Certified Medical Assistant Triangle VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Enroll In a Medical Assistant School Program near Triangle Virginia

Triangle VA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to join the rewarding field of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Triangle VA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the best one? A number of prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical issues as well. You may want to take a look at some online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The bottom line is that before you select a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all important aspects of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished a few 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 responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are offered.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Triangle VA nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Triangle VA clinics, hospitals and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other medical professionals but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the possible functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Scheduling and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Supplying general support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants can perform almost any activity 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) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Programs

In contrast to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Triangle 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 generally two options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are created to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges together with technical and vocational schools. They are more comprehensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical component involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Medical Assistant Online Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Triangle VA There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are a good choice for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced as well. But remember that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be carried out in Triangle VA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the best choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to achieve proficiency to work as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for those who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in securing employment after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Triangle VA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained accredited formal training or certification. One of the most popular and perhaps 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 examination, a candidate must have graduated or will graduate 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.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Triangle VA medical assistant programs Prior to examining your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to choose which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online at home. After those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, many students restrict their searches to the schools that are closest to Triangle VA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you need to look at when researching schools. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your final choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to verify that the program you choose is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, a number of prospective Triangle 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 schools create their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you need to learn which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will want to choose a program focused on that certification. Second, learn what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is just one of the means to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will want to avoid.

Which Programs are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can opt to obtain an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the colleges you are considering offer the type of program you have an interest in.

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

Is Job Placement Service Offered? Landing that very first job can be a difficult task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Confirm that the colleges you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Triangle VA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it indicates that it has a good reputation within the medical community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may 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 one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a program to see what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s imperative that the school you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Triangle VA, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still need to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Triangle Virginia?

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

Triangle, Virginia

Triangle is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 8,188 at the 2010 census. It is bounded to the south by the Marine Corps Base Quantico, which surrounds the town of Quantico.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.8 km²), all of it land. It is bounded to the north and west by the town of Dumfries. It is bounded to the west by Prince William Forest Park and to the east by the Potomac River.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 5,500 people, 2,196 households, and 1,341 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,088.5 people per square mile (807.4/km²). There were 2,318 housing units at an average density of 880.2/sq mi (340.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 61.07% White, 28.33% African American, 0.49% Native American, 2.87% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 3.58% from other races, and 3.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.42% of the population.

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Program Triangle VA

Triangle 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 appropriate training. Whether you’re objective is to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right information on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, confirm that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Certified Medical Assistant. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided 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 begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Triangle VA.