How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Stamford New York
Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Stamford NY, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? A number of prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You might choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that process, we have provided some questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.
The Duties of Medical Assistants
The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Stamford NY clinics, hospitals and other medical care 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 practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Providing basic support during exams and procedures
Even though medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are qualified to under New York law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Courses
Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Stamford NY health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options available for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about 1 year to complete, some 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 alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Medical Assistant Online Courses
There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good option for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in Stamford NY area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the right choice for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain 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 graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in securing a job after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Stamford NY medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among 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 sit for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some potential students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Stamford NY with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must examine when assessing schools. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many good reasons to confirm that the school you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training 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 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 either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Stamford NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to select a program focused on that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to obtaining 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 closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Stamford NY area medical care providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Stamford health care community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Landing that initial job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Stamford NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a college to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the program you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Stamford NY, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Stamford New York?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Stamford NY area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Stamford, New York
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 48.6 square miles (125.9 km2), of which 48.5 square miles (125.6 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2), or 0.22%, is water.[3] The town lies along the upper reaches of the West Branch Delaware River, which forms the town's northern border.
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,943 people, 794 households, and 521 families residing in the town. The population density was 40.1 people per square mile (15.5/km²). There were 1,201 housing units at an average density of 24.8 per square mile (9.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.55% White, 1.03% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.90% of the population.
There were 794 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.89.
Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Stamford NY
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning 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 prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Associate Degree. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided 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 right program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Stamford NY.
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