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

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Rensselaer New York

Rensselaer 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 Rensselaer NY, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? A number of prospective 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 very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may choose to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have included some 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 type of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Rensselaer NY nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their role is ensure that the Rensselaer NY clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under New York law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options 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 Training Courses

In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Rensselaer NY health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as 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 training. They often have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Rensselaer NY There are many accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are a good option for those who may not have the 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 working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be completed in Rensselaer NY area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the right option for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for those who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Many potential Rensselaer NY medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of 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 be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Rensselaer NY medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you need to decide 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 start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Rensselaer NY with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should explore when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to verify that the college you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you need to 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Rensselaer NY employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, learn 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 college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Rensselaer NY area health care providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Rensselaer medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Landing that initial job may be a challenging undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Rensselaer NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the school you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Rensselaer 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 still need 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 issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Rensselaer New York?

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

Rensselaer, New York

Rensselaer /rɛnsəˈlɪər/ is a city in Rensselaer County, New York, United States, and is located on the east side of the Hudson River directly opposite Albany. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,392.[3] Rensselaer is on the western border of Rensselaer County. The area now known as the City of Rensselaer was settled by the Dutch in the 17th century. The city has a rich industrial history stretching back to the 19th century, when it became a major railroad hub; it remains a railroad hub because it is the site of a busy Amtrak station. Rensselaer was one of the earliest locations of the dye industry in the United States, and was the first American location for the production of aspirin.

The natives of the area called it Petuquapoern and Juscum catick, and the Dutch claimed the land in 1609 based on Henry Hudson's exploration of the Hudson River. Later the area was called "De Laet's Burg" in honor of one of the directors of the Dutch West India Co. Settlement occurred at least as early as 1628. By 1642 there was a brewery and many farms, also a ferry was established by Hendrick Albertsen running from the mouth of Beaver Creek in Beverwyck (Albany) to the future Rensselaer.[4] Greenbush (originally t'Greyn Bos in Dutch) was the earliest settlement from Dutch times. The hamlet of East Albany was part of the village of Greenbush. The second hamlet that would be incorporated was Bath (also Bath-on-Hudson), which was laid out in 1795 and incorporated as a village prior to 1874.[5]

The Van Rensselaer family, who were the feudal landholders of the entire future Rensselaer County built a residence in the future city of Rensselaer. This property was inherited by Hendrick van Rensselaer, Kiliaen van Rensselaer's grandson, who built Fort Crailo in approximately 1712.[6][7] It was built on the site of where Dominie Megapolensis built his own house in 1642.[8] Crailo was expanded in 1762–1768. At various times, the grounds were used as a campground for British and colonial troops. It is reportedly the place where, in 1755, British Army surgeon Richard Shuckburgh, quartered in the home, wrote the ditty "Yankee Doodle" to mock the colonial troops who fought with the British in the French and Indian Wars. Fort Crailo was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961.[6][7]

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Rensselaer NY

Rensselaer NY medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges providing 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 certain that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example 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 CMA Medical Assistant. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Rensselaer NY.