What’s A Medical Assistant Tarrytown NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training School near Tarrytown New York

Tarrytown NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Tarrytown NY, it’s time to select a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? Most future students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean 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 want to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have provided a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Tarrytown NY nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their duty is ensure that the Tarrytown NY clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing general support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under New York law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices offered 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

In contrast to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Tarrytown NY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two choices provided for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Tarrytown NY There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good option for those who might not have the 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 to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be completed in Tarrytown NY area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the ideal option for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work 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. Not only will it help in getting a position after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. Many possible Tarrytown NY medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Tarrytown NY medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you must choose which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Tarrytown NY with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you should examine when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the program you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Tarrytown NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the schools you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Tarrytown NY area medical care providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Tarrytown health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Offered? Landing that initial job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Tarrytown NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare 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 may be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before choosing a school to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the program you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Tarrytown NY, confirm 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 clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Tarrytown New York?

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

Tarrytown, New York

Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about 25 miles (40 km) north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line. To the north of Tarrytown is the village of Sleepy Hollow (formerly "North Tarrytown"), to the south the village of Irvington and to the east unincorporated parts of Greenburgh. The Tappan Zee Bridge crosses the Hudson at Tarrytown, carrying the New York State Thruway (Interstates 87 and 287) to South Nyack, Rockland County and points in Upstate New York. The population was 11,277 at the 2010 census.[3]

The Native American Weckquaesgeek tribe, who were closely related to the Wappinger Confederacy and further related to the Mohicans, lived in the area prior to European settlement. They fished the Hudson River for shad, oysters and other shellfish. Their principal settlement was at what is now the foot of Church Street near the Hudson River shore, between the current location of Losee Park and the Tappan Zee Bridge, at a place they called Alipconk, or the "Place of Elms".[4]

The first European settlers of Tarrytown were Dutch farmers, fur trappers, and fishermen. Records show that the first Dutch residence in Tarrytown was built in 1645; however, the exact location of this residence is not known. Tarrytown sits within the lands of the former Dutch Colony of New Netherland which became English territory in 1674 with the signing of the Treaty of Westminster. The name may come from the Dutch tarwe, meaning "wheat".[5]

Pick the Best Medical Assistant School Tarrytown NY

Tarrytown NY medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the right 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 life long career, you must get the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What’s A Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Tarrytown NY.