If you’re looking for a profession that can lead to a rewarding career in healthcare, medical assisting may be the right choice.
Before being ready to work as a medical assistant, there are a variety of clinical and administrative skills you need to learn.
You can prepare for a career in this field through a post-secondary training program at a community college or trade school in less than a year.
To help you choose the program that best meets your learning style and career aspirations, on this page we have compiled information about the top medical assisting training programs in West Virginia.
1Ross Medical Education Center
About the School
Ross Medical Education Center has a campus in Charleston, which is home to a large network of hospitals, specialty clinics, pharmacies, and research centers.
The school is located just off the West Virginia Turnpike.
Courses Offered
The Medical Assistant program available at Ross Medical Education Center helps students learn the necessary clinical and administrative skills for a career in this field.
The program can be completed in 30 weeks by day students and in 36 weeks by evening students.
Students are also required to complete a six-week externship.
This gives them a chance to apply what they have learned and practiced in the classroom to a real setting.
Among many other classes, students take:
- Introduction to the Office Laboratory
- Medical Office Procedures
- Medical Terminology/Anatomy & Physiology
- Fundamentals of Assisting
- Keyboarding
- Urinalysis
- Administration of Medicine
- Financial Recordkeeping
- Medical Insurance Billing Procedures
- Hematology
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 5707 MacCorkle Avenue Southeast, Charleston, WV 25304
- Phone: (304) 925-5645
- Website: https://rosseducation.edu
2West Virginia Junior College
About the School
Established in Charleston in 1892, West Virginia Junior College has campuses in Morgantown and Bridgeport.
The college is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools to award associate degrees and diplomas.
Courses Offered
The college provides a Clinical Medical Assistant program that prepares students for a career in two years or less.
Students enrolled in this program have access to interactive medical labs and hands-on technical training.
Medical externships are also available at the school.
During the program, students learn the skills and knowledge to:
- Obtain the patient’s vital signs
- Assist Physicians or Nurses with Physical Exams
- Obtain Laboratory Specimens
- Perform Phlebotomy
- Sterilize Medical Equipment
- Perform Injections
- Perform EKGs
- Conduct Medical Research and Writing
- And more
The school also prepares students for certain National Healthcareer Association certification exams.
Students are qualified to sit for certifications as:
- Certified Clinical Medical Assistant
- Certified EKG Technician
- Certified Phlebotomy Technician
Contact Information
- Address: 148 Willey ST. Morgantown, WV 26505
- Phone: 304-842-4007
- Website: https://www.wvjc.edu
3Blue Ridge Community and Technical College
About the School
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College provide more than 60 degree and certificate programs.
The school has a 14:1 student-faculty ratio to provide students with the attention they need.
The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
In-state tuition is $172 per hour effective fall 2022.
High school students pay $25 per hour while senior citizens pay $86 per hour.
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College were independently accredited by the Higher Learning Commission in February 2005.
Courses Offered
The following programs are available at the college:
- Associate Degree Programs:
- Medical Assisting: Medical Assisting Foundation
- Medical Assisting: Nursing Foundation
- Medical Assisting: Rehabilitation Foundation
- Medical Assisting Certificate
The Medical Assisting Certificate program gives students the opportunity to develop real-time competencies in administration, clinical procedures, and other medical assisting skills through practical and academic training.
The Certificate requires 39 credit hours and can be completed in one year.
Students learn about anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, medical law and ethics, critical evaluation of patient care and administrative scenarios, effective communication with patients, and healthcare teams, and many other topics.
Contact Information
- Address: 13650 Apple Harvest Drive Martinsburg, WV 25403
- Phone: 304-260-4380
- Website: https://www.blueridgectc.edu
4Valley College
About the School
Valley College offers various online programs administered by Valley College Martinsburg, West Virginia Campus.
The college offers programs that prepare students for new careers in as few as five weeks.
Courses Offered
The college’s catalog includes a nine-month online professional Medical Administrative Assistant Training Program.
Students learn how to perform administrative and clerical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other healthcare settings running smoothly.
