Medical Assistant Bachelor Degree Purchase NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Purchase New York

Purchase 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 Purchase NY, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Many potential students begin by researching 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 very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You may want to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have included several questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Purchase NY nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their role is ensure that the Purchase NY hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many 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 fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under New York law, some opt to specialize in a specific 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 Courses

Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Purchase NY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are routinely 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 Purchase NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are an excellent alternative for students who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced also. But bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be completed in Purchase NY area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the best option for you. Between the online courses 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 requirement, but is a good choice for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Purchase NY medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded 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. Additional certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Purchase NY medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school options, you must choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Purchase NY with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must examine when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to confirm that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged agencies for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Purchase NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to select a program concentrating on that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to obtaining 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 about one year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about 2 years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, verify that the colleges you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Purchase NY area health care providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Purchase health care community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Finding that initial job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Purchase NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the program you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Purchase NY, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also need to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Purchase New York?

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

Purchase, New York

Purchase is a hamlet in the town and village of Harrison, in Westchester County, New York. One myth explains that its name is derived from Harrison's purchase, where John Harrison was to be granted as much land as he could ride in one day.[1] Purchase is home to State University of New York at Purchase and Manhattanville College.

In 1967, 200 residents stated support for a plan to incorporate Purchase so corporations could not build in the community.[2] In response, officials from the Town of Harrison put forward plans to try to become a city in an attempt to stop Purchase from seceding from the Town of Harrison.[3]

There are many historic sites located in Purchase. The grave of Revolutionary War General Thomas Thomas is located on the grounds of SUNY Purchase. The grounds that SUNY Purchase now occupies was once Strathglass Farms, a dairy farm. The Quaker Friends Meeting house was founded in the 18th century. The original building fell victim to fire years ago and the present one is an accurate reconstruction. Before the headquarters of Pepsi was built, the Blind Brook Polo Club was located on that site. Amelia Earhart flew her plane from the polo grounds. Many colonial era homes and unspoiled natural woodlands have decreased in the last 30 years due to residential development. The Old Oaks Country Club, originally named 'Hill Crest', is a splendid mansion house built in the late 1880s by millionaire Trenor Luther Park and his wife Julia Catlin Park. Trenor Luther was a Harvard Graduate, who studied law, and a silk merchant. His father, Trenor William Park, funded the Panama Railway, ran for Vice President of the United States in 1864 and was involved with the California Gold Mines. Purchase is also known for being one of the richest areas in the country.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Course Purchase NY

Purchase NY medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Bachelor Degree. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Purchase NY.