Medical Assistant Schools in West Virginia

Medical Assistants serve an important role in the healthcare industry. As a medical assistant, you will perform a wide variety of tasks such as taking and recording patient’s vital signs, medical histories, explaining treatments and medication, administration of medication, assisting during patient examinations, and collecting and performing laboratory tests.

You will also provide clinical and administrative support services from scheduling appointments to billing clients in the offices of health practitioners. According to the American Association of Medical Assistants and the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assisting is one of the nation’s fastest growing careers.

To learn more about how you can become a medical assistant in West Virginia, request program materials from the schools listed below.

Medical Assistant Education in West Virginia

Getting a well-rounded education and becoming certified are the keys to becoming a successful medical assistant. Enrollment in an accredited school is a requirement for certification by the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Medical assistant programs must be accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and/or the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in order to be eligible to sit for the certification examination with the AAMA.

Accreditation by the ABHES and CAAHEP is important. A medical assistant program in West Virginia that lacks accreditation will not be recognized for certification. Accreditation of the programs assures each school has taken the steps necessary to offer the best medical assisting program available.

Each of the above schools should offer financial assistance for WV medical assisting students. It is important to read the policy of each school regarding their financial aid programs and follow each of their guidelines and deadlines. Applications, guidelines and deadlines can vary from one school to another, so it’s important to contact each WV school to learn about details.

Scholarships and grants are available for medical assistant programs in West Virginia. They are offered through a variety of organizations such as the Maxine Williams Scholarship through American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). The Maxine Williams Scholarship offers $1,000 towards the cost of education and a free one year membership to AAMA. There are other scholarships available and can be found by inquiring at the financial department or with a counselor at college or technical training school.

It is equally important to pay attention to the prerequisites of the programs you are interested in as these can also vary from one school to another. Admission into many of the med assistant training programs in WV require CPR certification, completion of a physical form with documentation of vaccinations and a background check.

Prospective students can anticipate medical assistant programs of study to include many, if not all, of the following courses:

• Pharmacology
• Medical Terminology
• Health Care Laws and Ethics
• Medical Administrative Office Procedures
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Medical Office Finances
• Externships and Clinicals
• Medication Dosage and Calculations
• Medical Coding
• Medical Financial Procedures
• Insurance Procedures

Medical Assisting Careers in West Virginia

Upon successful completion of the educational requirements, certification as a medical assistant can be obtained through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). The AAMA is a nationally recognized organization who not only administers the national exam to become certified, but also requires continuing education credits in order to continue certification. Continuing education credits are beneficial to medical assistants as the courses provide information regarding any changes in local laws, coding or procedures to help you remain the best in your fields of expertise.

Medical assisting is a rewarding career, offering you a role in hands on patient care and interaction. You can play an important role in the medical field by offering a wide variety of skills to not only work with patients but to also do general medical office work and patient scheduling. Job duties and tasks can vary from location to location. Medical assistants typically work with physicians and nurses in facilities such as clinics, medical offices, ambulatory care facilities and outpatient care centers. As a medical assistant, you can play an important role in the health care industry. Contact the schools on our site the offer med assistant programs in WV today to get started.

According to 2014 data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual income of a medical assistant in West Virginia is $25,130, a bit lower than the national average of $31,220. However, the cost of living is also much lower than the national average. Those with certification from the American Association of Medical Assistants can expect greater job opportunities and higher pay.

Listed below are all of the schools offering Medical Assistant programs in West Virginia. As a rule, you should contact at least 3-5 schools during the course of your research, and ideally more. There are important differences between the programs in terms of cost, admissions requirements, and other characteristics, and, as with many things in life, the way to find the best Medical Assistant program for your needs is to spend some time shopping around.

Here Are The Medical Assistant Schools…