Medical Assistant Degree Requirements Hewlett NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Hewlett New York

Hewlett NY medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hewlett NY, it’s time to select a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the best one? Most future students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might choose to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you should ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Hewlett NY nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their duty is ensure that the Hewlett NY hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run 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 professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

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

While medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are qualified to under New York law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and attain 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 Courses

In contrast to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Hewlett NY health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about a year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Hewlett NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are a good alternative for individuals who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced also. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Hewlett NY area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this method of getting your training may be the right option for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary 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 an excellent choice for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Hewlett NY medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Hewlett NY medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After 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 limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Hewlett NY with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you must explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the college you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the education you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Hewlett NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with lower rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Hewlett NY area healthcare providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Hewlett health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Offered? Landing that first job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Hewlett NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend a few classes before selecting a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

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 essential that the college you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Hewlett NY, make certain that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also have to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Hewlett New York?

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

Hewlett, New York

Hewlett is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Nassau County, New York on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the CDP population was 6,819. Hewlett Bay Park and Hewlett Harbor consist of many mansions and harbor villas with very large property, a few dating back to the time of the American Revolution. This area, like Back/Old Lawrence is unique because its rural affluence is similar in character to the more well known Gold Coast of the North Shore instead of being more urbanized like the rest of the South Shore of Nassau County.

Hewlett is usually included as one of the Five Towns in the southwestern corner of Nassau County. In the context of the Five Towns, "The Hewletts" or "Hewlett" is often used to refer collectively to the hamlet of Hewlett, together with the villages of Hewlett Bay Park, Hewlett Harbor and Hewlett Neck, along with Woodsburgh.[1]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 6,819 people, 2,547 households, and 1,833 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 7,936.0 per square mile (3,062.8/km2). There were 2,708 housing units at an average density of 3,074.4/sq mi (1,186.5/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 86.2% White, 2.8% African American, 0.2% Native American, 7.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.6% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.67% of the population.

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant College Hewlett NY

Hewlett NY medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools offering training nowadays 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 decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Degree Requirements. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Hewlett NY.