Medical Assistant Education Yorktown VA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Pick a Medical Assistant Training Program near Yorktown Virginia

Yorktown VA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have made a decision to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Yorktown VA, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the right training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Most potential students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their homes and then lean toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors also. You may decide to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more about that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you need to finish your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have provided some questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are available.

The Role of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Yorktown VA nursing home patient The responsibilities of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Basically their job is to make sure that the Yorktown VA hospitals, clinics and other medical care centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for giving direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical professionals but can also be found performing duties in an office or at the front desk. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Filling out insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Giving basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Virginia law, some elect to specialize in a specific 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

In contrast to many other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not required to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many Yorktown VA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 options offered for a formal education. The first and quickest path to becoming a medical assistant is to earn a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about a year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are designed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to attain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They usually have a clinical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. 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 Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Yorktown VA There are many accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are an excellent option for those who may not have the 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 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 options. Supplemental expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be reduced as well. But remember that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be performed in Yorktown VA area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on campus, then this mode of getting your education may be the ideal choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Programs for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. Many potential Yorktown VA medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not received certification or accredited formal training. The most popular and possibly the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA exam, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Concerns to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Yorktown VA medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you have to determine which kind of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those decisions have been made, you can start the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Yorktown VA with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifications, they are not the only ones. There are a number of additional considerations that you should explore when evaluating schools. To help you with that process, below are a few questions that you should ask about each of the programs you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps guarantee that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the approved agencies for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your program is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Yorktown VA employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you must determine which of the certifications the schools you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to enroll in a program focused on that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. This is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with low rates are ones that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two paths to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and get entry level training in the fastest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is closer to 1 year. Or you can elect to obtain an Associate Degree and receive a broader education that will require approximately 2 years to complete in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to pursue, make sure that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Yorktown VA area healthcare providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Yorktown health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Supplied? Finding that first job can be a challenging task for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Yorktown VA area and ask what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of contacts to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much individual instruction you will receive during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide greater access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to attend a couple of classes before selecting a program to observe what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant school while you continue working full-time, it’s important that the college you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Yorktown VA, confirm that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online program, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that will be required. Additionally, find out what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Yorktown Virginia?

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

Yorktown, Virginia

Yorktown is a census-designated place (CDP) in York County, Virginia, United States. It is the county seat of York County,[3] one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1682. Yorktown's population was 195 as of the 2010 census, while York County's population was 66,134 in the 2011 census estimate.

The town is most famous as the site of the siege and subsequent surrender of General Charles Cornwallis to General George Washington and the French Fleet during the American Revolutionary War on October 19, 1781. Although the war would last for another year, this British defeat at Yorktown effectively ended the war. Yorktown also figured prominently in the American Civil War (1861–1865), serving as a major port to supply both northern and southern towns, depending upon who held Yorktown at the time.

Today, Yorktown is one of three sites of the Historic Triangle, which also includes Jamestown and Williamsburg as important colonial-era settlements. It is the eastern terminus of the Colonial Parkway connecting these locations. Yorktown is also the eastern terminus of the TransAmerica Trail, a bicycle touring route created by the Adventure Cycling Association.

Enroll in the Right Medical Assistant Program Yorktown VA

Yorktown VA medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in 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 life long career, you must obtain the right 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 discussed in this article, make sure that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly important if you intend on taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Education. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan 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 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 Yorktown VA.