Medical Assistant Technical School Richmond VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant School near Richmond Virginia

Richmond VA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Richmond VA, it’s time to select a college that will provide the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently pick the ideal one? Many prospective students start by checking out the medical assistant schools that are closest 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 issues as well. You might decide to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Richmond VA nursing home patient The role of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their role is to make sure that the Richmond VA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run efficiently. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health professionals but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. Some of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Virginia law, some prefer to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the options offered 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 Programs

Compared to most other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Richmond VA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally 2 choices offered 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 a year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They usually have a practical component involving an internship with a local healthcare 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Richmond VA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good option for individuals who might not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good choice for students who continue to work full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies may be minimized also. Just remember that any requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be carried out in Richmond VA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your training may be the best choice for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for those who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a position after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential Richmond VA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and possibly the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Richmond VA medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, 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. Once those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Richmond VA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should look at when assessing schools. To assist you with that process, below are some questions that you should ask about all of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several good reasons to confirm that the school you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must enroll in 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 school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Richmond VA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Obviously programs with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are basically two paths to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to acquire an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require approximately 2 years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are considering provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Richmond VA area healthcare providers. They are an excellent way to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students build relationships within the Richmond medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Provided? Getting that first job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Richmond VA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a program to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full time, it’s essential that the program you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near Richmond VA, verify that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also have to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Richmond Virginia?

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

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond (/ˈrɪtʃmənd/) is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the Greater Richmond Region. Richmond was incorporated in 1742 and has been an independent city since 1871.

As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 204,214;[4] in 2016, the population was estimated to be 223,170,[4] making Richmond the fourth-most populous city in Virginia. The Richmond Metropolitan Area has a population of 1,260,029, the third-most populous metro in the state.

Richmond is located at the fall line of the James River, 44 miles (71 km) west of Williamsburg, 66 miles (106 km) east of Charlottesville, 100 miles (160 km) east of Lynchburg and 98 miles (158 km) south of Washington, D.C. Surrounded by Henrico and Chesterfield counties, the city is located at the intersections of Interstate 95 and Interstate 64, and encircled by Interstate 295 and Virginia State Route 288. Major suburbs include Midlothian to the southwest, Chesterfield to the south, Varina to the southeast, Sandston to the east, Glen Allen to the north and west, Short Pump to the west and Mechanicsville to the northeast.

Choose the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Richmond VA

Richmond VA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re objective is to launch a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training nowadays that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, confirm that the program you decide on is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Technical School. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have provided in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by selecting the right program you can subsequently start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Richmond VA.