9 Month Medical Assistant Program Wayne NJ - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training School near Wayne New Jersey

Wayne NJ medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Wayne NJ, it’s time to select a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? Most potential students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues also. You might want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Wayne NJ nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their job is ensure that the Wayne 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 a clinical assistant, an administrative 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 working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

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

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under New Jersey law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain certification. Two of the options 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 Training Programs

Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Wayne NJ health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs available at community and junior colleges together with 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 classes. They usually have a practical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Wayne NJ There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good option for those who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be lessened also. But remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be carried out in Wayne NJ area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your education may be the best choice for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Wayne NJ medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. 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 apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Wayne NJ medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some potential students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Wayne NJ with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you need to examine when researching schools. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make sure 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 plan on becoming 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 school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Wayne NJ employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to select a program concentrating on that certification. Next, 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 assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to one year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, verify that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Wayne NJ area healthcare providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Wayne medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Getting that first job may be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Wayne NJ area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full-time, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Wayne NJ, make certain that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Wayne New Jersey?

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

Wayne, New Jersey

Wayne is a township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States located less than 20 miles (32 km) from Midtown Manhattan, and is home to William Paterson University. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 54,717,[9][10][11] reflecting an increase of 648 (+1.2%) from the 54,069 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 7,044 (+15.0%) from the 47,025 counted in the 1990 Census.[19]

Wayne was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 12, 1847, from portions of Manchester Township. Totowa was formed from portions of Wayne and Manchester Township on March 15, 1898.[20][21]

In 1694, Arent Schuyler, a surveyor, trader and land speculator, was sent by the British into northwestern New Jersey to investigate rumors that the French were trying to incite the local Lenape Native Americans to rebel against them. He found no evidence of a rebellion, but discovered a fertile river valley where the Lenape grew crops. Schuyler reported his findings to the British and then convinced a group including Major Anthony Brockholst and Samuel Bayard to invest in the land he referred to as the Pompton Valley. The group chose Schuyler to be the negotiator with the Lenape and Bayard to negotiate with the East Jersey Company, the owner of the land rights from the King of England. The group completed their purchase of 5,000 acres (20 km2) on November 11, 1695, and the area became part of what was then known as New Barbadoes Township in Bergen County.[22] Schuyler constructed the Schuyler-Colfax House at this time.[23]

Choose the Right Medical Assistant College Wayne NJ

Wayne NJ medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the right 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 individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in 9 Month Medical Assistant Program. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Wayne NJ.