What Is A Certified Medical Assistant Manassas VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training Program near Manassas Virginia

Manassas VA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Manassas VA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the ideal one? Many future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You may want to take a look at a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Manassas VA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their role is to make sure that the Manassas VA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run successfully. 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 support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying 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 exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Virginia law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the options 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 Courses

Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Manassas VA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options available for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Manassas VA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent choice for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good solution for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, many online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be lessened as well. But bear in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be performed in Manassas VA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the right option for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for those who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting employment after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Manassas VA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not received 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 sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Manassas VA medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the schools that are nearest to Manassas VA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should explore when evaluating programs. To help you with that task, following are some questions that you should ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to verify that the school you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, 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 program is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Manassas VA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Next, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about one year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a junior college or trade school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, make certain that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Manassas VA area medical care providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the Manassas medical community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Landing that first 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 interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Manassas VA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a school to observe 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 school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the college you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Manassas VA, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that will be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Manassas Virginia?

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

Manassas, Virginia

Manassas (formerly Manassas Junction)[4] is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 37,821.[5] The city borders Prince William County, and the independent city of Manassas Park, Virginia. The Bureau of Economic Analysis includes both Manassas and Manassas Park with Prince William County for statistical purposes.

Manassas also serves as the seat of Prince William County. It surrounds the 38-acre (150,000 m2) county courthouse, but that county property is not part of the city. The City of Manassas has several important historic sites from the period 1850–1870.

In July 1861, the First Battle of Manassas – also known as the First Battle of Bull Run – the first major land battle of the American Civil War, was fought nearby. Manassas commemorated the 150th anniversary of the First Battle of Manassas during July 21–24, 2011.[6]

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Manassas VA

Manassas VA medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the proper training. Whether you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the appropriate info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in What Is A Certified Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Manassas VA.