How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training School near Narrows Virginia
Now that you have decided to join the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Narrows VA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Most future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean 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 also. You may want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have included several 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 role of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.
The Job of Medical Assistants
The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their function is ensure that the Narrows VA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work run efficiently. Based on the type or size of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
- Giving basic support during examinations and procedures
While medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Virginia law, some opt to specialize in a particular area and attain 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
Unlike many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, many Narrows VA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about 1 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 alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are typically two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.
Medical Assistant Online Programs
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good alternative for individuals who may not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be completed in Narrows VA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training may be the best option for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a job after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible Narrows VA medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to assessing your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those selections have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of students restrict their searches to the schools that are nearest to Narrows VA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to examine when researching schools. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to ensure that the school you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 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 available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Narrows VA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on 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. This is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Credentials are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately two years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, verify that the colleges you are looking at offer the type of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Narrows VA area medical providers. They are an excellent method to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They can also assist students build relationships within the Narrows medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Getting that very first job may be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Narrows VA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before selecting a program to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the school you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Narrows 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 internships or clinical training that will be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Narrows Virginia?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Narrows VA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Narrows, Virginia
Narrows, named for the narrowing of the New River that flows through the town, is a town in Giles County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,029 at the 2010 census, a decline of 3.9% from the 2000 count of 2,111. It is part of the Blacksburg–Christiansburg–Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.5 km²), of which 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km²) (4.48%) is water.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 2,111 people, 890 households, and 600 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,649.7 people per square mile (636.8/km²). There were 971 housing units at an average density of 758.8 per square mile (292.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.86% White, 0.24% African American, 0.05% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.28% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.43% of the population.
Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Narrows VA
It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to get the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are so many schools providing training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Duties And Responsibilities. But regardless of the kind of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Narrows VA.
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