Medical Assistant Night School Picatinny Arsenal NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School near Picatinny Arsenal New Jersey

Picatinny Arsenal 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 Picatinny Arsenal NJ, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Most prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You may choose to research 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 need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you should ask all of the schools 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 type of credentials and training that are available.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Picatinny Arsenal NJ nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their job is ensure that the Picatinny Arsenal NJ hospitals, clinics and other healthcare 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 practices both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing 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 choose to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices available 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 Courses

Compared to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Picatinny Arsenal NJ health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly 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 Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Picatinny Arsenal NJ There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good choice for individuals who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be minimized as well. Just remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be completed in Picatinny Arsenal NJ area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training may be the best choice for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for individuals who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Picatinny Arsenal NJ medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably 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 have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Picatinny Arsenal NJ medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. After those decisions 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 Picatinny Arsenal NJ with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you must examine when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction 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 accepted agencies 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 one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Picatinny Arsenal 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 design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs 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 obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Picatinny Arsenal NJ area medical providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Picatinny Arsenal medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Landing that very first job can be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Picatinny Arsenal NJ area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to teachers 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 how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the college you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes at night or on weekends near Picatinny Arsenal NJ, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Picatinny Arsenal New Jersey?

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

Picatinny Arsenal

The Picatinny Arsenal (/ˈpɪkətɪni/ or /ˌpɪkəˈtɪni/) is an American military research and manufacturing facility located on 6,400 acres (26 km2) of land in Jefferson and Rockaway Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, encompassing Picatinny Lake and Lake Denmark. The Arsenal is the headquarters of the United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center. It is known for developing the ubiquitous Picatinny rail, as well as being the army's center of expertise for small arms cartridge ammunition.

The facility was founded in 1880 as the Picatinny Powder Depot. Soon afterward, the navy acquired a portion of the arsenal to establish the Lake Denmark Powder Depot, later known as Lake Denmark Naval Ammunition Depot.[1] It manufactured gunpowder until after World War I, at which time the facility also began producing heavy munitions and grew more involved in research and development activities. During World War II Picatinny was a major large-caliber-round loading plant with 18,000 employees. Today, the facility develops new technologies for the US Armed Forces and builds various munitions, weapons and armor systems.

Picatinny Arsenal is also home to the US Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Directorate. This group is responsible for the creation of tools, equipment, and procedures for US Army EOD personnel. Some of their more recent inventions were the use of weapons on a robot platform and the SWORDS robot. Their building has been recently renamed in honor of one of their deceased soldiers, SFC Scott "Smitty" Smith, who was killed in Iraq in July 2006.

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Picatinny Arsenal NJ

Picatinny Arsenal NJ medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate 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 life long career, you must get the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Night School. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Picatinny Arsenal NJ.