Certified Medical Assistant Certification Port Jefferson NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training School near Port Jefferson New York

Port Jefferson NY medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Port Jefferson NY, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? A number of future students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors as well. You might want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that process, we have included several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Port Jefferson NY nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their function is to make sure that the Port Jefferson NY clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners 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 filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under New York law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Courses

Unlike many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Port Jefferson NY health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about 1 year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs offered 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 general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical component involving 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

woman attending medical assistant school online in Port Jefferson NY There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent choice for students who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized also. But remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be completed in Port Jefferson NY area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the best option for you. Between the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for those who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining employment after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. Many possible Port Jefferson NY medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Port Jefferson NY medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Port Jefferson NY with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you need to explore when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to verify that the college you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction 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 accepted agencies for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Port Jefferson NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are ones that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, 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 shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, make certain that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Port Jefferson NY area medical care providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Port Jefferson healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Getting that first job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Port Jefferson NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and just 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 important that the school you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Port Jefferson NY, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still have to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Port Jefferson New York?

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

Port Jefferson, New York

Port Jefferson (informally known as Port Jeff[3]) is an incorporated village in the Town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. Officially known as the Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson, the population was 7,750 as of the 2010 United States Census.[4]

Port Jefferson was first settled in the 17th century and remained a rural community until its development as an active shipbuilding center in the mid-19th century. The village has since transitioned to a tourist-based economy. The port remains active as terminus of the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry, one of two commercial ferry lines between Long Island and Connecticut, and is supplemented by the terminus of the Long Island Rail Road's Port Jefferson Branch. It is also the center of the Greater Port Jefferson region of northwestern Brookhaven, serving as the cultural, commercial and transportation hub of the neighboring Port Jefferson Station, Belle Terre, Mount Sinai, Miller Place, Poquott, and the Setaukets.

The original settlers of the Town of Brookhaven, based in the neighboring hamlet of Setauket, bought a tract of land from the Setalcott Indians in 1655. The deed included the area of contemporary Port Jefferson along with all other lands along the North Shore from the Nissequogue River eastward to Mount Misery Point.[5]

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Program Port Jefferson NY

Port Jefferson NY medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly 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 Certification. But irrespective 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, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Port Jefferson NY.