How to Select a Medical Assistant School near Shady Spring West Virginia
Now that you have made a decision to enter the gratifying field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Shady Spring WV, it’s time to choose a school that will provide the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many potential students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical factors as well. You may choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option also (more on that later). The bottom line is that prior to selecting a program you must finish your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to help you with that process, we have included a few questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the responsibilities of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.
The Job of Medical Assistants
The duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Basically their duty is to make sure that the Shady Spring WV hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many duties of a medical assistant include:
- Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
- Setting and confirming appointments
- Weighing and taking patients vital signs
- Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
- Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
- Supplying general support during examinations and procedures
Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under West Virginia law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Medical Assistant Programs
Compared to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, many Shady Spring WV health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially 2 options provided for a formal education. The first and shortest route to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs typically take about 1 year to complete, some as little as six to nine months. They are designed 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 usually two year programs provided at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the certificate or diploma programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a practical component requiring an internship with a local healthcare practice. 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 Schools
There are a number of accredited medical assistant programs offered online too. They are a good option for those 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 option for students who continue to work full-time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on-campus options. Ancillary expenses including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies may be minimized also. Just bear in mind that all requirements for practical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be carried out in Shady Spring WV area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on-campus, then this mode of receiving your training might be the ideal option for you. With the online lessons and the practical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work 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 those who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in obtaining a job after graduation, but it may also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many possible Shady Spring WV 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) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to take the CMA exam, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered as well, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.
Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools
Before you can start examining your medical assistant school options, you need to choose which type of credential you want to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. Once those decisions have been made, you can begin the procedure of researching medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, many prospective students confine their searches to the schools that are closest to Shady Spring WV with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must look at when researching programs. To help you with that task, 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 Course Accredited? There are many great reasons to confirm that the school you enroll in is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you intend to become certified, you must enroll in 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 school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA examination. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are frequently not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of prospective Shady Spring WV employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.
What is the School’s Passage Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification exams. First, you need to find out which of the certifications the schools you are reviewing are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to enroll in a program concentrating 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 ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course schools with low rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.
Which Credentials are Provided? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program and get entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can choose to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately two years to finish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you choose to enroll in, make sure that the schools you are considering provide the type of program you have an interest in.
Are Internships Available? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Shady Spring WV area medical care providers. They are a great means to receive hands-on clinical experience and training. They may also assist students establish relationships within the Shady Spring health care community. And as an added perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.
Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Landing that very first job can be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the Shady Spring WV area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also suggests that it has a large network of contacts to help place students in jobs.
How Big are the Classrooms? Class size can 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 offer greater access to instructors and face to face interaction. If practical, try to attend a few classes before choosing a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and how much attention the students receive.
Is Class Scheduling Accessible? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential 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 Shady Spring WV, make sure that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will still have to schedule any internships or clinical training that may be required. Also, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.
Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Shady Spring West Virginia?
If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Shady Spring WV area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.
Shady Spring, West Virginia
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.1 square miles (15.9 km²), of which, 6.1 square miles (15.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) is water.
The community takes its name from a nearby spring.[5] “The ‘Shady Spring’ was an enduring landmark, never known to ‘run dry’ and served as a focal point for the community, especially for the women, many of whom would come bearing washtubs…,” according to “A History of Shady Spring District." The first business in Shady was the Pioneer Inn and Tavern, established in 1832 by Henry Hull and his brothers. The first official post office was established on Aug. 25, 1925, and the first postmistress was Mrs. Sarah Willis.[6]
General Rutherford B. Hayes, future President of the United States, was in the area during the Civil War. He “described the spring in 1862: ‘A large spring gives the name to this place. The water gushes out copiously, runs on the surface a few rods and runs again into the earth,” according to “Raleigh County: West Virginia” by Jim Wood.[7]
Select the Best Medical Assistant College Shady Spring WV
It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by picking a medical assistant college that will furnish the right training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your life long career, you must obtain the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, make sure that the program you select is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Colleges That Offer Medical Assistant Degrees. But regardless of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have decided to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Shady Spring WV.
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