Why Choose Medical Assistant Certification in NY?
Medical assisting is one of the fastest growing careers in healthcare. Employment in the field is expected to grow 35% during the decade 2016 to 2026, per the New York State Department of Labor. Entry level salaries begin at $30,000 while average salaries approach $39,000. A Medical Assistant helps run a Doctor's office with various administrative and clinical duties. Private offices, clinics, or hospitals all employ medical assistants. Jobs can be part-time or full-time, daytime or evening. This level of flexibility is needed since patients need care year-round and throughout the day.
Ready to gain your certification as a medical assistant in Westchester County, NY? Explore our admissions process, here.
Clinical duties may include:
- Taking vital signs
- Explaining treatment procedures to patients
- Preparing patients for treatment or x-ray
- Collection of laboratory specimens
- Sterilization of medical instruments
- Medication and patient instruction
- Drawing of blood (phlebotomy)
- Taking electrocardiograms (EKG)
Administrative duties may include:
- Answering the telephone
- Updating and filing medical records
- Filling out insurance forms
- Scheduling appointments
- Arranging for hospital admissions
- Coordinating laboratory services
Unlike most states, New York does not require a license to be a medical assistant. However, credentials such as a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) make candidates more competitive for employment or advancement. We work with employers in New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Yonkers and White Plains, NY - among other places - in helping graduates search for available positions. We encourage participation in New York State societies of medical assistants. The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) is an example of one such organization.
Once students have successfully completed our program, we help with resume preparation and networking. We train our students, so they are well suited to be clinical medical assistants, medical administrative assistants, or both.
Although not mandatory for graduation from the program or for employment in New York State, we encourage all our graduates to become nationally certified.
Our education program prepares students to take their medical assistant certification exams. Westchester School for Dental Assistants has partnered with the following agencies for National Certification testing: NHA, and Medca.
Continuing education is required to maintain your CMA credentials.
Our externship program allows our students to gain practical experience so that they might be better informed about what to expect in an actual medical facility.
Our team offers an exciting 900-hour program, split 70% in-class (630 hours) and 30% in a work environment (270 hours) via externship.
We are accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) and licensed by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision (BPSS). We adhere to the U.S. Department of Education guidelines.
Have questions about affordability? Find out more about financial aid here.
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