Tag Archives: Top Accredited Medical Assistant Courses Shabbona IL 60550

Medical Assistant Courses Near Me Shabbona IL

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant School Program near Shabbona Illinois

Shabbona IL medical assistant checking pulseOnce you have made a decision to become a part of the gratifying profession of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near Shabbona IL, it’s time to choose a school that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you undertake comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the right one? Most future students begin by researching the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While cost and location are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important factors as well. You might decide to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a college you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant qualifications of the schools you are assessing. And to assist you with that process, we have included several questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your short list. But before we start that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Function of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Shabbona IL nursing home patientThe duties of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as challenging. Primarily their role is ensure that the Shabbona IL clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are tasked with providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the possible duties of a medical assistant include:

  • Filling out insurance forms and submitting claims
  • Scheduling and confirming appointments
  • Taking vital signs and weighing patients
  • Taking blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
  • Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
  • Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants can carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Illinois law, some elect to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the choices offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) made available by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training

Compared to many other medical practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Shabbona IL health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are generally 2 choices provided for a formal education. The first and shortest path to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about 1 year to complete, a few as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are usually 2 year programs available at community and junior colleges as well as vocational and technical schools. They are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include liberal arts courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They usually have a practical element requiring an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Classes

woman attending medical assistant school online in Shabbona ILThere are a number of accredited medical assistant programs accessible online too. They are an excellent alternative for students who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue working full-time while attaining their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can typically be carried out in Shabbona IL area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your education may be the ideal choice for you. Between the online courses and the clinical training, everything necessary to attain proficiency to work as a medical assistant is furnished.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent option for individuals who wish to advance their careers. It will not only help in attaining a position after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential Shabbona IL medical employers just will not hire a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and arguably the most highly regarded certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to sit for the CMA examination, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, including the CCMA and the CMAA that we discussed earlier which are provided by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask Shabbona IL medical assistant programsPrior to reviewing your medical assistant school options, you have to choose which type of credential you would like to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on-campus or online from home. As soon as those decisions have been made, you can begin the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, some students limit their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Shabbona IL with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you must examine when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many good reasons to make certain that the program you choose is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you intend to become certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the acknowledged organizations for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your school is not accredited by either of these organizations, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, many prospective Shabbona IL employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to ready students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you need to find out which of the certifications the programs you are reviewing are preparing their students for. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then naturally you will need to choose a program focused on that certification. Next, ask what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is one of the means to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Naturally programs with lower rates are those that you will want to eliminate.

Which Programs are Offered? As we covered earlier, there are generally two paths to getting medical assistant training. You can select a certificate or diploma program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can elect to acquire an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will take approximately 2 years to finish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you decide to pursue, verify that the colleges you are considering offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Available? A large number of medical assistant programs sponsor internship programs with Shabbona IL area healthcare providers. They are a great way to receive hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the Shabbona health care community. And as an additional benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Getting that very first job can be a difficult undertaking for medical assistant school graduates unless they receive a little assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the colleges you are researching offer job placement assistance in the Shabbona IL area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has a good reputation within the health care community. It also signifies that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classes? Class size can be an indicator of how much personal attention you will receive throughout your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to offer increased access to instructors and face to face interaction. If convenient, try to attend a couple of classes before choosing a school to observe what the teaching environment is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Practical? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work full time, it’s important that the program you enroll in provides classes that fit your schedule. If you need to go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Shabbona IL, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in easier with an online school, but you will still have to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Also, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss because of illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Shabbona Illinois?

If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the Shabbona IL area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.

Shabbona, Illinois

The village takes its name from the Potawatomi chief and peacemaker Shabbona. Chief Shabbona traveled through the Fox Valley warning the white people about the approaching war Black Hawk was going to wage. He was hailed as the "Whiteman's Friend".

In 2006, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation reacquired 128 acres of its original, historic 1,280-acre Shab-eh-nay Reservation in Shabbona. On February 20, 2008, the DeKalb County Board approved an Intergovernmental Agreement between the Nation and DeKalb County by a vote of 16 to 7.[3]

According to the 2010 census, Shabbona has a total area of 0.831 square miles (2.15 km2), of which 0.83 square miles (2.15 km2) (or 99.88%) is land and 0.001 square miles (0.00 km2) (or 0.12%) is water.[5]

Enroll in the Best Medical Assistant Training Shabbona IL

Shabbona IL medical assistant studentIt’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant college that will furnish the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in healthcare starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate info on available programs prior to making your decision. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a decision based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have addressed in this article, make certain that the program you choose is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Courses Near Me. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the right program you can subsequently begin a rewarding career as a medical assistant in Shabbona IL.

More Medical Locations in Illinois

  • Becoming A Medical Assistant Mascoutah IL
  • Certified Medical Assistant Classes Momence IL
  • Medical Assistant Course Madison IL
  • Evening Medical Assistant Programs East Saint Louis IL
  • How To Become A Medical Assistant Forrest IL
  • Medical Assistant Education Needed Niantic IL
  • Medical Assistant How Long Mount Carroll IL
  • Medical Assistant School Requirements Union IL
  • Certified Medical Assistant Course Strasburg IL
  • Medical Assistant Vocational Schools Amboy IL
  •  

     

    The location could not be found.

     

    Business Results 1 - 10 of 15

    Take Care Clinic
    3 Reviews
    Medical Centers
    Phone:
    1340 Dekalb Ave, Walgreens, Sycamore, IL 60178

    Peak Medical Home Care
    3 Reviews
    Home Health Care
    Phone:
    4777 E State St, Ste 4, Rockford, IL 61108

    First Choice Caregivers
    1 Reviews
    Personal Care Services, Home Health Care, Physical Therapy
    Phone:
    Belvidere, IL 61008

    Transitions Hospice
    1 Reviews
    Hospice, Home Health Care
    Phone:
    12040 Raymond Ct, Huntley, IL 60142

    JourneyCare CareCenter
    2 Reviews
    Hospice, Home Health Care
    Phone:
    527 W S St, Woodstock, IL 60098

    Abraham Shashoua, MD
    79 Reviews
    Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Urologists
    Phone:
    3000 N Halsted St, Ste 405, Chicago, IL 60657

    European Service At Home
    4 Reviews
    Home Health Care, Medical Transportation, Retirement Homes
    Phone:
    49 W Slade St, Palatine, IL 60067

    NewAge Home Health
    1 Reviews
    Home Health Care
    Phone:
    205 W Grand Ave, Ste 108, Bensenville, IL 60106

    Fibroid Treatment Collaborative
    2 Reviews
    Urologists, Medical Centers
    Phone:
    3000 N Halsted St, Ste 405, Chicago, IL 60657

    Active Homemakers
    1 Reviews
    Personal Care Services
    Phone:
    5009 W 95th St, Ste B, Oak Lawn, IL 60453