How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Hammond New York
Once you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hammond NY, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Many prospective students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You may choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have provided several questions that you should ask all of the colleges 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 training and credentials that are available.
The Job of a Medical Assistant
The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their function is to make sure that the Hammond NY hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type 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 medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Giving basic support during exams and procedures
Although medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are qualified to under New York law, some choose 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) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Education
Compared to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Hammond NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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 Schools
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good option for those who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be completed in Hammond NY area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the best choice for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good idea for those who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Hammond NY medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you must choose which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to Hammond NY with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should explore when researching programs. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to confirm that the school you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Hammond NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select 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 elect to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Hammond NY area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Hammond medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Offered? Getting that very first job can be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Hammond NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher 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 broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to monitor a few classes before choosing a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue working full-time, it’s imperative that the school you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Hammond NY, confirm that those times are available. 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 practical training that may be required. Also, find out what the protocol 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 Hammond New York?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Hammond NY area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Hammond, New York
The Town of Hammond was formed in 1827 when portions of the Town of Morristown and the Town of Rossie were combined. Subsequent small alterations in the town lines affected the neighboring Towns of Rossie, Macomb, and Morristown.
Alexander Macomb bought land in this area and this was known as the Macomb purchase. Later this land was bought by Abijah Hammond, a New York Businessman, he in turn sold 28,871 acres (116.84 km2) of land to David Parish. A land office was opened in 1814 in Chippewa Bay, a sub-community of the Town of Hammond today.
By an Act of New York State Legislature they passed that Hammond was officially a town, this happened on March 30, 1827. The town was named after Abijah Hammond.[2] Hammond is older than Chicago and at one point was larger but due to location Hammond lost its population.[3]
Choose the Best Medical Assistant Training Hammond NY
It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Training. 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 supplied in order to 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 Hammond NY.
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