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How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training School near Schenectady New York

Schenectady NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Schenectady NY, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the best one? Many potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You may want to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Schenectady NY nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their job is to make sure that the Schenectady NY hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. 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 responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under New York law, some opt 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

Unlike most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Schenectady NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices provided for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Schenectady NY There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are an excellent choice for those who may not have the time to go to 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 earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Schenectady NY area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your training may be the best option for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for those who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing employment after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Schenectady NY medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Schenectady NY medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Schenectady NY with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should look at when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the college you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Schenectady NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are reviewing offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Schenectady NY area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also help students establish relationships within the Schenectady healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Getting that first job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Schenectady NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school 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 employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal attention 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 one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before choosing a college to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the college you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Schenectady NY, make certain that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that might be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Schenectady New York?

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

Schenectady, New York

Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135. The name "Schenectady" is derived from a Mohawk word, skahnéhtati, meaning "beyond the pines".[3][4] Schenectady was founded on the south side of the Mohawk River by Dutch colonists in the 17th century, many from the Albany area. They were prohibited from the fur trade by the Albany monopoly, which kept its control after the English takeover in 1664. Residents of the new village developed farms on strip plots along the river.

Connected to the west via the Mohawk River and Erie Canal, Schenectady developed rapidly in the 19th century as part of the Mohawk Valley trade, manufacturing and transportation corridor. By 1824 more people worked in manufacturing than agriculture or trade, and the city had a cotton mill, processing cotton from the Deep South. Numerous mills in New York had such ties with the South. Through the 19th century, nationally influential companies and industries developed in Schenectady, including General Electric and American Locomotive Company (ALCO), which were powers into the mid-20th century. Schenectady was part of emerging technologies, with GE collaborating in the production of nuclear-powered submarines and, in the 21st century, working on other forms of renewable energy.

Schenectady is in eastern New York, near the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson rivers. It is in the same metropolitan area as the state capital, Albany, which is about 15 miles (24 km) southeast.[5] In December 2014, the state announced that the city was one of three sites selected for development of off-reservation casino gambling, under terms of a 2013 state constitutional amendment. The project would redevelop an ALCO brownfield site in the city along the waterfront, with hotels, housing and a marina in addition to the casino.[6]

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant School Schenectady NY

Schenectady NY medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is 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 decision. There are so many schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Weekend Classes. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend 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 best program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Schenectady NY.