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How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Training School near Roselle Illinois

Roselle IL medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to enter the rewarding profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Roselle IL, it’s time to select a school that will provide the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the ideal one? Most prospective students start by evaluating the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are important issues as well. You might want to look into a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that before you select a program you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are evaluating. And to help you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to ask all of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the function of a medical assistant and the type of training and credentials that are available.

The Duties of Medical Assistants

medical assistant with Roselle IL nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Primarily their function is ensure that the Roselle IL clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they work run successfully. 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 nurses, doctors and other health practitioners but may also be found working at the front desk or in an office. Some of the many responsibilities of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Taking blood and other fluid and tissue specimens
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Supplying general support during examinations and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any activity they are qualified to under Illinois law, some choose to specialize in a specific area and obtain certification. Two of the options available are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

Compared to many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become licensed, certified, or to have a college degree. However, a number of Roselle IL health care employers choose to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (more on accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two options provided for a formal education. The first and fastest path to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are usually two year programs offered at junior and community colleges in addition to technical and vocational schools. They are more extensive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They frequently have a practical element involving an internship with a local healthcare facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be applied to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Colleges

woman attending medical assistant school online in Roselle IL There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs offered online as well. They are a good option for students who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could work them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good option for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online schools have lower tuitions than the more traditional on-campus alternatives. Ancillary expenses including those for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be reduced as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can often be performed in Roselle IL area medical care facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this method of getting your education might be the right option for you. With the online classes and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good option for individuals who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in securing a position after graduation, but it can also enhance initial salary negotiations. A number of potential Roselle IL medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). To qualify to take the CMA examination, a candidate must have graduated or will be graduating within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Alternative certifications are offered as well, such as the CCMA and the CMAA that we previously mentioned which are provided by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Colleges

Questions to ask Roselle IL medical assistant programs Prior to evaluating your medical assistant school options, you have to decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you want to attend classes on campus or online from home. Once those choices have been made, you can start the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to Roselle IL with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional considerations that you need to look at when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, following are a few questions that you should ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Program Accredited? There are many good reasons to verify that the college you select is accredited. To start with, accreditation helps ensure that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to complete an accredited program. Two of the approved organizations for accreditation are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). If your school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be eligible to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate applying for a student loan or financial aid, they are often not offered for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, a number of potential Roselle IL employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passage Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must learn which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students for. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then obviously you will need to choose a program concentrating on that certification. Second, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. Doing this is just one of the methods to help evaluate the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with lower rates are ones that you will prefer to avoid.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to acquiring medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, however the average is about 1 year. Or you can elect to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take about two years to accomplish in a community college or vocational school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, verify that the colleges you are reviewing provide the kind of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant programs offer internship programs with Roselle IL area medical care providers. They are a great way to obtain hands-on clinical training and experience. They may also assist students build relationships within the Roselle health care community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Supplied? Finding that very first job may be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have some help from a job placement program. Confirm that the schools you are interviewing provide job placement assistance in the Roselle IL area and ask what their placement rate is. If a program has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it indicates that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classes? Class size might be an indicator of how much personal instruction you will receive during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish increased access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a program to witness what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant college while you continue to work full-time, it’s imperative that the program you enroll in offers classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near Roselle IL, verify that those times are available. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online school, but you will also have to schedule any internships or practical training that might be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you might have to miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Roselle Illinois?

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

Roselle, Illinois

Roselle is a suburb of Chicago and is a village located in both DuPage County and Cook in Illinois, United States. Located in the northeastern part of the state, Roselle was first incorporated in 1922 and is a bedroom community, with residents generally commuting to Chicago or nearby suburbs for their jobs. As a result, the early rural atmosphere of the community has been lost over the past 30 years. As of the 2010 census, the village's population was 22,763.[3] Roselle is a western suburb of Chicago and is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.

The area surrounding the current village of Roselle began to be settled in the early 1830s, as settlers moved in next to the native Potawatomi people. Silas L. Meacham and his brothers Harvey and Lyman settled the area now known as Bloomingdale Township. The government had been offering land in the area for around $1.25 / acre. In 1837, Deacon Elijah Hough and his wife settled in the Bloomingdale area, with his sons Oramel, Rosell [sic] and daughter Cornelia.

In 1868, at the age of 48, Rosell Hough returned from a career as an alderman and a businessman in Chicago, and saw that the area had become a farming center for corn and flax. He opened the Illinois Linen Company on the northwest corner off of what is now Roselle Road and Irving Park Road. Hough was also the president of the Chicago and Pacific Railroad Company. It is rumored that because of his position, he spent some money to alter a land survey to show that a railroad line should run through Roselle, Itasca and Wood Dale instead of Addison and Bloomingdale. The train schedule misprinted the name of the town on the rail line, giving Roselle its current name.[5]

Choose the Best Medical Assistant School Roselle IL

Roselle IL medical assistant student It’s important to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the appropriate training. Regardless if you’re goal is to launch a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must obtain the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are so many colleges providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make sure that the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Education. But irrespective of the type of credential that you plan to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an online or on-campus school, make sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can evaluate programs and make an informed decision. And by picking the best program you can subsequently begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Roselle IL.