Medical Assistant Accreditation Rifton NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Program near Rifton New York

Rifton NY medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Rifton NY, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Most prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You may choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative 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 important aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Rifton NY nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their function is to make sure that the Rifton NY clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving 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. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under New York law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and obtain 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

Unlike many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Rifton NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare 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.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Rifton NY There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good choice for students who might 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 attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Supplemental costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized as well. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be performed in Rifton NY area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the right choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing employment after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Rifton NY medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. 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 sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Rifton NY medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you need to determine which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the process 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 Rifton NY with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to examine when evaluating programs. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are several great reasons to confirm that the school you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction 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 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 agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, 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 prospective Rifton NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Rifton NY area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Rifton health care community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Finding that very first job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Rifton NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full time, it’s imperative that the college you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Rifton NY, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Rifton New York?

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

Rifton, New York

Rifton had its beginnings as a smattering of several hamlets and communities. Dashville hamlet was the first of the hamlets to be settled. By 1824, several mills had been built along the Wallkill by Ezekiel Eltinge. In 1861, Jeremiah W. Dimick bought the mill in Arnoldton and renamed the community Rifton Glen. Swartekill hamlet was so named because of its location on the Swartekill creek where it meets the Wallkill. The hamlet was home to powder mills as early as 1865.[2]

Rifton was incorporated as a village on May 20, 1901, encompassing what had been the hamlets of Rifton Glen, Swartekill, and Dashville and the communities of Saltpeterville, and Perrine's Bridge. After the village's mills closed, the state legislature dissolved the village in 1919.[2]

As of the census of 2000, there were 501 people, 207 households, and 133 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 421.9 per square mile (162.6/km²). There were 235 housing units at an average density of 197.9/sq mi (76.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.61% White, 1.40% African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.40% from other races, and 2.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.80% of the population.[1]

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Program Rifton NY

Rifton NY medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the right 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 information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools 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, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Accreditation. 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, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Rifton NY.