Medical Assistant Degree Online Blacksburg VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant Training Program near Blacksburg Virginia

Blacksburg VA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to join the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Blacksburg VA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? A number of future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean 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 critical issues as well. You may choose to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included a few questions that you need to ask each 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 available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Blacksburg VA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their role is to make sure that the Blacksburg VA clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. A few of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any task 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) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Education

Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Blacksburg VA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically 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 option is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with trade 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 frequently have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Blacksburg VA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent choice for individuals who might not have the time to attend 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 degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be lessened as well. Just keep in mind that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be performed in Blacksburg VA 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 education might be the best option for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for graduates who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Blacksburg VA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and possibly the most respected 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 graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Blacksburg VA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school options, you need to decide which type of credential you want to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Blacksburg VA with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you must examine when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to make sure that the program you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, 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 one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Also, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Blacksburg VA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then obviously you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are considering provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Sponsored? Many medical assistant colleges offer internship programs with Blacksburg VA area health care providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students establish relationships within the Blacksburg healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Help Supplied? Landing that initial job may be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the Blacksburg VA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indicator of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a couple of classes before selecting a program to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate 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 have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Blacksburg VA, verify that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Blacksburg Virginia?

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

Blacksburg, Virginia

Blacksburg is an incorporated town in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg, as well as the surrounding county, is dominated economically and demographically by the presence of Virginia Tech (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University).[4]

Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses those jurisdictions and all of Montgomery, Pulaski, and Giles counties for statistical purposes. The MSA has an estimated population of 159,587 [5] and is currently one of the faster-growing MSAs in Virginia.

In 2011, BusinessWeek named Blacksburg as the "Best Place in the U.S. to Raise Kids".[6] Also in 2011, readers of Southern Living named Blacksburg the "Best College Town in the South".[7] Its public transportation system, Blacksburg Transit, which also connects to the neighboring town of Christiansburg, has repeatedly been recognized for the quality of its service.[8]Blacksburg High School, which in 2013 opened a new building,[9] is often ranked among the top schools of the nation for its academics. Its soccer, track, and cross-country teams are also among the top in the state.

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program Blacksburg VA

Blacksburg VA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant program that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your life long career, you need to obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Degree Online. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure 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 gratifying career as a medical assistant in Blacksburg VA.