What’s A Medical Assistant Garden City NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Garden City New York

Garden City NY medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Garden City NY, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Most potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You might decide to look into 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 schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have included several questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Garden City NY nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their job is ensure that the Garden City NY hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities 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 responsible for giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Providing general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under New York law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

In contrast to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Garden City NY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about one year to complete, a few 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 alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component requiring 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 similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Garden City NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good option for individuals who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue working full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Garden City NY area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for those who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing employment after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Garden City NY medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Garden City NY medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Garden City NY with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to explore when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, following 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 Program Accredited? There are several good reasons to confirm that the college you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations 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 qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Garden City NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn 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 evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths 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, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are reviewing offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Garden City NY area healthcare providers. They are a great method to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Garden City medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Furnished? Finding that very first job may be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Garden City NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor 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 school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Garden City NY, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Garden City New York?

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

Garden City, New York

Garden City is an incorporated village in Nassau County, New York, United States, in the town of Hempstead. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is on Long Island, to the east of New York City, 18.5 miles (29.8 km) from midtown Manhattan. The village is located mostly in the Town of Hempstead with a small portion in the Town of North Hempstead.[2]

The Garden City name is applied to several other unincorporated, nearby jurisdictions, as well. In the region, hamlets such as Garden City South, Garden City Park, and East Garden City are located next to the incorporated village of Garden City, but are not themselves part of it. Roosevelt Field, the shopping center and raceway built on the former airfield from which Charles Lindbergh took off on his landmark 1927 transatlantic flight in the Spirit of St. Louis, is located in East Garden City. Adelphi University's main campus is in Garden City.

Parenthetically, the name "Garden City" pre-dates that of the garden city movement, which was established some years later near the end of the nineteenth century.[5] The central attraction of the new community was the Garden City Hotel, designed by the acclaimed firm of McKim, Mead & White. Although the original structure, as well as that which replaced it at the end of the 19th century, were torn down years ago after a fire, a rebuilt hotel still stands on the original grounds, as do many nearby Victorian homes. Access to Garden City was provided by the Central Railroad of Long Island, another Stewart project which he undertook at the same time. The railroad's Hempstead Branch opened in 1873.

Choose the Best Medical Assistant Program Garden City NY

Garden City NY 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 goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What’s A Medical Assistant. 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, be sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Garden City NY.