Among other topics, students learn about Medical Office Procedures, Medical Terminology, Interpersonal Skills, Record-Keeping, Customer Service, Data Entry, and more.
Valley College is an approved testing site for NHA certifications.
After graduating from the program, students may choose to enhance their credentials by taking the CMAA Certification Exam.
Students may learn on their own schedule.
They also receive personalized instruction from dedicated instructors and also have access to an Online Student Success Coach.
Contact Information
- Address: 1259 Stafford Drive, Princeton, WV 24740
- Phone: 304-579-8767
- Website: https://valley.edu
5Mountwest Community and Technical College
About the School
Mountwest Community and Technical College offer programs that prepare students for careers in high-demand fields.
The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission North Central Association.
Students can choose between more than 50 one-year certificate and associate degree programs.
Courses Offered
An Allied Health Occupations program that leads to a Certificate of Applied Science is available at the school.
The program includes 30 credit hours.
The curriculum includes the following classes:
- Medical Terminology
- Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology
- Fundamentals of Computers
- Allied Health Electives
- Social Science Elective
- And more
The certificate includes a minimum of 18 general education credit hours and 12 allied health credit hours.
The college has an open admission policy which means that applicants with a high school diploma or GED are eligible for admission.
Applicants with neither a high school diploma nor GED may be admitted on a conditional basis.
Contact Information
- Address: One Mountwest Way, Huntington, WV 25701
- Phone: 304-710-3140
- Website: https://www.mctc.edu
6Laurel College of Technology
About the School
Laurel College of Technology provides training programs at its Morgantown, West Virginia campus.
The college is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.
Courses Offered
The School of Healthcare at Laurel provides a variety of educational programs to help students start or advance their careers in medical billing and coding, respiratory therapy, clinical medical assistance, veterinary assistant, nursing, and more.
The Diploma program in Clinical Medical Assistant mixes clinical and administrative skills and prepares students for work under the direction of a physician.
A clinical medical assistant’s duties usually include:
- Taking medical histories
- Recording vital signs
- Providing patient education
- Assisting in the collection and analysis of laboratory specimens
- Scheduling appointments
- Receiving and processing patients in the office
- Maintaining medical records
- And more
Graduates are prepared to take certification tests from the National Center for Competency Testing for CMA and phlebotomy certifications.
The curriculum includes courses such as Clinical Office Operations, Pharmacology, Medical Terminology, Pathophysiology, Medical Law & Ethics for Healthcare, Anatomy & Physiology, Medical Office Procedures, Electronic Medical Records, and more.
Contact Information
- Address: 200 Wedgewood Drive Morgantown, WV 26505
- Phone: 304-381-4097
- Website: https://www.laurel.edu
7Garnet Career Center
About the School
Garnet Career Center provides adult learners with the educational opportunities needed to achieve their professional and career goals.
The center has moved to Ben Franklin Career Center and provides in-demand programs, highly-qualified instructors, and industry-approved training.
Garnet Career Center is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education.
Courses Offered
The Medical Assistant program available at Garnet Career Center prepares students for their certification exams and the workplace.
The program lasts six months and starts in July and January.
Students have to complete 100 hours of clinical hours after completion of class before taking their exam.
Clinical rotations take place at a variety of local agencies.
Applicants need:
- Copy of High School Diploma or GED and copy of Photo I.D.
- Entrance Exam- TABE Test
- Agreement to take a drug screen and criminal background check before clinical experience
This program costs approximately $4,260 and includes tuition, registration fee, application fee, lab fee, books/laptop, club fee, tests/certifications, background check/drug screening, activity fee, and parking fee.
Contact Information
- Address: 422 Dickinson Street, Charleston, WV 25301
- Phone: (304) 348-6195
- Website: https://gcc.kana.k12.wv.us
8Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College
About the School
Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College provides students with personalized attention and custom solutions.
The programs are tailored for first-time students, those who take classes to transfer to a four-year college or university, and individuals who need immediate skills training.
Courses Offered
A Clinical Medical Assistant program that includes 150 course contact hours is available at the school.
