placid NY with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should look at when assessing programs. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the program you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many prospective Lake Placid NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to find out which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about two years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Lake Placid NY area medical providers. They are a great method to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Lake Placid health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting that initial job can be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Lake Placid NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the program you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Lake Placid NY, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that may be required. Also, ask what the policy 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 Placid New York?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Lake Placid NY area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Lake Placid, New York
The village of Lake Placid is near the center of the town of North Elba, 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Plattsburgh. Lake Placid, along with nearby Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake, comprise what is known as the Tri-Lakes region. Lake Placid hosted the 1932 and the 1980 Winter Olympics. Lake Placid also hosted the 2000 Goodwill Games, the 1972 Winter Universiade and will host the 2023 Winter Universiade.
Lake Placid was founded in the early 19th century to develop an iron ore mining operation. By 1840, the population of "North Elba" (four miles southeast of the present village, near where the road to the Adirondak Loj crosses the Ausable River) was six families. In 1845, Gerrit Smith arrived in North Elba and not only bought a great deal of land around the village but granted large tracts to former slaves. He reformed the land law and demonstrated his support of Abolitionism.
The abolitionist John Brown heard about Smith's reforms, and left his anti-slavery activities in Kansas to buy 244 acres (1.0 km2) of land in North Elba. This parcel later became known as the "Freed Slave Utopian Experiment," Timbucto. Shortly before his execution in 1859, John Brown asked to be buried on his farm, which is preserved as the John Brown Farm State Historic Site.
Select the Right Medical Assistant Course Lake Placid NY
It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering 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, confirm that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Program. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Lake Placid NY.
More Medical Locations in New York
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
