Medical Assistant Vocational Schools Dendron VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

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

Dendron VA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Dendron VA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the ideal one? Many prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might decide to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Responsibilities of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Dendron VA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Dendron VA clinics, hospitals and other medical care institutions where they work operate efficiently. Depending 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 responsible for 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 functions 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 instruments and rooms for physicians
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Virginia law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to earn a college degree. However, many Dendron 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 basically two choices available for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs offered at junior and community colleges as well as technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. 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.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Dendron VA There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good option for those who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be completed in Dendron VA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your training might be the right choice for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing employment after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Dendron VA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Dendron VA medical assistant programs Prior to assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which kind of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some prospective students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Dendron VA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you should examine when researching schools. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the college you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the accepted organizations 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 allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Dendron VA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously schools with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can decide to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about 2 years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, confirm that the schools you are considering offer the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Offered? A large number of medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Dendron VA area medical care providers. They are an excellent way to get hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the Dendron healthcare community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Getting that very first job can be a challenging undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Dendron VA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size may 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 provide increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a college to experience what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the college you select provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Dendron VA, make certain 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 internships or practical training that may be required. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Dendron Virginia?

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

Dendron, Virginia

Dendron is a town in Surry County, Virginia, United States. The population was 297 at the 2000 census. Sculptor Leslie Garland Bolling was born in Dendron, as was mayor of Hopewell, Virginia, Curtis W. Harris.

Dendron was originally a mill town, built and run by the Surry Lumber Company in to house employees of its sawmill. The village was known as Mussel Fork Village until 1896 when it was renamed "Dendron." The name was derived from δένδρον, the Greek word for tree. The years after 1896 saw rapid growth and expansion of the sawmill and the Town. More people moved to Dendron and additional Company housing built. By 1906, Dendron had a population of 1513 people, 298 dwellings, two hotels, eighteen Company stores and five churches. By 1928, Dendron's population had reached nearly 3,000 people. In addition to those establishments listed above, there was also a post office, two schools, a jail, two banks, two doctors, a skating rink, a movie theater, and a number of non-company owned businesses; such as a drug store, barber shops, garages, cleaning establishments, a pool room, a restaurant, bakery and an ice cream parlor.

The company also operated a narrow gauge railroad known as Sussex, Surry and Southampton Railway that transported logs to its sawmill in Dendron, and lumber to its wharf on the James River. It also offered passenger service to Dendron and other small towns along its route. One of its steam locomotives built in 1891 was sold to Argent Lumber company in 1926. It was later bought by Midwest Central Railroad in 1960. Completely restored it is still in operation as Midwest Central Railroad's flagship locomotive.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant Program Dendron VA

Dendron VA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Whether you’re planning to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your selection. There are such a large number of schools providing training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Vocational Schools. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Dendron VA.