Medical Assistant Course Requirements Purcellville VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Purcellville Virginia

Purcellville VA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Purcellville VA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently pick the best one? Many future students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You might decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to help you with that process, we have provided a few questions that you need to ask each of the schools 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 credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Purcellville VA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Purcellville VA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare institutions where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Giving general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can carry out almost any task they are qualified to under Virginia law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options 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 Education

In contrast to most other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Purcellville VA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a diploma or a certificate. These programs usually take about a year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more expansive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Schools

woman attending medical assistant school online in Purcellville VA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online also. They are an excellent alternative for those who may not have time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue working full-time while earning their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. Just remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in Purcellville VA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the best option for you. With the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for graduates who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it might also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Purcellville VA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not received accredited formal training or certification. Among the most popular and arguably 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, an applicant must have graduated or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Purcellville VA medical assistant programs Before you can start assessing your medical assistant school alternatives, you must choose which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many potential students restrict their searches to the colleges that are closest to Purcellville VA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must examine when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to confirm that the program you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete 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 organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, a number of potential Purcellville VA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must find out which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then naturally you will want to select a program concentrating on that certification. Next, learn what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately two years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are considering provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with Purcellville VA area health care providers. They are a great method to obtain hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students build relationships within the Purcellville health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Finding that initial job may be a daunting task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Purcellville VA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Large are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If convenient, try to attend a few classes before enrolling in a school to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Purcellville VA, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will still need to schedule all internships or clinical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Purcellville Virginia?

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

Purcellville, Virginia

Purcellville is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,232 according to the United States Census 2015 Population Estimate (as of July 1, 2015). Purcellville is the major population center for Western Loudoun and the Loudoun Valley. Today[update], many of the older structures remaining in Purcellville reflect the Victorian architecture popular during the early 20th century. Patrick Henry College is located in the town.

Although the first land grant in the area was issued by Lord Fairfax in 1740, it was not until 1764 that Purcellville's first known settler, James Dillon from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, arrived. The early ox cart track which wound westward from Leesburg towards the Blue Ridge, known later as the "Great Road," served as the town's nucleus, although farms existed in the area, and Ketoctin Baptist Church had been founded nearby by 1752. The first recorded business, an ordinary (a combined store and inn), was established by Abraham Vickers in 1799. This was followed by a second ordinary, established by Stacey Taylor in 1804, and later by "Purcel's Store" and Post Office, established by Valentine Vernon Purcell (from whom the town's name is derived). A blacksmith's shop, established around 1848, was also among Purcellville's earliest businesses. On July 9, 1853 the village officially adopted the name Purcellville [3]

The Great Road became an authorized turnpike in 1785 and extended the turnpike system westward from Alexandria to Snickers Gap, and beyond to Berryville and Winchester.[4] With the construction of this Turnpike in 1832, travel through Purcellville began to increase and the first stagecoach arrived in 1841. A railroad link on the Alexandria, Loudoun, and Hampshire line (forerunner to the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad) connecting the town to Leesburg and points east was built prior to the Civil War, and travel to points further west were continued by stagecoach through Purcellville.

Select the Right Medical Assistant Training Program Purcellville VA

Purcellville VA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin 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 info on available programs before making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you select is accredited by a recognized 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 Course Requirements. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the right program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Purcellville VA.