How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School near Hillsville Virginia
Once you have decided to become a part of the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Hillsville VA, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Many prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You might decide to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the schools 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 kind of credentials and training that are available.
The Role of Medical Assistants
The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their role is ensure that the Hillsville VA hospitals, clinics and other medical care facilities where they work operate successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and filing claims
- Setting and verifying appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants can perform almost any activity 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) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Training
Unlike most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Hillsville 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 available for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Medical Assistant Online Programs
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good option for students who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue working full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an extra benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be lessened also. Just remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can usually be carried out in Hillsville VA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the right option for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting employment after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Some potential Hillsville VA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.
Points to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can start the process of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Hillsville VA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should examine when evaluating programs. To assist 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 Program Accredited? There are many great reasons to verify that the program you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies 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 one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Hillsville VA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Obviously programs with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately two years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Hillsville VA area health care providers. They are an excellent means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also help students build relationships within the Hillsville medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Service Provided? Landing that initial job can be a daunting undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Hillsville VA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also suggests that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual attention you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the school you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Hillsville VA, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Hillsville Virginia?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Hillsville VA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Hillsville, Virginia
Hillsville is located in central Carroll County at 36°45′32″N 80°44′04″W / 36.75889°N 80.73444°W / 36.75889; -80.73444 (36.758814, −80.734510).[5] U.S. Routes 52 and 221 intersect in the center of town, while U.S. Route 58 bypasses the town to the south. US 52 leads northwest 28 miles (45 km) to Wytheville and south 22 miles (35 km) to Mount Airy, North Carolina, while US 221 leads northeast 70 miles (110 km) to Roanoke and southwest 13 miles (21 km) to Galax. US 58 leads east 63 miles (101 km) to Martinsville and west to Galax with US 221. The Hillsville town limits extend west along US 221 and 58 2.5 miles (4.0 km) to Interstate 77, which leads north 17 miles (27 km) to Interstate 81 east of Wytheville and south 20 miles (32 km) to Interstate 74 in North Carolina.
The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Hillsville has a marine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.[6]
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 2,607 people, 1,207 households, and 731 families residing in the town. The population density was 457.6 people per square mile (176.6/km²). There were 1,352 housing units at an average density of 237.3 per square mile (91.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.39% White, 0.19% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 1.76% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.34% of the population.
Select the Right Medical Assistant College Hillsville VA
It’s imperative to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant school that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges providing training these days that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What Do Medical Assistants Do. But irrespective of the kind 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 provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the best program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Hillsville VA.
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