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

Once you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Shenorock NY, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many potential students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You may want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have provided some questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting 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 Function of Medical Assistants

The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their duty is ensure that the Shenorock NY clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

• Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
• Scheduling and confirming appointments
• Taking vital signs and weighing patients
• Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
• Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
• Providing basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any task they are qualified to under New York law, some elect 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) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Shenorock NY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to trade 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 training. They often have a practical component involving 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.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good alternative for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized also. Just remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Shenorock NY area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for graduates who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Shenorock NY medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Shenorock NY with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must look at when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Shenorock NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, verify that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Shenorock NY area medical providers. They are a great way to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Shenorock medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Getting that very first job can be a daunting task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Shenorock NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the program you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Shenorock NY, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Shenorock New York?

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

Select the Best Medical Assistant Course Shenorock NY

It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish 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 life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Clinical Medical Assistant Schools. But regardless 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 in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Shenorock NY.

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