How to Select a Medical Assistant School near Logan West Virginia
Once you have made a decision to join the gratifying field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Logan WV, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? Many prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You may want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask each of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.
The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants
The duties of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their job is ensure that the Logan WV hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work operate 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 tasked with giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the potential duties of a medical assistant include:
- Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
- Scheduling and verifying appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
- Providing general support during exams and procedures
While medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under West 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) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Education
Compared to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Logan WV health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two choices offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs generally take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a practical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. 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 similar field.
Online Medical Assistant Programs
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent choice 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 an especially good choice for students who continue to work full time while earning their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced also. Just remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be completed in Logan WV area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training may be the right option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Programs for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent idea for individuals who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining employment after graduation, but it may also help with initial salary negotiations. Many possible Logan WV medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. 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 examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.
What to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges
Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to determine which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many prospective students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Logan WV with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must examine when researching schools. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.
Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to confirm that the program you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction 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 approved 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 agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you intend on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Logan WV employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.
What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.
Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can decide to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take about 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing offer the kind of program you are interested in.
Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Logan WV area medical care providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the Logan healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.
Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Finding that initial job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Logan WV area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Large are the Classes? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual instruction you will get throughout 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 few classes before enrolling in a program to observe what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full time, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Logan WV, confirm that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online college, but you will also need to schedule any internships or clinical training that might 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 Logan West Virginia?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Logan WV area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Logan, West Virginia
What is now Logan was initially called "Islands of the Guyandot" by explorers who identified the site in the 1780s.[7] In 1827, a city was laid out at the site to serve as a county seat for Logan County, which had been established in 1824. The city was initially known as "Lawnsville" after Anthony Lawson, an early merchant. In the early 1850s, Thomas Dunn English, a poet and future congressman, led efforts to reorganize the city.[8] When the city incorporated in 1853, it was renamed "Aracoma" after the Shawnee chief Cornstalk's daughter,[8] who had been killed by settlers in the area in 1780.[9] The city was renamed "Logan" in 1907 after the Mingo leader, Chief Logan.[7]
Logan grew continuously during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a hub of the regional coal industry. At its height in 1940, the city had a population of over 5,000, and was home to numerous businesses, including furniture stores, hotels, banks, and car dealerships. Logan began to decline following World War II, due in large part to the increased mechanization of the coal industry.[7]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,779 people, 808 households, and 469 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,547.0 inhabitants per square mile (597.3/km2). There were 1,016 housing units at an average density of 883.5 per square mile (341.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.6% White, 5.2% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.
Pick the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Logan WV
It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to get the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example 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 Class Requirements. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can ultimately begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Logan WV.
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