Medical Assistant School Online Accredited Westbury NY - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Program near Westbury New York

Westbury NY medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Westbury NY, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Many potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors also. You may choose to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have provided several questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Westbury NY nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their role is to make sure that the Westbury NY hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many 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 tissue and fluid samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Giving general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under New York law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

In contrast to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Westbury NY health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two choices available for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs offered at junior and community colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often 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 Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Westbury NY There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good choice for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be reduced as well. But keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be carried out in Westbury NY area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the best option for you. Between 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, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for graduates who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Westbury NY medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and arguably 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, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty 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.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Westbury NY medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. Once 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 limit their searches to the schools that are closest to Westbury NY with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should look at when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many great reasons to confirm that the college you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 anticipate applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Westbury NY employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, 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 contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, make sure that the schools you are reviewing offer the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Sponsored? A large number of medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Westbury NY area medical care providers. They are a great means to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Westbury healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Getting that initial job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Westbury NY area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full-time, it’s imperative that the college you enroll in provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Westbury NY, make certain that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Westbury New York?

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

Westbury, New York

Westbury is a village in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 15,146 at the 2010 census. The Incorporated Village of Westbury is in the Town of North Hempstead. It is located about 18 miles (40 km) east of Manhattan.

Westbury's Jericho Turnpike, which provides connection to Mineola and Syosset as well as to the Long Island Expressway (or LIE), was once a trail used by the Massapequa Indians. As far back as the 17th century, it served as a divider between the early homesteads north of the Turnpike and the great plains to its south. Today, it serves as a state highway complex.

In 1657, Captain John Seaman purchased 12,000 acres (49 km2) from the Algonquian Tribe of the Massapequa Indians. In 1658, Richard Stites and his family built their homestead in this area.[citation needed] Theirs was the only family farm until an English Quaker, Edmond Titus, and his son Samuel, joined them and settled in an area of Hempstead Plains known to us today as the Village of Westbury. In 1675 Henry Willis, also an English Quaker, named the area "Westbury", after Westbury, Wiltshire, his hometown in England.[4] Other Quaker families who were also seeking a place to freely express their religious beliefs joined the Tituses and Willises. The first Society of Friends meeting house was built in 1700. The early history of Westbury and that of the Friends are so interconnected that they are essentially the same.

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Westbury NY

Westbury NY medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges offering 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, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant School Online Accredited. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend 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 so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Westbury NY.