Medical Assistant Duties Old Bethpage NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Old Bethpage New York

Old Bethpage NY medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Old Bethpage NY, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Most prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might want to research several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that process, we have provided some questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting 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 Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Old Bethpage NY nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is ensure that the Old Bethpage NY clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending 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 giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any task they are authorized to under New York law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the choices 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 Education

Compared to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Old Bethpage NY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges together with trade 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 training. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. 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 similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Old Bethpage NY There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good choice for students who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened as well. But remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be performed in Old Bethpage NY area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training may be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Old Bethpage NY medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among 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 sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Old Bethpage NY medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Old Bethpage NY with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to explore when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to confirm that the school you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete 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 one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Old Bethpage NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to select a program focused on that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Old Bethpage NY area health care providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Old Bethpage healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Getting that very first job may be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Old Bethpage NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before choosing a school to experience 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 working full time, it’s important that the college you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Old Bethpage NY, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will still have to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Old Bethpage New York?

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

Old Bethpage, New York

Old Bethpage is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located on Long Island in the Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 5,523 at the 2010 census.[1] It is served by the Old Bethpage Post Office, ZIP code 11804.

Old Bethpage and its neighboring hamlet, Plainview, share a school system, library, fire department and water district. Law enforcement for the community is provided by the Nassau County Police Department's Eighth Precinct.

In 1695, Thomas Powell bought about 10,000 acres (40 km2) from local Indian tribes, including the Marsapeque, Matinecoc, and Sacatogue, for 140 English pounds. This land, which includes present day Bethpage, East Farmingdale, Farmingdale, Old Bethpage, Plainedge, Plainview, South Farmingdale, and part of Melville, is known as the Bethpage Purchase and is approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east to west and 5 miles (8.0 km) north to south.

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Course Old Bethpage NY

Old Bethpage NY medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Duties. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Old Bethpage NY.