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How to Choose a Medical Assistant School Program near Parsippany New Jersey

Parsippany NJ medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Parsippany NJ, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Most potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You may choose to research some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Parsippany NJ nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Parsippany NJ clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

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

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

Medical Assistant Training Courses

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Parsippany NJ health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about one year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to technical and vocational 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 usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. 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.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Parsippany NJ There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent alternative for individuals who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced also. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be completed in Parsippany NJ area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your training may be the best option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent option for graduates who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a position after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Parsippany NJ medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and possibly 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, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Parsippany NJ medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Parsippany NJ with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make sure that the program you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Parsippany NJ employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to obtaining 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 about 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Parsippany NJ area healthcare providers. They are a great method to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Parsippany medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Finding that very first job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Parsippany NJ area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full time, it’s important that the program you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Parsippany NJ, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still have to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, 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 Parsippany New Jersey?

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

Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey

Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, commonly called simply Parsippany (/pɑːrˈsɪpəni/[20]), is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 53,238,[9][10][11] reflecting an increase of 2,589 (+5.1%) from the 50,649 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,171 (+4.5%) from the 48,478 counted in the 1990 Census.[21]

The name Parsippany comes from the Lenape Native American sub-tribe, which comes from the word parsipanong, which means "the place where the river winds through the valley".[20][22] Parsippany-Troy Hills is the most populous municipality in Morris County.[23] The name Troy Hills was changed from Troy, to avoid confusion of mail being sent erroneously to Troy, New York.[24]

Parsippany-Troy Hills was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 12, 1928, from portions of Hanover Township, based on the results of a referendum held on May 9, 1928, that split off both East Hanover Township and Parsippany-Troy Hills from Hanover Township.[25][26][27]

Select the Right Medical Assistant Course Parsippany NJ

Parsippany NJ medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges 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, verify that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example 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 Weekend Classes. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Parsippany NJ.