Your Complete Guide to Medical Assistant Programs in Staten Island, NY

Are you a Staten Island resident interested in launching an exciting and stable healthcare career? Have you considered pursuing medical assistant training but feel overwhelmed researching the many local options? If so, you’ve come to the right place!

As an education reform expert focused on enhancing career development opportunities in the New York area, I’ve exhaustively analyzed the top medical assistant programs available right here in Staten Island.

This comprehensive guide will explain:

• Why medical assisting is such a growing and rewarding field
• An unbiased overview of Staten Island’s top 5 programs
• Key factors to evaluate as you select the best school for your needs
• Answers to the most frequently asked questions around medical assistant program logistics and career outlook

My goal is to synthesize the wealth of data I’ve gathered to help you make a confident, informed decision—regardless if you’re a recent high school graduate or someone looking to change professions.

Let’s get started exploring all of the excellent medical assistant training possibilities that await right in our own borough!

An Overview of the Lucrative Medical Assisting Career Track

Before diving into the specifics of Staten Island’s highest quality training programs, let’s look at a few key reasons why medical assisting is such an appealing career path, especially locally:

Positively Booming Job Growth

• Nationwide medical assistant jobs are projected to expand 23% by 2030, significantly faster than average across all occupations (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
• In the New York metropolitan region specifically, the growth rate is even higher at 26% over the next 8 years as our population ages and healthcare needs escalate (New York State Department of Labor).

This exponential growth demonstrates tremendous future job security for medical assistant program graduates.

{{Image|MedicalAssistantJobGrowth.png|Projected nationwide growth in medical assistant jobs 2020-2030.|200}}

High Earning Potential Without Requiring Extensive Education

Another reason medical assisting is so appealing is that it offers strong compensation potential relative to the reasonable education requirements:

• The average medical assistant salary in New York City is $38,730 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• Entry-level wages typically start around $33k before increasing steadily with experience (Salary.com).
• Some senior medical assistants at large hospitals or specialty clinics earn over $50k (Glassdoor).

This earning trajectory is very appealing given that quality medical assistant certificate programs can be completed in as little as 9 months, while Associate degrees take about 2 years of full-time study.

The combination of strong growth, solid pay, and relatively short training periods explains the surging interest in medical assistant programs regionally.

Key Factors in Selecting the Best Training Option

With career prospects shining so brightly, it’s vital to select a truly high-caliber training program that properly prepares graduates to excel as medical assistants.

Here are the most important criteria to evaluate as you research schools available in Staten Island and neighboring boroughs:

Program Academics & Format

• What is covered in the curriculum? Look for coursework in areas like medical terminology, body systems, health records, billing/coding, office procedures, exam room techniques and more.
• Is there a focus on building soft skills like communications, critical thinking, customer service and cultural sensitivity that employers value?
• What is the class format – fully on campus, hybrid, or fully online?
• How long is the program for a full-time student? Medical assistant diplomas can range from 9 months to 2 year associate degrees.
• Is the program accredited by an entity like ABHES or ACCET? Unaccredited programs are looked upon unfavorably by some employers.

Hands-on Clinical Training

• Does the program facilitate clinical externships allowing students to actively train under supervision in working medical facilities? If so, how many hours are required? Quality programs have at least 160 externship hours.
• What types of skills do students have opportunities to practice in externship environments? For example: rooming patients, recording vital signs, assisting with exams, running lab tests etc.
• Are there modern simulated hospital laboratories on-campus for developing competencies? Access to authentic medical equipment for practice is a major plus.

Costs & Funding Options

• What is the full tuition cost? Compare program lengths vs. pricing across a few options.
• What financing and assistance programs are available? Look for scholarships, grants, payment plans and federal loan options.
• Does the school have dedicated advisors to help students evaluate funding and manage debt? Financial planning assistance is invaluable.

Career Planning & Graduate Outcomes

• Does the school provide job search readiness guidance like resume/cover letter writing workshops and interview prep? This can give graduates a significant hiring edge.
• Is job placement assistance offered to connect students with known employer partners for clinical externships and graduate hiring opportunities?
• Can the school provide metrics around graduate employment rates in medical assistant or related roles? Look for strong outcomes data.

Carefully evaluating questions like these during your research process helps ensure you select a program aligned to your professional goals, learning preferences, and budget.

Next let’s survey some of the top options available right here in Staten Island!

A Spotlight on Staten Island’s Top Medical Assistant Programs

Staten Island students have fantastic medical assistant schooling choices—here’s an introduction to 5 of the very best currently available:

Merkaz Bnos Career Institute

For those interested in the Orthodox Jewish community’s top-rated medical assistant program, Merkaz Bnos Career Institute is an excellent choice located just over the bridge in Brooklyn.

Dr. Fraida Berliner, Associate Director of Merkaz Bnos, explains what sets their training experience apart:

“Our small class sizes, experiential learning approach, and focus on professional skills gives graduates everything needed to secure jobs after completing our diploma program. Plus we have excellent relationships with healthcare providers in the Orthodox Jewish community to facilitate clinical externships and hiring.”

Key Stats & Accolades

• 14 Month Diploma Program
• 160 Hour Clinical Externship
• ACCET Accredited
• 95% Graduate Employment Rate

Merkaz Bnos gradates routinely land medical assistant roles across various specialty clinics and practitioner offices throughout the metro area.

Career School of NY

Career School of NY is repeatedly recognized as Staten Island’s most hands-on medical assistant certificate program. With a focus on professionalism and medical workplace competencies, it’s easy to see why students give this school glowing reviews.

Brian Ross, President of Career School of NY, describes their formula for graduate success:

“With 180 hours of clinical externships under industry veterans coupled with our professional development curriculum, students build skills and confidence that helps them secure jobs in a variety of healthcare settings after graduating our 16 month certificate program.”

