Certified Medical Assistant Certification South Orange NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near South Orange New Jersey

South Orange NJ medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near South Orange NJ, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? Many potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You may want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with South Orange NJ nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their function is to make sure that the South Orange NJ clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under New Jersey law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the options 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 Programs

Unlike most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many South Orange NJ health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are developed 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 junior and community colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma 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 healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in South Orange NJ There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good choice for individuals who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be completed in South Orange NJ area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training might be the right option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible South Orange NJ medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask South Orange NJ medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you must determine which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to South Orange NJ with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to explore when assessing schools. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.

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

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are considering offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with South Orange NJ area medical care providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the South Orange medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Getting that first job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the South Orange NJ area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to witness 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 working on a full time basis, it’s important that the program you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near South Orange NJ, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

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

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

South Orange, New Jersey

South Orange, officially the Township of South Orange Village, is a suburban township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village's population was 16,198,[9][10][11] reflecting a decline of 766 (-4.5%) from the 16,964 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 574 (+3.5%) from the 16,390 counted in the 1990 Census.[21]Seton Hall University is located in the township.

"The time and circumstances under which the name South Orange originated will probably never be known," wrote historian William H. Shaw in 1884, "and we are obliged to fall back on a tradition, that Mr. Nathan Squier first used the name in an advertisement offering wood for sale" in 1795.[22] Other sources attribute the derivation for all of The Oranges to King William III, Prince of Orange.[23]

South Orange Village dates back to May 4, 1869, when it was formed within South Orange Township (now Maplewood). On March 4, 1904, the Village of South Orange was created by an act of the New Jersey Legislature and separated from South Orange Township.[25] In 1978, the village's name was changed by referendum to "The Township of South Orange Village", becoming the first of more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify themselves as townships in order take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid to municipalities on a per capita basis.[26][27][28]

Choose the Best Medical Assistant Training South Orange NJ

South Orange NJ medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant school that will furnish the right training. Regardless if 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 need to get the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon 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 plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Certification. 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, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in South Orange NJ.