Medical Assistant Certification Programs Near Me Plattsburgh NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training School near Plattsburgh New York

Plattsburgh NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Plattsburgh NY, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You might choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have included several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Plattsburgh NY nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their function is ensure that the Plattsburgh NY hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under New York law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain 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

Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Plattsburgh NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Plattsburgh NY There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good 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 working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be completed in Plattsburgh NY area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for graduates who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Plattsburgh NY medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Plattsburgh NY medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must choose which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Plattsburgh NY with the most affordable 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 look at when evaluating programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to make certain that the college you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved agencies 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 one of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many potential Plattsburgh NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs 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 enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Plattsburgh NY area healthcare providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students establish relationships within the Plattsburgh healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting that very first job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Plattsburgh NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a program to experience what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Plattsburgh NY, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will also need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Plattsburgh New York?

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

Plattsburgh (city), New York

Plattsburgh is a city in and the seat of Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 19,989 at the 2010 census.[1] The population of the unincorporated areas within the Town of Plattsburgh was 11,870 as of the 2010 census, making the population for the immediate Plattsburgh region 31,859.

The city of Plattsburgh is the population center and county seat at the heart of the Plattsburgh micropolitan statistical area (MSA) - population 82,128 as of the 2010 Census.[3] A statistical area representing the greater Plattsburgh region (as defined by the U.S. government), the Plattsburgh MSA includes all communities in the immediate Clinton County, New York area.

Beginning with Samuel de Champlain's expedition into the Lake Champlain valley in 1609,[4] the Plattsburgh region began to come under the French influence, and later passed under British, and finally American control. The early French contact and its closeness to Quebec made this a historically French area. Located in the extended fur trade network in the Montreal hinterland, the Plattsburgh area was the realm of the coureur des bois, who served the larger trading hub in Montreal.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Plattsburgh NY

Plattsburgh 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 right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Certification Programs Near Me. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Plattsburgh NY.