How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Courtland Virginia
Once you have made a decision to join the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Courtland VA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? Most potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You might decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.
The Duties of a Medical Assistant
The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their function is ensure that the Courtland VA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Scheduling and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
- Supplying general support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Virginia law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Training Courses
Unlike most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Courtland VA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two options available for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. 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 Programs
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online also. They are an excellent option for students who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue working full time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be reduced also. But keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be completed in Courtland VA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to getting your education may be the best option for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent choice for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of possible Courtland VA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. As soon as those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Courtland VA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional issues that you should examine when researching schools. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to ensure that the program you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Courtland VA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive 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 opt to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Courtland VA area medical care providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also help students establish relationships within the Courtland healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Getting that first job may be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Courtland VA 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 a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a school to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Courtland VA, make certain that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Courtland Virginia?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Courtland VA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Courtland, Virginia
Originally named Jerusalem by English colonists, the town was given its present name in 1888. It served as Southampton County's only town through the 18th century, and has been the county seat since then. This town was formed in 1791 on the north shore of the Nottoway River, on a parcel of ten acres (40,000 m²) beside the courthouse.
In 1831, the town became well known as the site of the trials and subsequent executions of Nat Turner and some of his cohort who had planned a major slave rebellion. According to a letter written by Solon Borland to the governor of North Carolina, the village was a small hamlet of approximately 175 people, with only three stores, one saddler, one carriage maker, two hotels, two attorneys and two physicians.
The town was the boyhood home of Confederate Major General William Mahone, whose father Fielding Mahone ran a local tavern. General George H. Thomas, "Rock of Chickamauga", and a native of Southampton County, likely visited his uncle James Rochelle here. Rochelle was clerk of court for Southampton County, and lived three houses from Mahone's Tavern.
Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Courtland VA
It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate 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 lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Accreditation. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Courtland VA.
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