How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near Hastings New York
Once you have decided to enter the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hastings NY, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick 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 most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues also. You might want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have provided several questions that you should ask all of the schools 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 kind of training and credentials that are available.
The Function of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their role is to make sure that the Hastings NY clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals 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 filing claims
- Setting and verifying appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Giving basic support during examinations and procedures
Although medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under New York law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Courses
In contrast to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Hastings NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Medical Assistant Online Programs
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good choice for individuals who may not have 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 to work full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized also. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be carried out in Hastings NY area medical 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 best option for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Hastings NY medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. 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 exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of potential students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Hastings NY with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you need to explore when researching schools. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the school you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to 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 either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Hastings NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
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 begin with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to select a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Hastings NY area health care providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They can also help students build relationships within the Hastings medical community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Getting that very first job may be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Hastings NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Small 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 choosing a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the college you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Hastings NY, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still need to schedule all internships or practical training that might 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 issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Hastings New York?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Hastings NY area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
Hastings-on-Hudson is a village and inner suburb of New York City located in the southwest part of the town of Greenburgh in the state of New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about 20 miles (32 km) north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line. To the north of Hastings-on-Hudson is the village of Dobbs Ferry, to the south the city of Yonkers, and to the east unincorporated parts of Greenburgh. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 7,849.[2] It lies on U.S. Route 9, "Broadway" in Hastings.
The area that is now Hastings-on-Hudson was once the home of the Weckquaesgeek Native Americans, one of the Algonquian tribes. In summer, the Weckquaesgeeks camped at the mouth of the ravine running under the present Warburton Avenue Bridge. There they fished, swam and collected oysters and clamshells used to make wampum. On the level plain nearby (which is now Maple Avenue), they planted corn and possibly tobacco.
Around 1650 a Dutch carpenter named Frederick Philipse arrived in New Amsterdam. In 1682 Philipse traded with the Native Americans for the area that is now Dobbs Ferry and Hastings. In 1693 the English crown granted Philipse the Manor of Philipsburg, which included what is now Hastings-on-Hudson. After dividing the area into four nearly equal-sized farms, the Philipses leased them to Dutch, English and French Huguenot settlers.
Pick the Right Medical Assistant Course Hastings NY
It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, verify that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant Schools Near Me. 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 supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Hastings NY.
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