Certified Medical Assistant Certification Valley Cottage NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Program near Valley Cottage New York

Valley Cottage NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Valley Cottage NY, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? A number of prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You might choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Valley Cottage NY nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their role is to make sure that the Valley Cottage NY clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance 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 possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Providing general support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are qualified to under New York law, some prefer 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) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

Unlike many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Valley Cottage NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are basically two choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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 related field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Valley Cottage NY There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent choice for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be carried out in Valley Cottage NY area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education might be the right choice for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a job after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some potential Valley Cottage NY medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded 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. Other certifications are available as well, for instance the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Valley Cottage NY medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to decide which kind of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Valley Cottage NY with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to explore when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several good reasons to verify that the program you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in 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 one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Valley Cottage NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then of course you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are considering offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Valley Cottage NY area medical care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students develop relationships within the Valley Cottage medical community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Landing that first job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Valley Cottage NY area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the school you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Valley Cottage NY, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still have to schedule all internships or practical training that might be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Valley Cottage New York?

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

Valley Cottage, New York

Valley Cottage is a hamlet and census-designated place in the town of Clarkstown, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located northeast of West Nyack, northwest of Central Nyack east of Bardonia, south of Congers, northwest of Nyack,[1] and west of Upper Nyack. The population was 9,107 at the 2010 census.[2]

At the census[4] of 2000, there were 9,269 people, 3,347 households, and 2,379 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,168.7 per square mile (838.1/km2). There were 3,410 housing units at an average density of 797.9/sq mi (308.3/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 82.16% White, 3.59% African American, 0.09% Native American, 9.81% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 1.89% from other races, and 2.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.71% of the population.

There were 3,347 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.3% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 23.8% 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 2.66 and the average family size was 3.20.

Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Valley Cottage NY

Valley Cottage NY medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the right information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering 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 a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate 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 kind of credential that you plan 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 selecting the right program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Valley Cottage NY.