How to Select a Medical Assistant School Program near Kenova West Virginia
Now that you have made a decision to enter the rewarding profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Kenova WV, it’s time to choose a college that will provide the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? Many future students begin by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean 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 factors also. You might want to research a few online medical assistant programs as an option also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must finish your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the colleges you are evaluating. And to assist you with that task, we have provided a few questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of training and credentials that are offered.
The Role of Medical Assistants
The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as demanding. Essentially their role is ensure that the Kenova WV clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. Depending on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the physicians, nurses and other health practitioners but may also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Taking vital signs and weighing patients
- Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
- Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
- Providing basic support during exams and procedures
While medical assistants may perform almost any duty they are authorized to under West Virginia law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and attain certification. Two of the choices 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 Courses
In contrast to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many Kenova WV health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two options available for a formal education. The first and fastest way to becoming a medical assistant is to attain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about one year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a clinical element requiring an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are often a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.
Online Medical Assistant Classes
There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are a good alternative for those who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good choice for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an extra benefit, some online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. Just keep in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be met, but they can often be completed in Kenova WV area medical care facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of participating in supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the right option for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is furnished.
Certification Options for Medical Assistants
As earlier stated, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for graduates who want to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it might also help with initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Kenova WV medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained accredited formal training or certification. 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 apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we discussed earlier which are offered by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs
Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must choose which kind of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online at home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some potential students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Kenova WV with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional factors that you should look at when evaluating schools. To assist you with that task, following are a few questions that you need to ask about each of the programs you are thinking about before making your ultimate selection.
Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are many good reasons to ensure that the program you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged 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 qualified to take the CMA examination. Also, 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 prospective Kenova WV employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School’s Passing Rate? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to learn which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will want to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.
Which Programs are Available? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to getting 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 about 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to finish in a junior college or vocational school. Whatever program you choose to pursue, make certain that the colleges you are reviewing offer the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Provided? A large number of medical assistant schools offer internship programs with Kenova WV area medical providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They can also assist students develop relationships within the Kenova health care community. And as an additional perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Offered? Getting that very first job can be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are interviewing offer job placement assistance in the Kenova WV area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a large network of employers to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classes? Class size may be an indication of how much personal instruction you will get throughout your training. Small 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 sit in on a few classes before enrolling in a program to observe what the teaching environment 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 imperative that the school you choose offers classes that fit your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Kenova WV, confirm that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online college, but you will also have to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, 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 Kenova West Virginia?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Kenova WV area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Kenova, West Virginia
Kenova is a city in Wayne County, West Virginia, at the confluence of the Ohio and Big Sandy Rivers. Located near a tristate border, the city's name is a portmanteau of Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia (Va).[6] Founded in 1859 but not incorporated until 1894, the town's early history and development was centered on the railroad industry. It is home to a major Norfolk Southern Ohio River Bridge. CSX Transportation's former Chesapeake and Ohio Kanawha Subdivision travels through the town as well.
The population was 3,216 at the 2010 census. Kenova is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 287,702. New definitions from February 28, 2013 placed the population at 363,000.[7]
The city is also near the site of the Southern Airways Flight 932 aviation disaster. In 1970, a plane carrying the Marshall University football team crashed on a hillside on approach to the Tri-State Airport, killing all on board. A movie about the tragedy, We Are Marshall, was released in 2006.
Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant College Kenova WV
It’s essential to start your new career on the right foot by selecting a medical assistant program that will provide the right training. Whether you’re objective is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must get the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools offering training these days that you can make a selection 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, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Degree Requirements. But irrespective of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision 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 selecting the best program you can subsequently start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Kenova WV.
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