This program includes subject areas such as Medical Terminology, Medical Assistant/Admin, EKG Technician, and Phlebotomy Technician.
The Medical Assistant program costs approximately $2,195 and can be completed in 16 weeks, by students who attend two evenings per week and two Saturdays per month.
An Allied Health Care Certificate in Applied Science is also available at the college.
This program includes 30 credit hours.
Students learn a variety of skills, including:
- How to apply basic computer skills related to allied health careers
- Appreciate the person as a holistic being
- Discuss health-related issues
- Demonstrate effective communication skills and computational skills
Tuition at Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College is $3,840 for West Virginia residents, based on two full-time semesters (12 credit hours).
Contact Information
- Address: 316 Eastern Drive, Moorefield, West Virginia 26836
- Phone: 304-434-8000
- Website: https://easternwv.edu
9New River Community and Technical College
About the School
New River Community and Technical College serve nine counties in southeast and south-central West Virginia.
The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Courses Offered
The college provides a Medical Assisting Associate in Applied Science program.
This two-year program prepares students to work in a variety of healthcare settings, incorporating both clinical and administrative facilities.
Clinical duties may include direct patient care, assisting with invasive and non-invasive procedures as well as administration of medications.
Administrative duties include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing and coding information, and more.
The program is available at the Greenbrier Valley Campus, Mercer County Campus, Nicholas County Campus, and Raleigh County Campus.
Graduates are qualified to sit for the National HealthCareer Association Certifications Exam.
Students are required to take classes such as Composition, Fundamentals of Medical Assisting, Medical Terminology, College Algebra, Intro to Anatomy & Physiology, Medical Diagnosis Coding, Interpersonal Communications, and more.
Contact Information
- Address: 280 University Dr, Beaver, WV 25813
- Phone: 866.349.3739
- Website: https://www.newriver.edu
10West Virginia Northern Community College
About the School
West Virginia Northern Community College provides affordable programs that help students launch careers in a variety of fields.
The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission through 2022 and 2023.
Courses Offered
The following Medical Assisting programs are available at the college:
- Medical Assisting, Administrative Medical Assistant, C.A.S.
- Medical Assisting, Clinical Medical Assistant, A.A.S.
The Medical Assisting, Administrative Medical Assistant, C.A.S. prepares students for the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant credential.
Students are also eligible to apply for admission to the Clinical Medical Assistant Associate in Applied Science Degree program at WVNCC.
The curriculum includes courses such as:
- Medical Terminology
- Disease Process Applications
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Electronic Health Records
- Microsoft Applications
- Basic Diagnostic and Procedural Coding
- And more
The Clinical Medical Assistant program covers clinical procedures for entry-level employment in medical ambulatory care settings.
Campus lab preparatory experiences and a 160-hour supervised and unpaid practicum give students the opportunity for hands-on training in outpatient medical procedures.
Contact Information
- Address: Wheeling Campus, 1704 Market Street, Wheeling, WV 26003
- Phone: 304.214.8830
- Website: https://www.wvncc.edu
Regional Salary in West Virginia
Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beckley, WV | 280 | $31,420 | $15.11 | $36,350 | $24,550 |
Charleston, WV | 590 | $34,460 | $16.57 | $39,820 | $28,910 |
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 990 | $35,450 | $17.04 | $43,640 | $28,880 |
Morgantown, WV | 580 | $35,950 | $17.29 | $42,590 | $29,710 |
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | 230 | $33,140 | $15.93 | $39,010 | $28,120 |
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 240 | $34,040 | $16.36 | $40,090 | $26,420 |
Wheeling, WV-OH | 300 | $35,320 | $16.98 | $40,050 | $29,450 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Final Thoughts
West Virginia provides a variety of career training programs for students who want to start rewarding careers as medical assistants.
Choosing the format that best meets your career aspirations and learning style can be a difficult and time-consuming task.
To help you in this process, on this page we have compiled information about the best programs in the region.
Now that you have read our list, the next step is to continue the research and choose the program that works best for you.