How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training School near Plainville New York
Once you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Plainville NY, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Many potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You might choose to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have included several questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.
The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants
The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Plainville NY hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate successfully. Based 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 tasked with providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Giving general support during exams and procedures
Even though medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are qualified to under New York law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options available 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 Programs
In contrast to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Plainville NY health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about 1 year to finish, some 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 option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are commonly 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 Colleges
There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent alternative for individuals who might not have the time to attend 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 earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, some online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized also. But keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be carried out in Plainville NY area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the right choice for you. Between the online classes 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, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for graduates who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many potential Plainville NY medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained 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 examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must choose which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Plainville NY with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must explore when evaluating programs. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several great reasons to ensure that the school you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must 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 anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Plainville NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.
What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to find out which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to select a program focused on that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can choose to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Plainville NY area medical providers. They are an excellent method to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students develop relationships within the Plainville medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Assistance Offered? Getting that initial job can be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Plainville NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Large are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the program you select offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Plainville NY, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Plainville New York?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Plainville NY area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Plainville, New York
It is noted for the extensive Plainville Turkey Farms, which remained in the same family from 1835 until recently. The business was sold in 2007 to Hain Capital Group. The former Plainville turkey processing operations were relocated to Pennsylvania in 2009, and the Plainville, NY plant was shut down in 2010.[1]
Nearby on Route 370 west of the hamlet is the James Leslie Voorhees house, Whig Hill (1833), one of the major historic houses of Onondaga County. Voorhees was a wealthy landowner of nearby property and a builder of New York City as well as Central New York engineering projects who was active in New York State politics.
Pick the Right Medical Assistant School Plainville NY
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in How To Be A Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Plainville NY.
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