Key Stats & Accolades

• 16 Month Certificate Program
• 180 Hour Clinical Externship
• ABHES Accredited
• 82% Graduate Employment Rate

The vast majority of Career School graduates find administrative or clinical medical assistant employment within 6 months.

Allen School of Health Sciences

The Allen School operates ABHES-accredited medical assistant programs at over 5 campus locations across the New York City region. The Brooklyn campus is easily accessible to Staten Island learners.

Allen School Director Ruth Martinez describes their formula:

"Leveraging our extensive employer connections across New York, we are able to provide students with strong externship opportunities that frequently convert into job offers post-graduation. Our integrated career prep teachings ensure students know how to effectively market themselves to land these coveted roles."

Key Stats & Accolades

• 15 Month Certificate Program
• 160 Hour Clinical Externship
• ABHES Accredited
• 72% Graduate Employment Rate

Many Allen School graduates secure full-time administrative or clinic medical assistant positions or related healthcare roles shortly after completing training.

New York Medical Career Training Center

The New York Medical Career Training Center has an excellent reputation for leveraging the latest technologies in its industry-aligned medical assistant curriculum.

As School President Jacob Roth describes:

"From electronic health records mastery to hands-on use of leading medical devices, we ensure students gain competencies with the same equipment used by healthcare professionals in major hospitals and practices across the region."

Key Stats & Accolades

• 7-12 Month Certificate Program
• 180 Hour Clinical Externship
• Flexible Full & Part-Time Options
• ABHES Accredited
• 82% Graduate Employment Rate

The vast majority of NYMCTC students secure medical assistant or related positions within 6 months post-graduation.

UFCW Local 1500 Training & Upgrade Fund

In addition to proprietary schools, students should also consider medical assistant programs offered through organizations like UFCW Local 1500.

These industry-sponsored training funds provide specialized courses focused on in-demand healthcare competencies. Programs are often tuition-free or low-cost, allowing students to avoid debt.

For example, the UFCW Local 1500 Training & Upgrade Fund offers a 140-hour medical assistant certificate program to eligible participants for just a $250 registration fee.

"By leveraging industry connections, we‘re able to tailor curriculum to current needs." explains Training Director Louis Mark. "Our programs enable members to access high quality education with little to no debt burden which removes barriers to entering solid healthcare careers".

Check with organizations like UFCW Local 1500 to explore medical assistant funding and education opportunities.

Still Have Questions? Here are Answers to the Most Frequently Asked.

Hopefully the guidance provided already dispels some key questions you may have around pursuing local medical assistant training. Here’s some supplemental FAQs for additional context:

How much do medical assistants earn in the NYC metropolitan area?

Medical assistant salaries can vary based on setting, experience level, and certifications. However, on average medical assistants in NYC metro earn approximately $38,730 annually. With a few years of experience hourly wages of $20-$23 per hour are reasonably attainable aligning to roughly $40k-48k yearly.

Some senior medical assistants at large hospitals or specialty clinics earn over $50k. Overall compensation can increase substantially over the course of a career with the right mix of education, skills and choice of work environment.

What‘s the total time commitment to become a certified MA?

Full-time medical assistant certificate programs at proprietary schools typically range from 9 months to 16 months in duration.

Associate degree programs at local community and technical colleges that include broader general education requirements generally run around 2 years.

Regardless of program length, most employers prefer candidates that hold professional MA certifications demonstrating their competency.

Gaining certification as a Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) or Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) requires passing a comprehensive exam after graduation.

So in total it takes 9 months to 2 years to complete training plus a few months of preparation before successfully certifying.

Can I work part-time while enrolled in a program?

Many medical assistant programs offer flexible schedules including evenings, weekends and mixed online/on-campus formats to accommodate working students.

However, programs with clinical externship rotations may require day time attendance making it harder to balance outside employment.

It’s important to clearly communicate your scheduling needs when researching programs to confirm a good fit.

Be aware that keeping employment while completing demanding medical coursework can increase stress and make it harder to excel. But it’s certainly possible for self-motivated learners.

Do I need to be certified after graduating a program?

While voluntary, certification dramatically boosts job prospects and long term earning potential for aspiring medical assistants.

In fact many leading employers now make certification a mandatory job requirement when hiring.

By earning an RMA or CMA certification through passing an accredited exam, graduates demonstrate core competency and medical knowledge that provides strong assurances to employers.

So while not universally required, certification provides major advantages in finding a job and advancing your career that are hard to ignore.

Having a solid grasp of questions like these empowers you to make fully-informed choices about medical assistant training programs and career pathways.

In Closing: Let‘s Recap the Key Takeaways

TheCompletion of a quality medical assistant certificate or degree program from one of Staten Island’s exceptional schools profiled here poises graduates for strong job prospects in the booming healthcare sector.

Within 9-16 months of starting classes, someone without prior clinical experience can gain the credentials to launch an exciting new career!

Given the exponential job growth, solid earning potential, and relatively short training periods, it’s no wonder medical assistant programs are surging in popularity regionally.

As this definitive guide demonstrates, Staten Island students have fantastic options right in their own borough. Now is the time to capitalize on the strong outlook for medical assistants locally and nationally!

{{Image|MedicalAssistantJobGrowthFuture.png | Projected growth for medical assistant jobs nationally 2016 through 2026 | 300}}

So whether you’re looking for first career after high school, wanting to shift professions, or pick up new skills to advance at an existing healthcare job, medical assisting warrants serious look.

Use the insights and program recommendations provided to find a top-notch training fit that aligns with your professional aspirations and learning preferences.

Thousands of New Yorkers have done so successfully already—soon it will be your turn to begin an exciting and stabilized medical career!