Medical Assistant Training Programs in New Jersey
Training to become a medical assistant in New Jersey can be done on the job. However, in order to first get the position you want, it is highly recommended to complete training and pass a certification exam so that you can become a certified medical assistant (CMA) or a Registered Medical Assistant (RMA). This formal medical assistant training and certification is highly preferred by healthcare employers in New Jersey, and will give you a competitive edge when applying for positions and a head start on your career.
In order to become a certified medical assistant in New Jersey you first need to choose a medical assisting program that has been accredited. Accreditation is determined by national accrediting agencies (institutional), the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). There are currently over a half dozen such programs throughout the state, at community and technical colleges that can be found listed below. You can also enroll in online programs. The online programs listed below the campus based programs on this page hold accreditation by the appropriate agencies and graduates are eligible to sit for the CMA or RMA exams.
Medical Assistant Training Programs in New Jersey
Training in these programs will cover phlebotomy, medical terminology, medical records processing, and the like. You will learn the skills needed to be a well rounded medical assistant who can easily switch from the administrative side of the task to the clinical side. Taking vital signs, taking blood, recording medical histories, administering medications, assisting physicians, as well as making appointments, managing records, and communicating with insurance companies are just some of many varied tasks that medical assistants do to help an office, clinic, or hospital run smoothly. Again, choosing a formal medical assistant training is optimal for those wishing to be competitive for the best paying and most desirable medical assistant jobs in New Jersey.
The final step is to take the medical assistant certification exam. This is given by the certifying board of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Completion or near completion of an accredited program is a prerequisite for taking this multiple-choice, computer-based exam. There is a registration fee, and it is offered in numerous locations and throughout the year. Once you pass this, you will be a CMA. The alternative is to become a registered medical assistant (RMA). The eligibility requirements are the same as the CMA exam eligibility requirements with the exception of an additional criteria, that if you graduate from a nationally accredited school with the required medical assisting skills training you will be eligible for the RMA exam. The schools listed below meet these requirements.
Medical assisting is among the fastest growing occupations in healthcare and overall. There are over 12,000 medical assistants working in New Jersey, and this number continues to grow. As the healthcare workforce struggles to meet the medical demands of a growing aging population, and as the use of outpatient clinics increases, more and more medical support staff is necessary to help meet these needs and in a cost-effective manner. This growth means great job opportunity and secure careers in medical assisting and healthcare in general. The mean annual salary in New Jersey is $32,580 and the mean hourly rate is $15.66. This also includes good healthcare benefits. The salary will be slightly higher in urban areas. Choosing to pursue a specialization within medical assisting can increase your salary as well. There are a dozen local chapters in the New Jersey Society of Medical Assistants. Where ever you live in the state, you will likely be close enough to take advantage of this professional opportunity to network and communicate with other CMAs.
Check out the Medical Billing and Coding programs in New Jersey as an alternate career pathway. There is great job growth data for medical billers and medical coders in the state of New Jersey.
(Sources: AAMA, Bureau of Labor Statistics, CAAHEP, ABHES, State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
