Medical Assistant Trade Schools Near Me Quantico VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Training Program near Quantico Virginia

Quantico VA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Quantico VA, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? Many future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors also. You may decide to take a look at several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have included several questions that you should ask all 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 credentials and training that are available.

The Responsibilities of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Quantico VA nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their job is ensure that the Quantico VA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate efficiently. 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 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 possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Giving basic support during exams and procedures

While medical assistants can carry out almost any duty they are authorized to under Virginia law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain 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 Training Courses

Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Quantico VA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are basically two options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about 1 year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at community and junior colleges in addition to vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They often have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in Quantico VA There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good alternative for those who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good option for students who continue working full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced as well. But bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be carried out in Quantico VA area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your education might be the right choice for you. With the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is a good option for individuals who want to boost their careers. It will not only help in securing a position after graduation, but it might also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Quantico VA medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded 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 be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Quantico VA medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine 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 discussed at the opening of this article, many students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Quantico VA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you must examine when assessing schools. To assist you with that task, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are several great reasons to ensure that the college you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective Quantico VA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the Program’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must determine 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 naturally you will want to enroll in a program targeting 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 methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take about two years to accomplish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you elect to pursue, verify that the colleges you are considering provide the type of program you are interested in.

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

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Getting that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Quantico VA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to provide greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a college to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the college you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Quantico VA, make sure that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still need to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Quantico Virginia?

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

Quantico, Virginia

Quantico is located just northwest of the Potomac River and just south of the Quantico Creek. The word Quantico is a derivation of the name of a Doeg village recorded by English colonists as Pamacocack.[citation needed]

Quantico is surrounded on three sides by one of the largest U.S. Marine Corps bases, Marine Corps Base Quantico. The base is the site of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command and HMX-1 (the presidential helicopter squadron), Officer Candidate School, and The Basic School. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration's training academy, the FBI Academy, the FBI Laboratory, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command, and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations headquarters are on the base. A replica of the USMC War Memorial stands at the entrance to the base.

Quantico is at 38°31'19" North, 77°17'23" West (38.521871, −77.289757).[5] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2), of which, 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.

Select the Best Medical Assistant Program Quantico VA

Quantico VA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re planning to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the right info 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 on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, 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 Trade Schools Near Me. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the ideal program you can subsequently start a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Quantico VA.