Medical Assistant Course Outline Dumfries VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Dumfries Virginia

Dumfries VA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Dumfries VA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the best one? Most future students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You might decide to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Dumfries VA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their job is to make sure that the Dumfries VA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Virginia law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the choices available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

In contrast to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Dumfries VA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 options available for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about one year to finish, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often 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 Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Dumfries VA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent alternative for students who might not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue to work full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized as well. Just remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be completed in Dumfries VA area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the ideal option for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Dumfries VA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA exam, an applicant must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Dumfries VA medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Dumfries VA with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must examine when assessing programs. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to confirm that the college you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, 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 program is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Dumfries VA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately 2 years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Dumfries VA area healthcare providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Dumfries health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Landing that initial job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Dumfries VA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full time, it’s important that the school you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Dumfries VA, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that might be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Dumfries Virginia?

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

Dumfries, Virginia

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), all of it land. The town is situated 78 miles north of the state capital, Richmond. It is 25 miles/40 km south of central Washington, D.C.[4]

The history of Dumfries began as early as 1690 when Richard Gibson erected a gristmill on Quantico Creek. A customhouse and warehouse followed in 1731, and many others cropped up along the estuary by 1732. The Town of Dumfries was formally established on 60 acres (240,000 m2) of land at the head of the harbor of Quantico Creek, provided by John Graham. He named the town after his birthplace, Dumfries, Scotland.[5]

After much political maneuvering, the General Assembly established Dumfries as the first of seven townships in the county. Dumfries received its charter on May 11, 1749, making it the oldest continuously chartered town in Virginia.

Choose the Best Medical Assistant Training Program Dumfries VA

Dumfries VA medical assistant student It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Course Outline. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Dumfries VA.