Medical Assistant Course Online Locust Valley NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School Program near Locust Valley New York

Locust Valley NY medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Locust Valley NY, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues also. You might want to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Locust Valley 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 Locust Valley NY clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work run successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under New York law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options 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

In contrast to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Locust Valley NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs offered at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often 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 Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Locust Valley NY There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent choice for individuals who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized also. Just remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be performed in Locust Valley NY area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the best choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Locust Valley NY medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Locust Valley NY medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After 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 restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Locust Valley NY with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should look at when researching programs. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the program you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction 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 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 agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Locust Valley NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Locust Valley NY area healthcare providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Locust Valley healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Landing that very first job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Locust Valley NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a school to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full time, it’s important that the program you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Locust Valley NY, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that might 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 Locust Valley New York?

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

Locust Valley, New York

Locust Valley is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located in Nassau County, New York. Locust Valley is an unincorporated area of the Town of Oyster Bay. As of the United States 2010 Census, the CDP population was 3,406. The area is commonly identified with its W.A.S.P and "White Shoe" culture surrounding a group of polo and golf clubs, primarily the secretive Piping Rock Club, as well as the equally prestigious Creek Club, in the neighboring incorporated villages of Matinecock and Lattingtown, respectively. The town is also known for Locust Valley lockjaw.

The rolling hills of the North Shore of Long Island were laid down as terminal moraines by the receding glaciers of the last ice age roughly 10,000 years ago. The Algonquian tribe that settled the area, spanning from Flushing to Setauket, called the area "hilly ground" or Matinecock and as a result the Algonquian Indians who settled there became known as the Matinecock Indians.[2]

In 1667, Captain John Underhill negotiated with the Matinecock Indians to purchase land for a settlement that he and his fellow colonists would call Buckram.[3] The town name lasted for nearly 200 years, until in 1856 the name was changed to Locust Valley based on the number of locust trees located in the area.[3]

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Course Locust Valley NY

Locust Valley NY medical assistant student It’s essential to start 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 begin 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 information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Course Online. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Locust Valley NY.