How To Become A Certified Medical Assistant Staatsburg NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

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

Staatsburg NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Staatsburg NY, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? A number of future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You may choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are evaluating. 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 function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Staatsburg NY nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is ensure that the Staatsburg NY hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers 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 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. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are authorized to under New York law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Staatsburg NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a clinical element requiring 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 related field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Staatsburg NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent option for those who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced also. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be completed in Staatsburg NY area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the best choice for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for those who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in getting employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Staatsburg NY medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps 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, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Staatsburg NY medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Staatsburg NY with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should explore when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to confirm that the college you choose is accredited. To start with, 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 complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations 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 one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate 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 Staatsburg NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at 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 targeting that certification. Next, 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 ways to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about two years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Staatsburg NY area healthcare providers. They are a great means to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Staatsburg healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Getting that very first job may be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Staatsburg NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before choosing a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the program you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Staatsburg NY, make certain that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will still need to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Staatsburg New York?

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

Staatsburg, New York

Staatsburg is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Hyde Park, a town in Dutchess County, New York. The population was 377 at the 2010 census.[1] It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area.

Staatsburg was part of the Pawling-Staats land patent, one of many granted by the English colonial government in the 1690s with the intention of encouraging more colonials to settle in the sparsely populated Hudson Valley. The original patent was made to Henry Pawling.[2] Subsequently, a large portion of the patent was purchased by Dr. Samuel Staats, a surgeon of Dutch origins who resided in New York City.[3] He and Dirck Vanderburgh bought it for 130 pounds from Pawling's widow. As a result of the combination of their names the area came to be known as "Staatsburgh".[4] The concluding "h" in the name appears to have been dropped in 1890 as part of the United States Board on Geographic Names' standardization efforts.[5]

Staatsburg is located at 41°51′10″N 73°55′20″W / 41.852772°N 73.922102°W / 41.852772; -73.922102.[6] According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2), all land.[1]

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Staatsburg NY

Staatsburg NY medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in How To Become A Certified Medical Assistant. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Staatsburg NY.