Becoming A Medical Assistant Alexandria VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Alexandria Virginia

Alexandria VA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Alexandria VA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Most prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You may choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Alexandria VA nursing home patient The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their role is to make sure that the Alexandria VA clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity they are authorized to under Virginia 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) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Courses

Unlike many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Alexandria VA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically 2 options available for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to finish, some 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 option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a practical component involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Alexandria VA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good alternative for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized as well. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be carried out in Alexandria VA area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the best option for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Alexandria VA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Alexandria VA medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Alexandria VA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should explore when assessing schools. To help you with that process, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are several great reasons to make certain that the college you enroll in is accredited. To begin with, 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 must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted 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 organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Alexandria VA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the colleges you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to acquire 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 pursue, make sure that the colleges you are reviewing offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Alexandria VA area health care providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Alexandria healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Finding that initial job can be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some help from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Alexandria VA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal instruction 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 teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the program you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Alexandria VA, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Alexandria Virginia?

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

Alexandria, Virginia

Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 139,966,[3] and in 2016, the population was estimated to be 155,810.[4] Located along the western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately 7 miles (11 km) south of downtown Washington, D.C.

Like the rest of Northern Virginia, as well as Central Maryland, modern Alexandria has been influenced by its proximity to the U.S. capital. It is largely populated by professionals working in the federal civil service, in the U.S. military, or for one of the many private companies which contract to provide services to the federal government. One of Alexandria's largest employers is the U.S. Department of Defense. Another is the Institute for Defense Analyses. In 2005, the United States Patent and Trademark Office moved to Alexandria, and in 2017, so did the headquarters of the National Science Foundation.

The historic center of Alexandria is known as "Old Town". With its concentration of boutiques, restaurants, antique shops and theaters, it is a major draw for all who live in Alexandria as well for visitors. Like Old Town, many Alexandria neighborhoods are compact and walkable. It is the 7th largest and highest-income independent city in Virginia.

Pick the Right Medical Assistant Program Alexandria VA

Alexandria VA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will furnish the proper training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must get the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Becoming A Medical Assistant. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Alexandria VA.