How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training Program near Ferrum Virginia

Once you have decided to enter the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Ferrum VA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you approach evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the right one? Many potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences 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 also. You might want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have provided some questions that you need to ask each of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Ferrum VA clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

• Completing insurance forms and filing claims
• Scheduling and confirming appointments
• Weighing and taking patients vital signs
• Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
• Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
• Giving general support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Virginia law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and earn 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 Education

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Ferrum VA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices provided for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about one year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Programs

There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good choice for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full-time while earning their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be lessened as well. But keep in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can often be completed in Ferrum VA area health care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of receiving your education might be the right option for you. With the online classes and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve 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 an excellent idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some potential Ferrum VA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Ferrum VA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to look at when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to confirm that the school you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies 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 eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Ferrum VA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can choose to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

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

Is Job Placement Support Provided? Getting that first job may be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Ferrum VA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Smaller 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 practical, try to sit in on a couple of classes before enrolling in a program to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the college you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Ferrum VA, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Ferrum Virginia?

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

Choose the Right Medical Assistant College Ferrum VA

It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will provide the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Evening Classes. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided 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 ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Ferrum VA.

More Medical Locations in Virginia

Business Results 1 - 10 of 1

Community Health Center of the New River Valley

1 Reviews

Community Service/Non-Profit, Medical Centers

Phone:

215 Roanoke St, Christiansburg, VA 24073