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Medical assistants are part of health care teams and they make sure that every patient enjoys a comfortable stay in hospital or clinic. Medical assistant programs in Virginia equip students with skills to that they are able to perform quite a few duties. They are a huge help to licensed practical nurses as well as registered nurses in that they perform many of the humdrum jobs that more senior nurses don’t do. These include things like emptying bedpans, washing patients and feeding them. They also perform administrative tasks. If you are interested in going to school for medical assistant certification in Virginia, you can select from many different colleges in a variety of convenient locations.
Medical assistant programs in Virginia equip students to perform their tasks in an efficient and professional way.
Some of their tasks include:
- drawing blood
- administering medications but only as directed by a physician
- maintaining medical records
- billing and coding
- preparing patients for examination
- recording vital signs
- arranging appointments
Excellent Employment Opportunities For Medical Assistants
Virginia is the oldest American colony and a number of US presidents hail from Virginia. Virginia has a lot to offer people who want to live or holiday there, and Richmond, the capital city is conveniently situated from many of the Commonwealth’s sites. The Commonwealth of Virginia offers excellent employment opportunities for full- and part-time employees to enjoy a high quality of life. They also have excellent colleges and universities, with the oldest college being the College of William and Mary which was founded in 1693 already. The largest university is Liberty University with about 57 000 students. Virginia International University offers graduate programs, undergraduate programs as well as certificate programs. The university is found in Fairfax where the unemployment rate is very low. They offer a high level of training with affordable tuition rates and payment plans.
The American Association of Medical Assistants are able to provide tuition in the form of scholarships for those who are academically eligible. Medical assistant schools in Virginia train medical assistants and provide them with the skills needed to excel in their careers. The medical assistant colleges in Virginia have different entry requirements and their programs may also differ from college to college and some will offer their students an associate’s degree on completion of their program, while others may offer a diploma. There are many different medical assisting colleges in Virgina which are accredited and which also help students with financial aid.
Non Repayable Financial Aid For Students In Virginia
Centura College Virginia Beach for example is recognized by the US Department of Education as a institution of higher education for the purpose of student participation in federal grant and loan programs, and they offer their students financial plans. Students in need of financial assistant can apply for federal financial aid. Non-repayable Federal Pell Grants are available based on financial need. Prospective students and their parents are able to meet with a financial aid officer of the school,and find out about eligibility for the programs.
Make Sure The School Meets Your Needs
When it comes to deciding on the best school for your degree or certificate in medical assisting, you will need to make sure that the school meets your individual needs. You want to make sure it offers a good mixture of medical and administrative courses. Will the programs fit in with your work schedule? To apply at medical schools, colleges or universities in Virginia, you will need a high school diploma.
Certificate and diploma programs in medical assisting can be completed in nine months to one year while an associate degree program will take at least two years to complete. The medical assistant will receive intensive training so that they can handle clinical as well as administrative skills. Once students have graduated, they will be able to sit for the national examination for certification. Training of medical assistants in Virginia is is regulated by the Virginia Department of Health’s Board of Nursing. Training is always split between classroom and clinical studies and there are also continuing education courses that enhance the medical assistant’s salary.
Many Accredited Courses In Virginia To Choose From
There are more than 300 state-approved certified nursing assistant courses in Virginia, and the Virginia Board of Nursing will provide you with a list of approved programs. Anthem College Online for instance offers career-focused diplomas and degrees in a wide variety of fields. You will also find professionals ready to support your quest for a successful career. Anthem College Online offers programs so that students can study at their own pace. They are accredited by the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges & Schools and are able to award Diplomas, Associate Degrees and Bachelor Degrees.
Non-Accreditation Equals No Certification
As a medical assistant, you will want to ensure that the programs you are interested in are all accredited, because without accreditation, you wont be able to write your exams to become certified. You need to enroll in a program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Students who want to take the exam to become a Certified Medical Assistant need to find a school that will prepare them for the test.
It is becoming increasingly important to make sure that the college you attend will prepare you for certification as either as a medical assistant. To take the Certified Medical Assistant exam, you have to attend a Medical Assistant program that has been accredited by the above-mentioned bodies and there are no exceptions to this.
There are also other things to consider when you are looking at medical assistant programs in Virginia. Things like class size are important because you don’t want large classes where you don’t have access to the instructors.
It is always a good idea to research at least three, four or five colleges before you make your selection because there will be differences in terms of what each program offers, the cost of the course, admissions requirements and whether financial aid is available.
Some excellent accredited colleges are:
- Everest College – they offer degrees and programs in health care and their experienced career placement professionals can help you find employment. There are close to 100 Everest campuses throughout the United States, and their medical assistant programs are one of the biggest and most successful programs of its kind in America. Everest has graduated more medical assistant students than any other college in the entire nation. They realize that medical assistants are an important part of a health care team and they offer their medical assistants excellent programs. Training includes patient care, human body systems, CPR, laboratory procedures and administrative tasks. Students also get the chance to participate in 100 hours of hands-on education in a medical setting.
- Westwood College – they have many campuses across California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois and Virginia and an online campus with thousands of students enrolled in their degree programs.
- Bryant & Stratton College – employers will be eager to consider nursing assistants who have graduated from this college. Some of their degree programs allow students to obtain valuable professional certifications and licenses after graduation. They also have their continuing education division where students can take part in various certification, licensing and training programs.
- ECPI University – their curriculum requires maths, writing, reading as well as oral communication in all degree programs. Their medical assisting program prepares students with the knowledge and technical skills for entry-level employment in various health care positions, and students gain proficiency in administrative as well as clinical skills.
- Tidewater Community College – there are more than 25,000 students who attend this Virginia public college. Those taking the medical assistant program are trained and prepared for the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants national exam to become certified medical assistants. Their certificate in medical assisting offers a 3-semester program so that students can become medical assistants in clinics, doctors office’s, hospitals as well as in home care. To complete the program, medical assistant students are required to participate in 320 hours of clinical training.
Conclusion
Medical assistants play an important role in hospitals and other health care institutions, delivering a range of medical services to patients. They are always under the supervision of a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse. The law in Virginia requires that anyone practicing as a medical assistant must hold a license from the board of medicine, and to get this license, you must complete an accredited medical assistant program and get certification from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 10,000 medical assistants employed in 2010 in Virginia, working in hospitals, physicians’ offices as well as health care center, and with the increase in the population, medical assistant programs in Virginia will equip you with all the skills and knowledge needed to confidently take up any position as a medical assistant.