Accelerated Medical Assistant Programs East Orange NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School near East Orange New Jersey

East Orange NJ medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near East Orange NJ, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? A number of prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You may choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with East Orange NJ nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their job is to make sure that the East Orange NJ hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work run successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under New Jersey law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the choices available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Courses

Compared to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many East Orange NJ health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options available for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical 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 frequently 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 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in East Orange NJ There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good option for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be performed in East Orange NJ area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training may be the ideal choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Some potential East Orange NJ medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA examination, a candidate 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 CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask East Orange NJ medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to choose which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to East Orange NJ with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you should explore when evaluating programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to ensure that the college you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective East Orange NJ employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are considering provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with East Orange NJ area healthcare providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students develop relationships within the East Orange healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting that very first job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the East Orange NJ area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a college to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the program you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near East Orange NJ, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near East Orange New Jersey?

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

East Orange, New Jersey

East Orange is a city in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city's population was 64,270,[9][10][11] reflecting a decline of 5,554 (−8.0%) from the 69,824 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 3,728 (−5.1%) from the 73,552 counted in the 1990 Census.[21] The city was the state's 20th most-populous municipality in 2010, after having been the state's 14th most-populous municipality in 2000.[22]

East Orange was originally incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 4, 1863, from portions of Orange town, and was reincorporated as a city on December 9, 1899, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.[23]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 64,270 people, 24,945 households, and 14,742 families residing in the city. The population density was 16,377.1 per square mile (6,323.2/km2). There were 28,803 housing units at an average density of 7,339.5 per square mile (2,833.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 4.13% (2,657) White, 88.51% (56,887) Black or African American, 0.39% (248) Native American, 0.72% (465) Asian, 0.06% (38) Pacific Islander, 3.69% (2,370) from other races, and 2.50% (1,605) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.93% (5,095) of the population.[9]

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant School East Orange NJ

East Orange NJ medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Accelerated Medical Assistant Programs. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in East Orange NJ.