Medical Assistant Accreditation North Chicago IL - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Find the Right Medical Assistant Program near North Chicago Illinois

North Chicago IL medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near North Chicago IL, it’s time to select a college that will furnish the appropriate training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently pick the best one? Many potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then gravitate toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, job assistance and internship programs are critical factors as well. You may want to research a few online medical assistant programs as an alternative as well (more about that later). The main point is that prior to selecting a program you must carry out your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are assessing. And to assist you with that task, we have included some questions that you need to ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But before we start that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the type of credentials and training that are available.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with North Chicago IL nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their job is to make sure that the North Chicago IL clinics, hospitals and other medical care facilities where they work operate efficiently. Depending on the type or size of facility, they may be more of a clinical assistant, an administrative assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are tasked with giving direct support to the nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners but can also be found working in an office or at the front desk. A few of the many duties of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid samples
Preparing instruments and rooms for physicians
Providing basic support during examinations and procedures

While medical assistants may carry out almost any task they are authorized to under Illinois law, some opt to specialize in a specific area and earn certification. Two of the choices available 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 Education

In contrast to most other healthcare practitioners, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to obtain a college degree. However, many North Chicago IL health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are essentially two options available for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a diploma or a certificate. These programs typically take about one year to complete, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to obtain an Associate Degree, which are normally 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges as well as trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant classes. They often have a practical element involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Programs

woman attending medical assistant school online in North Chicago IL There are numerous accredited medical assistant programs accessible online as well. They are an excellent choice for students who might not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full time while earning their certificate or degree. As an additional benefit, many online programs have cheaper tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental costs such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies might be minimized as well. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can typically be performed in North Chicago IL area healthcare facilities. If you can earn a degree without the rigid structure of attending supervised classes on campus, then this method of receiving your training might be the ideal choice for you. Between the online courses and the practical training, everything needed to attain proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As earlier stated, certification is not a legal mandate, but is an excellent idea for individuals who wish to boost their careers. Not only will it help in attaining employment after graduation, but it can also enhance preliminary salary negotiations. Some possible North Chicago IL medical employers simply will not employ a medical assistant that has not obtained certification or accredited formal training. One of the most popular and possibly 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 exam, an applicant must be a graduate or will graduate within 30 days from an accredited medical assistant program. Other certifications are offered also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Questions to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask North Chicago IL medical assistant programs Before you can start reviewing your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you want to attain, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online at home. Once those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of comparing medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, some prospective students confine their searches to the colleges that are nearest to North Chicago IL with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are a number of additional factors that you must look at when evaluating schools. To help you with that task, below are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant College Accredited? There are a number of good reasons to verify that the college you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the education you receive will be both comprehensive 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 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 allowed to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you intend on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And finally, as mentioned previously, many potential North Chicago IL employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges design their programs to prepare students to pass one or more certification examinations. To start with, you must determine which of the certifications the colleges you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are planning on taking the CMA for example, then of course you will need to enroll in a program concentrating on that certification. Next, find out what the program’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is just 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 avoid.

Which Credentials are Provided? As we covered earlier, there are essentially two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a diploma or certificate program and obtain entry level training in the fastest amount of time, from as little as 6 months, although the average is closer to one year. Or you can decide to earn an Associate Degree and get a more comprehensive education that will take approximately two years to finish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you choose to enroll in, verify that the schools you are looking at offer the type of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Provided? Numerous medical assistant programs offer internship programs with North Chicago IL area health care providers. They are an excellent means to obtain hands-on practical experience and training. They can also assist students develop relationships within the North Chicago medical community. And as an additional perk, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Support Offered? Landing that initial job may be a difficult task for medical assistant school graduates unless they have a little help from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the North Chicago IL area and ask what their placement rate is. If a school has a high job placement rate for its graduates, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the health care community. It also suggests that it has a broad network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Large are the Classrooms? Class size might be an indication of how much personal attention you will get during your training. Small classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to provide increased access to teachers and face to face interaction. If practical, try to monitor a couple of classes before enrolling in a college to see what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s essential that the college you enroll in offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you need to attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near North Chicago IL, make sure that those times are offered. You might be able to fit your classes in more conveniently with an online program, but you will still have to schedule all internships or clinical training that will be required. Additionally, ask what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near North Chicago Illinois?

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

North Chicago, Illinois

The city is also home to Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, which houses the Chicago Medical School, the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, the College of Pharmacy, the College of Health Professions, and the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. North Chicago in the past was an important center of industry, and that past is reflected within the landscape as the area is still heavily industrialized today.

According to the 2010 census, North Chicago has a total area of 7.915 square miles (20.50 km2), of which 7.9 square miles (20.46 km2) (or 99.81%) is land and 0.015 square miles (0.04 km2) (or 0.19%) is water.[5]

The city is situated on Lake Michigan. Most of its territory drains directly to the lake, but the western region drains to the North Branch of the Chicago River, and ultimately, since the engineering projects of the 19th century, to the Illinois and thence to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.

Pick the Ideal Medical Assistant Training Program North Chicago IL

North Chicago IL medical assistant student It’s essential to begin your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the right training. Whether you’re planning to begin a career in health care starting out as a medical assistant or to pursue medical assistance as your lifetime career, you must acquire the appropriate info on available programs before making your decision. There are such a large number of schools offering training nowadays that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and individual circumstances. And as we have discussed in this article, make certain that the program you decide on is accredited by an acknowledged agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is particularly critical if you intend on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Accreditation. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have made a decision to attend either an on-campus or online school, don’t forget to ask the questions we have supplied in order to compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately begin a gratifying career as a medical assistant in North Chicago IL.