Medical Assistant Schools in Virginia Beach

For the next 16 years, residents of the Virginia Beach area of Virginia can expect to see positive growth in its healthcare industry thanks to the many “baby boomers” in the area that will be recipients of medical care and assistance. This is good news for a state that is still on the path to economic recovery, and even better news for those seeking employment in this career field. One of the many attractive options to consider, medial assisting provides the possibility of a stable career with diversity and possible growth.

If you’re ready to take the next step in furthering your career and education, request information from the schools on this page to learn more about online programs or local programs in Virginia Beach.

How To Become a Medical Assistant in Virginia Beach

In Virginia Beach, you have access to colleges that emulate the traditional four-year formula, as well as non-traditional colleges and universities where you can earn a degree at your own pace and gain certifications for your current careers. In medical assisting, many programs are made available in the immediate area as well as throughout the state of Virginia where education can come at the pace of the student while allowing them to work on the one to two years it takes to see the program to completion.

If you intend to take the non-traditional route and attend an online college, it is best to have a reliable computer and a steady Internet connection to best meet the demands of your courses.

Before you can be considered for admittance, you must meet certain qualifications as is the case with all post-secondary educational facilities in Virginia. You must be a resident of the state of Virginia who is at least 18 years-old, and have graduated from a recognized high school or have received a GED equivalent certificate of completion.

Medical Assisting as a Career in Virginia Beach

If you choose medical assisting as a career, you will find yourself working in a clinical environment lending aid to doctors of differently medical disciplines, and other medical professionals who administer treatment to patients. These responsibilities shift with the demands of the day, as working in the healthcare field is dynamic.

Areas of Medical Assisting:

Working in the medical assisting field means you must be prepared to tackle scenarios that may seem to fall outside of your line of duties despite strict schedules and routines. However, there are narrow focuses in medical assisting where different roles are doled out.

Many think of clinical medical assisting when learning about the field and it is one of the most common employment routes for recent graduates. This role consists of running the outpatient clinic or clinical environment by dealing with patients on a personal level. This includes communicating on behalf of the doctor the patient is there to see, taking vital information such as blood pressure and weight, and other responsibilities needed before they are seen.

Clinical medical assistants can also expand their roles by becoming a specialized medical assistant. As the name suggests, these medical assistants have an area of focus that makes them better suited to operate within a specific medical environment as opposed to a clinical medical assistant. These specializations are broad much like the specializations of physicians and surgeons that make them best suited to work in cardiology, urology, or reconstruction. These specializations work best for outpatient facilities where patients receive continued care and medical assistants are expected to be familiar with the broad needs of their patients.

Another popular route for MAs is to be an Administrative Medical Assistants. These medical assistants help run daily administrative tasks and focus on clerical work much like an assistant in a corporate environment. Their responsibilities consist of handling payments, collecting and processing insurance information, scheduling patient appointments, and contacting other medical facilities as a clinic representative.

Job Outlook for Medical Assistants in Virginia

The state of Virginia expects an increase in the healthcare industry until the year 2030. This growth takes into account the increase of the aging population spread across the state. As many in this age demographic take advantage of outpatient clinics and smaller facilities with regularity, medical assistants may experience an increase in hiring.

As listed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assistants in the Virginia Beach metro earn a median annual salary of $29,580 (2016). With the expanded healthcare industry they expect to occur within the state, this figure is expected to expand.

Salary numbers provided are from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.