Schools That Offer Medical Assistant Stanley VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training Program near Stanley Virginia

Stanley VA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Stanley VA, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Many potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes 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 important factors also. You may want to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are examining. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished several questions that you should ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Stanley VA nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Primarily their job is ensure that the Stanley VA clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate efficiently. Based 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 assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing 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 basic support during exams and procedures

While 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) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

Compared to most other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Stanley VA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options available for a formal education. The first and quickest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are created 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 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with trade and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical component involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Stanley VA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good alternative for individuals 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 to work full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an added benefit, some online programs have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be minimized as well. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be performed in Stanley VA area health care facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this method of receiving your training may be the ideal choice for you. With the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal mandate, but is a good choice for individuals who wish to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Stanley VA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained 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, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Stanley VA medical assistant programs Before you can start examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you have to decide which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Stanley VA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should look at when assessing programs. To help you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to ensure that the program you select is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become 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 program is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential Stanley VA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited school.

What is the Program’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. To begin with, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Credentials are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will take about two years to complete in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, confirm that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Stanley VA area health care providers. They are a great method to get hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Stanley healthcare community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Help Provided? Landing that first job may be a daunting undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Stanley VA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much individual attention you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to sit in on a couple of classes before choosing a program to see 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 school while you continue to work full-time, it’s important that the program you choose provides classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Stanley VA, make certain that those times are available. You might be able to fit your classes in easier with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all clinical training or internships that may be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Stanley Virginia?

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

Stanley, Virginia

The only primary highway directly serving Stanley is U.S. Route 340 Business, which is the main road northeast and southwest out of Stanley. To the northeast, US 340 Bus travels to Luray, rejoins U.S. Route 340, and continues northeast towards Front Royal. To the southwest, US 340 Bus rejoins US 340 and continues on to Shenandoah, Elkton and Waynesboro.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,326 people, 562 households, and 363 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,203.8 people per square mile (465.4/km²). There were 598 housing units at an average density of 542.9 per square mile (209.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.89% White, 1.28% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.49% of the population.

There were 562 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.95.

Choose the Right Medical Assistant College Stanley VA

Stanley VA medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will provide the right training. Regardless if you’re objective is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate 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 personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have covered in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged organization, for example 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 Schools That Offer Medical Assistant. But irrespective of the kind of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have provided so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Stanley VA.