Medical Assistant Skills Springfield Gardens NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

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

Springfield Gardens NY medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Springfield Gardens NY, it’s time to select a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Most potential students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences 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 critical issues also. You might choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Springfield Gardens NY nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their job is ensure that the Springfield Gardens NY clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers 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 health practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Providing general support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under New York law, some elect to specialize in a specific 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 Education

Unlike many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Springfield Gardens NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about a year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs offered at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Springfield Gardens NY There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are a good alternative for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced also. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Springfield Gardens NY area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the ideal option for you. Between the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a position after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Springfield Gardens NY medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among 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 sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Springfield Gardens NY medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many potential students limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Springfield Gardens NY with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must explore when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to ensure that the college you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the approved 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 school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Springfield Gardens NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are looking at provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

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

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Getting 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 colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Springfield Gardens NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a school to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the program you select offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Springfield Gardens NY, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also have to schedule any internships or practical training that will be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Springfield Gardens New York?

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

Springfield Gardens, Queens

Springfield Gardens is a neighborhood in the southeastern area of the New York City borough of Queens, bounded to the north by St. Albans, to the east by Laurelton and Rosedale, to the south by John F. Kennedy International Airport, and to the west by Farmers Boulevard. The neighborhood is served by Queens Community Board 12.[1] The area, particularly east of Springfield Boulevard, is sometimes also referred to as Brookville.[2]

Major residential development came in the 1920s as Long Island Rail Road service was expanded to the area at the Springfield Gardens station (closed in 1979).[4] Between 1920 and 1930 the population increased from 3,046 to 13,089, with a lot of the newcomers being people from Brooklyn seeking out suburban homes. In 1927, the name of the community was changed to the more elegant Springfield Gardens.[5]

Today the area maintains its low-rise suburban nature. It is home to majority Afro-Caribbean and Indo-Caribbean populations including immigrants from Jamaica, Trinidad, Haiti and Guyana. Many homes have been torn down and remade for more families as more people move into the neighborhood. Part is in a Registered historic District.[6] Springfield Gardens is located within zip codes 11434 (western part) and 11413 (eastern part).

Choose the Best Medical Assistant Course Springfield Gardens NY

Springfield Gardens NY medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to obtain the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Skills. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Springfield Gardens NY.