How Long Does It Take To Become A Medical Assistant Waterford VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant Program near Waterford Virginia

Waterford VA medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to enter the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Waterford VA, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you ultimately pick the right one? Most prospective students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important factors also. You may decide to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a college you need to complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that process, we have provided some questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are offered.

The Job of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Waterford VA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Essentially their job is to make sure that the Waterford VA hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with giving direct assistance to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the many responsibilities 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 samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for doctors
Supplying basic support during exams and procedures

Although medical assistants can perform almost any duty they are qualified to under Virginia law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and attain 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

Unlike most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, a number of Waterford 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 two choices offered for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs normally take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs provided at junior and community colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They frequently have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Waterford VA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are an excellent option for students who might not have the time to go to classes on campus but could work them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue working full time while pursuing their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online schools have lower tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for textbooks, commuting and school supplies might be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Waterford VA area medical facilities. If you can learn without the formal structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the best option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in attaining employment after graduation, but it can also help with initial salary negotiations. Some possible Waterford 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 examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available as well, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Points to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Waterford VA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school alternatives, you need to determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the process of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many potential students confine their searches to the colleges that are closest to Waterford VA with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are not the only ones. There are several additional issues that you should examine when assessing programs. To assist you with that process, below are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are a number of great reasons to confirm that the school you enroll in is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your school is not accredited by either of these agencies, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are normally not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as previously mentioned, many prospective Waterford VA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. To start with, you must find out which of the certifications the schools you are considering are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to select 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. Doing this is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with lower rates are those that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose 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 elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to enroll in, verify that the schools you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Waterford VA area health care providers. They are an excellent way to receive hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Waterford healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Landing that very first job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they have some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Waterford VA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care 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 indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive throughout your training. Smaller 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 practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before choosing a college to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s essential that the school you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Waterford VA, make sure that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will also need to schedule any internships or clinical training that might be required. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to work, illness or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Waterford Virginia?

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

Waterford, Virginia

Waterford is an unincorporated village in the Catoctin Valley of Loudoun County, Virginia, located along Catoctin Creek. Waterford is 47 miles (76 km) northwest of Washington, D.C., and 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Leesburg. The entire village and surrounding countryside is a National Historic Landmark District, noted for its well-preserved 18th and 19th-century character.

Waterford was established around 1733 by Amos Janney, a Quaker from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Janney purchased 400 acres (1.6 km2) on the south fork of Catoctin Creek and established a grist mill and saw mill in the area in the 1740s. Due to the success of the mills, the settlement became known as "Janney's Mill". The town grew quickly as a center of commerce for growers of grain. [5]

Amos Janney died in 1747, leaving his estate to his sixteen-year-old son, Mahlon. Mahlon replaced the original log mill with a two-story structure. The village continued to grow, and in 1780, 12 acres (49,000 m2) on the south side of Main Street were subdivided into 15 lots, upon which shops and homes were built. By the 1790s, the village was known as Waterford, named after the city of Waterford, in Ireland, where some of its founders had once lived before immigrating to the United States. New residents continued to come from Pennsylvania, as Quakers were followed by Presbyterians, Lutherans, Baptists, and Methodists. Waterford was also populated by African-Americans, both free and enslaved.[6]

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Waterford VA

Waterford VA medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant school that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of colleges offering training these days that you can make a decision based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in How Long Does It Take To Become A 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 supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the best program you can subsequently begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in Waterford VA.