Certified Medical Assistant Program Farmingdale NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School Program near Farmingdale New York

Farmingdale NY medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Farmingdale NY, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the right one? Many potential students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You may decide to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that task, we have provided some questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Farmingdale NY nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their duty is to make sure that the Farmingdale NY clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential duties 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 fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying general support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under New York law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options 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 Training Programs

Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Farmingdale NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at junior and community colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. 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 Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Farmingdale NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good alternative for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized also. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be performed in Farmingdale NY area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your education may be the right choice for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for those who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Farmingdale NY medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Farmingdale NY medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Farmingdale NY with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should look at when assessing programs. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to ensure that the program you select is accredited. First, 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 must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Farmingdale NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to choose a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require about 2 years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Farmingdale NY area medical care providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Farmingdale health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Landing that first job may be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Farmingdale NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the program you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Farmingdale NY, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all 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 because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Farmingdale New York?

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

Farmingdale, New York

The Lenox Hills neighborhood is adjacent to Bethpage State Park and the rest of the town is within a fifteen minute drive of the park. It is also approximately 37 mi (59 km) southeast of Midtown Manhattan and can be reached via the Ronkonkoma Branch of the LIRR. The Long Island Expressway and Seaford Oyster Bay Expressway is the best way to reach Farmingdale from the city and the mainland.

Farmingdale is also associated with several unincorporated areas outside the village limits, including South Farmingdale (also in the Town of Oyster Bay within Nassau County), and East Farmingdale (in the Town of Babylon within Suffolk County). Many nearby places not within the village limits have Farmingdale as their postal address and the same 11735 ZIP code. Residents of East Farmingdale must use Farmingdale as their mailing address, and residents of South Farmingdale can use either Farmingdale or South Farmingdale. Bethpage State Park, which is mostly in Old Bethpage, also has a Farmingdale mailing address. Farmingdale Union Free School District (UFSD 22) includes parts of both Nassau County and Suffolk County. A road sign on Main Street in the south-east section of South Farmingdale (and over a mile from the Village of Farmingdale) welcomes travelers to Farmingdale. Farmingdale is also the name of the local Farmingdale Water District and Farmingdale Fire District, both of which also include areas outside the boundaries of the Village of Farmingdale. Farmingdale State College and Republic Airport are in East Farmingdale, both with Farmingdale mailing addresses.

The first European settler in the area was Thomas Powell, who arrived in 1687. On October 18, 1695, he purchased a 15-square-mile (39 km2) tract of land from three Native American tribes. This is known as the Bethpage Purchase and includes what is now Farmingdale, as well as Bethpage, Melville, North Massapequa, Old Bethpage, Plainedge, and Plainview. One of two houses he built in the area (circa 1738) still stands on Merritts Road in Farmingdale.

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant School Farmingdale NY

Farmingdale NY medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the right info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Program. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Farmingdale NY.