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Stepful’s Virginia Medical Assistant Program is an online, 4-month program that prepares students to pass their Certified Clinical Medical Assisting (CCMA) exam.
Using a combination of live instruction, virtual simulations, quizzes, and other tools, our classes help students understand and retain everything they need to know to become a medical assistant.
Classes cover topics including infection control, human anatomy and physiology, phlebotomy, EKG measurements, and more.
In addition to our convenient schedule and easy-to-follow class structure, Stepful has partnerships with over 8,000 clinics across the Nation, allowing us to find a convenient externship site for every student.*
*Must be available during regular working hours | Mon to Fri, min 20 hours per week
*Must be in good academic and financial standing
Before starting on the journey to becoming a medical assistant, you must either complete high school or pass a GED exam. Many online programs are available if you did not finish high school or need an alternative option.
While formal training is not always required, most healthcare organizations want to hire medical assistants who have earned a certificate. Medical assistants who complete a training course will be more confident in patient care skills such as EKG measurements, sterility, infection control, medical billing, and phlebotomy.
In Virginia, students can choose to complete either a certification-only program or earn an associate degree. Certification programs can be completed through a trade school or online in just a few months. They prepare you for a certification exam and focus on medical assisting coursework.
Stepful’s Medical Assistant Training Program offers an affordable and flexible option for students. This online program can be completed in just four months, costs significantly less than traditional degree programs, and includes job placement assistance.
Degree programs take two years to complete and may cost over $10,000. They prepare students for the same examinations as certificate-only programs but include other classes such as language, humanities, and fine arts.
No state or government agency requires medical assistants to earn a degree before working with patients.
Training programs, especially online programs like Stepful, help students find an externship opportunity. Externships allow students to shadow a working medical assistant, practice their hands-on skills, and gain confidence while working with patients.
Externships typically last between 60 -100 hours, and students spend full working days with their externship coach. This experience is not only great for learning opportunities, but they offer a great way to connect with potential employers and other medical assistants.
Organizations in Virginia that offer externship opportunities to medical assistants may include Inova Healthcare and Agusta Health.
After completing classroom hours and finishing your externship, you’ll be ready to take your medical assisting certification exam. No matter what type of training program you choose, you should be prepared to take one of the most common medical assistant certification exams.
Certification exams include the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) offered by the American Medical Technologists, the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association, and the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants.
Each of these exams contains about 150-200 questions and has a similar level of difficulty, cost, and passing rate. Once you have earned a certificate, you will need to keep up with your annual continuing education requirements.
When you are ready to look for a job, consider using websites like Monster, Glassdoor, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter. Medical assistants in Virginia can also browse specific healthcare organization websites or search on the Virginia State Website.
In addition, if you choose a program with Stepful, we can assist you in your job search with interview preparation and resume support.
Virginia law does not require medical assistants to complete a formal training program or earn a certification.
While certification isn't required in Virginia, most medical assistants find that certification is worth it. Research shows that 81% of healthcare organizations prefer to hire certified assistants, according to the NHA.
Medical assistants in Virginia are not required to register with the state or obtain a license before working in healthcare.
The Veterans Health Administration has set a few guidelines about what medical assistants in Virginia should not do. The most strict rules have to do with medication administration.
Whether or not they have a certification, medical assistants in Virginia are not permitted to give patients:
Medical assistants in Virginia are permitted to perform tasks that are delegated to them by a licensed medical provider as long as they have been trained and are capable of performing the task and the outcome of the task is somewhat predictable.
These specific tasks include:
Administrative Responsibilities
As of May 2023, there are currently about 16,100 medical assisting jobs in the state, or 4.04 per 1,000 residents. Virginia cities with the highest number of medical assistants include Richmond and Virginia Beach.
Medical assistants in Virginia earn a decent salary. The median salary for medical assistants in Virginia is $40,240 per year or $19.34 per hour. Medical assistants in Virginia State have an average pay of $19.83 per hour or $46,161 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job opportunities for all healthcare jobs are expected to increase by 12% between 2023 and 2033. The job outlook for medical assistants is even better than that, with job opportunities expected to increase by 15% from 2023 to 2033. This is much higher than the average job growth for other jobs across the country (4%).
The Virginia Society of Medical Assistants is a branch of the American Association of Medical Assistants. They host an annual conference, encourage networking and collaboration, offer continuing education courses, and post job openings.
Other organizations that support medical assistants in Virginia include the National Healthcareer Association, American Medical Technologists, and American Association of Medical Assistants.
