Accredited Medical Assistant Programs Long Island City NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Long Island City New York

Long Island City NY medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Long Island City NY, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You may want to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have provided some questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Long Island City NY nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their job is ensure that the Long Island City NY hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size 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 nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under New York law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training

Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Long Island City NY health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about one year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Long Island City NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent alternative for those who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced also. But remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be completed in Long Island City NY area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training may be the right option for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Long Island City NY medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Long Island City NY medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you must decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Long Island City NY with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to explore when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make sure that the college you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Long Island City NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on 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 means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain 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 obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Long Island City NY area medical care providers. They are a great method to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Long Island City medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Landing that very first job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Long Island City 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 an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? 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 prone to furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the school you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Long Island City NY, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Long Island City New York?

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

Long Island City

Long Island City (LIC) is a residential and commercial neighborhood located on the extreme western tip of Queens, New York City, at the western edge of Long Island. It is bordered by Astoria to the north; the East River to the west; Hazen Street, 49th Street, and New Calvary Cemetery in Sunnyside to the east; and Newtown Creek—which separates Queens from Greenpoint, Brooklyn—to the south. The area is part of Queens Community Board 1 to the north and Queens Community Board 2 to the south.

Incorporated as a separate city in 1870, Long Island City was originally the seat of government of the Town of Newtown, before becoming part of New York City in 1898. Starting in the early 21st century, Long Island City became known for its rapid and ongoing residential growth and gentrification, its waterfront parks, and its thriving arts community.[3] The area has among the highest concentration of art galleries, art institutions, and studio space of any neighborhood in New York City.[4]

Long Island City is the eastern terminus of the Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th Street Bridge, which is the only non-tolled automotive route connecting Queens and Manhattan. Northwest of the bridge are the Queensbridge Houses, a development of the New York City Housing Authority and the largest public housing complex in the Western Hemisphere.

Pick the Best Medical Assistant College Long Island City NY

Long Island City NY medical assistant student It’s imperative 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 health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Accredited Medical Assistant Programs. But irrespective 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 supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Long Island City NY.