Where Can I Get My Medical Assistant Certification Shirley NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near Shirley New York

Shirley NY medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Shirley NY, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the right one? Most prospective students begin 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 important factors as well. You might want to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short 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 Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Shirley NY nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their duty is ensure that the Shirley NY hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate efficiently. Based 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 tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying general support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can perform almost any task they are qualified to under New York law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the options offered 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 Courses

Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Shirley 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 options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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 Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Shirley NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent option for those who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened also. But keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in Shirley NY area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your training might be the best option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for graduates who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Shirley NY medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Shirley NY medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Shirley NY with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should examine when assessing programs. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted organizations 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 either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Shirley NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast 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 those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take approximately two years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Shirley NY area medical providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Shirley health care community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Finding that initial job may be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Shirley NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much individual attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a school to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the program you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Shirley NY, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also have to schedule any clinical training or internships that will be required. Additionally, find out 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 Shirley New York?

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

Shirley, New York

Shirley is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in Suffolk County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Shirley was 27,854.[1] Shirley is notable as the western terminus of Atlantic Crossing 1, a major submarine telecommunications cable linking the United States with the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. Soon, the Emerald Express transatlantic communications cable will provide data connectivity between Europe and North America, landing in Shirley.

Shirley is a community in the Town of Brookhaven, on the South Shore of Long Island. It is named for developer Walter T. Shirley, who had the vision in the 1950s to turn the area on Mastic Bay into an affordable enclave. Shirley's company priced its 4,000 four-room homes starting at $4,700, and lots were priced at $295.[2]

Shirley is served by the Mastic–Shirley Long Island Rail Road station (the station was a compromise when both Mastic and Shirley campaigned for it). The Smith Point Bridge is the second of only two bridge crossings from the "mainland" of Long Island and Fire Island (allowing beach goers easy access to the Ocean without the need of taking a ferry boat).

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Shirley NY

Shirley NY medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the right info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Where Can I Get My Medical Assistant Certification. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Shirley NY.