CMA Medical Assistant Merrick NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Program near Merrick New York

Merrick NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Merrick NY, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? A number of future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes 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 factors also. You may want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have included several questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Merrick NY nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Merrick NY clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under New York law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the choices offered 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

Unlike many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Merrick 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 two choices offered 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 one year to finish, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Merrick NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent alternative for those who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized as well. Just remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be carried out in Merrick NY area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to getting your training might be the ideal option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for those who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Merrick NY medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. 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 take the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Merrick NY medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to choose which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those selections have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Merrick NY with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must explore when evaluating programs. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain that the school you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training 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 approved 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 agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Merrick NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, confirm that the schools you are considering offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Merrick NY area medical providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students develop relationships within the Merrick healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting that first job can be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Merrick NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much individual attention 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 teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the college you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Merrick NY, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all 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 Merrick New York?

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

Merrick, New York

Merrick is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census[update], the CDP population was 22,097.[1] The name Merrick is taken from Meroke, the name (meaning peaceful) of the Algonquian tribe formerly indigenous to the area. It is served by the Merrick station on the Long Island Rail Road on the Babylon line.

As of the census of 2000[update], there were 22,764 people, 7,524 households, and 6,478 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 5,423.3 per square mile (2,092.7/km²). There were 7,602 housing units at an average density of 1,811.1/sq mi (698.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.2% White, 1.0% African American, 0.10% Native American, 2.24% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.70% of the population.[2][needs update]

There were 7,524 households out of which 42.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.0% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.9% were non-families. 11.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.27.

Select the Right Medical Assistant School Merrick NY

Merrick NY medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re objective is to begin 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 information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, verify that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in CMA Medical Assistant. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Merrick NY.