Medical Assistant Programs The Plains VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near The Plains Virginia

The Plains VA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near The Plains VA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? A number of future students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues also. You might want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all pertinent aspects of the colleges you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have furnished several questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with The Plains VA nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Primarily their role is to make sure that the The Plains VA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work operate successfully. 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 responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. 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
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may carry out almost any duty they are qualified to under Virginia law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and earn certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Courses

Unlike many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of The Plains VA health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally two options available for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a diploma or a certificate. These programs normally take about a year to finish, a few 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 obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical element involving 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 similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in The Plains VA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are an excellent choice for individuals who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced also. But remember that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can typically be completed in The Plains VA area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education might be the right choice for you. Between 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 earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is a good choice for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in obtaining a position after graduation, but it may also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. A number of potential The Plains VA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. The most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered 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 thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask The Plains VA medical assistant programs Prior to reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. Once those selections have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are nearest to The Plains VA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you must examine when assessing programs. To assist you with that task, below are a few questions that you should 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 good reasons to make sure that the program you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, 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 school is not accredited by one of these organizations, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many prospective The Plains VA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will want to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require about 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the schools you are looking at provide the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant schools sponsor internship programs with The Plains VA area medical care providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They may also help students establish relationships within the The Plains healthcare 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 undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating provide job placement assistance in the The Plains 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 healthcare community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can be an indication of how much individual attention you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to furnish greater access to teachers and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a college to witness what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant program while you continue to work full time, it’s essential that the school you select provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes at night or on weekends near The Plains VA, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will still have to schedule any clinical training or internships that may be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near The Plains Virginia?

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

The Plains, Virginia

The Plains is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 217 at the 2010 census,[3] down from 266 at the 2000 census. It is centered on the intersection of Virginia Route 55 (John Marshall Highway) and Virginia Route 245 (Old Tavern Road). The town of The Plains, Virginia is situated off of Interstate 66. The mayor of The Plains is Blake Gallagher.

The Plains is located in northeastern Fauquier County at 38°51′46″N 77°46′32″W / 38.86278°N 77.77556°W / 38.86278; -77.77556 (38.862698, -77.775464).[4] VA 55 leads southeast 10 miles (16 km) to Gainesville and west 4.5 miles (7.2 km) to Marshall. VA 245 leads southwest 1 mile (1.6 km) to Interstate 66 at Exit 31. I-66 leads east 45 miles (72 km) to Washington, D.C. and west 24 miles (39 km) to Front Royal.

Highways directly serving The Plains include Virginia State Route 55 and Virginia State Route 245. SR 55 extends east and west, serving as a local service road to nearby Interstate 66, while SR 245 provides the most direct connection to I-66 from The Plains.

Select the Ideal Medical Assistant Program The Plains VA

The Plains VA medical assistant student It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right information on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many colleges offering training these days that you can make a selection based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you decide on 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 Programs. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied in order to evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can ultimately start a gratifying career as a medical assistant in The Plains VA.