What Can You Do With A Medical Assistant Degree Allentown NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training School near Allentown New Jersey

Allentown NJ medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Allentown NJ, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You may want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to 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 kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Allentown NJ nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Allentown NJ hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under New Jersey law, some elect 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 Education

Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Allentown NJ health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed 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 usually two year programs offered at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Allentown NJ There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent choice for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Allentown NJ area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education may be the best choice for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in getting employment after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Some potential Allentown NJ medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Allentown NJ medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Allentown NJ with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you should examine when assessing schools. To assist you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the college you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Allentown NJ employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, confirm that the schools you are considering offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Allentown NJ area medical care providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the Allentown healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Landing that initial job may be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Allentown NJ area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher 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 broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a few classes before selecting a school to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the college you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Allentown NJ, verify that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Allentown New Jersey?

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

Allentown, New Jersey

Allentown is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 1,828,[8][9][10] reflecting a decline of 54 (-2.9%) from the 1,882 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 54 (+3.0%) from the 1,828 counted in the 1990 Census.[19]

Allentown was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on January 29, 1889, from portions of Upper Freehold Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day.[20] The borough was named for settler Robert Burnet's son-in-law, Nathan Allen[21] or for William Allen, who served as Chief Justice of the Province of Pennsylvania.[22]

Allentown's shopping district has antique and specialty shops, as well as restaurants. Many historic homes and historic buildings are located in the borough. The Horse Park of New Jersey is a park located near the borough but does have an Allentown mailing address.

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Course Allentown NJ

Allentown NJ medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care 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 prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What Can You Do With A Medical Assistant Degree. 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, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Allentown NJ.