Medical Assistant Night School Surry VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Surry Virginia

Surry VA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Surry VA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You might decide to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are examining. And to assist you with that process, we have furnished a few questions that you need to ask each of the schools on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Job of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Surry VA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their job is ensure that the Surry VA clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work run efficiently. Based 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 nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Virginia law, some choose to specialize in a particular area and earn 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 Programs

In contrast to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Surry VA health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about a year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical component involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Surry VA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs available online too. They are a good alternative for individuals who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized as well. But remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be performed in Surry VA area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the right choice for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for those who want to boost their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it might also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of possible Surry VA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered 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 Surry VA medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Surry VA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you need to examine when assessing schools. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to verify that the college you select is accredited. First, 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 need to complete 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Surry VA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to choose a program targeting that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma 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 opt to acquire an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the schools you are looking at provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Surry VA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They may also assist students build relationships within the Surry healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Supplied? Finding that first job can be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Surry VA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before choosing a college to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the program you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Surry VA, confirm that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online school, but you will still need to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, ask what the protocol 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 Surry Virginia?

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

Surry County, Virginia

In 1652, Surry County was formed from the portion of James City County south of the James River. For more than 350 years, Surry County has depended on an agricultural economy. It has guarded its heritage, including many small towns and 19 sites listed on the National Register including a landmark occupied in 1676 known as Bacon's Castle and Chippokes Plantation (now a state park). The Jamestown Ferry provides easy access to Virginia's Historic Triangle, featuring Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown, linked by the National Park Service's Colonial Parkway.

During the Virginia Colony, Surry County was formed in 1652 from a portion of James City County (one of the original 8 counties formed in 1634) south of the James River. It was named for the English county of Surrey. Surry County initially consisted of two parishes of the Church of England: Lawne's Creek and Southwark.

Nearby, in 1665, Arthur Allen built a Jacobean brick house. A decade later it became known as Bacon's Castle because it was occupied as a fort or "castle" during Bacon's Rebellion against the Royal Governor, Sir William Berkeley. (Nathaniel Bacon never lived at Bacon's Castle, but rather at Curles Neck Plantation in Henrico County about 30 miles upriver on the northern bank of the James River).

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Program Surry VA

Surry VA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Night School. But regardless of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Surry VA.