How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Greenville Virginia
Now that you have decided to join the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Greenville VA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? A number of potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You might choose to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that process, we have provided some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.
The Role of a Medical Assistant
The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Basically their function is to make sure that the Greenville VA hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work operate efficiently. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many functions of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Supplying general support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Virginia law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices offered 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
Unlike most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Greenville VA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about a year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Medical Assistant Online Schools
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent option for individuals who may not have the 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 pursuing their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. But bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be completed in Greenville VA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training may be the ideal choice for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for graduates who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Greenville VA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and perhaps the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Greenville VA with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should look at when assessing schools. To help you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to make certain that the school 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 program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Greenville VA employers will not hire 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 examinations. To begin with, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to select a program concentrating on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are ones that you will want to avoid.
Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, 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 fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing provide the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Greenville VA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also help students build relationships within the Greenville healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Offered? Getting that initial job may be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Greenville VA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a school to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Greenville VA, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will also have to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Greenville Virginia?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Greenville VA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Greenville, Virginia
Greenville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Augusta County, Virginia, United States. The population was 832 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Staunton–Waynesboro Micropolitan Statistical Area.
As early as 1794, Greenville was platted and divided into 14 lots of 1-acre (4,000Â m2) and sold by Thomas and Jane Steele. Greenville soon became a very busy stagecoach stop. This was because there were 3 major roads all intersecting at or near Greenville. One road connected Greenville with Staunton, another ran from Waynesboro to Middlebrook, and the south road led to Midway (now Steeles Tavern), Fairfield, and Lexington. The town slowly grew, and by 1810, the population had grown to 162, comparing to Staunton's 1225, and Waynesboro's 250. An 1835 account of Greenville said that it had an extensive manufacturing flour mill and a woolen manufactory, two physicians in the area, contained 50 dwelling houses, 3 general stores, 2 taverns, 1 academy, 2 tanyards, 2 saddlers, 2 tailors, 1 blacksmith shop, 1 cabinet maker, 1 wheelwright, 1 saddle tree maker, 3 house carpenters, 1 hatter, and 4 boot and shoe makers. The population was about 250 in 1928.
Kate Smith (1907-1986), an immensely popular American radio singer of the Great Depression and World War II years, was born in Greenville. A statue of her stands outside the Wachovia Spectrum in Philadelphia because her rendition of "God Bless America" has long been considered a good luck charm for important games of the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team.
Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Course Greenville VA
It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant program that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Training. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan 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 in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Greenville VA.
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