Summer Medical Assistant Programs Northbrook IL - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near Northbrook Illinois

Northbrook IL medical assistant checking pulse Now that you have decided to join the gratifying profession of health care and enroll in a medical assistant school near Northbrook IL, it’s time to choose a college that will furnish the proper training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? A number of potential students start by researching the medical assistant schools that are closest to their residences and then lean toward those that have the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are very important, such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are critical issues as well. You might want to look into several online medical assistant programs as an alternative also (more on that later). The main point is that before you select a college you need to finish your due diligence and compare all important qualifications of the colleges you are reviewing. And to assist you with that task, we have furnished some questions that you should ask each of the schools on your short list. But prior to starting that review, let’s briefly talk about the function of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are available.

The Role of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with Northbrook IL nursing home patient The function of a medical assistant can be diverse as well as demanding. Basically their job is to make sure that the Northbrook IL hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers where they work operate successfully. Based on the size or type of facility, they may be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller practices both. They are responsible for providing direct assistance to the physicians, nurses and other medical practitioners but can also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. Some of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and filing claims
Setting and verifying appointments
Weighing and taking patients vital signs
Collecting blood and other tissue and fluid specimens
Preparing instruments and rooms for doctors
Providing basic support during exams and procedures

Even though medical assistants may perform almost any task they are authorized to under Illinois law, some elect to specialize in a particular area and attain 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 Courses

In contrast to many other medical professionals, medical assistants are not required to become licensed, certified, or to obtain a college degree. However, a number of Northbrook IL health care employers would rather hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training program (more on accreditation later ) that are certified. There are essentially two options offered for a formal education. The first and shortest way to becoming a medical assistant is to obtain a certificate or diploma. These programs generally take about a year to finish, some as little as 6 to 9 months. They are developed to teach the basics of medical assisting and ready graduates for entry level positions. The second alternative is to acquire an Associate Degree, which are normally two year programs provided at community and junior colleges in addition to trade and vocational schools. They are more extensive in design than the certificate or diploma programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant courses. They frequently have a clinical element involving an internship with a local medical practice. Associate Degrees are routinely a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a similar field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in Northbrook IL There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online also. They are a good choice for individuals who may not have the time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if accessible at home. This is an especially good alternative for students who continue to work full time while attaining their certificate or degree. As an added benefit, many online schools have cheaper tuitions than the more traditional on campus options. Ancillary costs including those for textbooks, commuting and school supplies can be minimized also. Just keep in mind that all requirements for clinical training or internships must still be satisfied, but they can usually be completed in Northbrook IL area healthcare facilities. If you can learn without the rigid structure of going to supervised classes on campus, then this approach to receiving your training might be the best 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 Programs for Medical Assistants

As stated previously, becoming certified is not a legal mandate, but is a good idea for graduates who want to advance their careers. Not only will it help in getting employment after graduation, but it may also enhance initial salary negotiations. Some possible Northbrook IL medical employers simply will not hire a medical assistant that has not attained 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). To qualify to take the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will graduate within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are available also, for instance the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

What to Ask Medical Assistant Schools

Questions to ask Northbrook IL medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must choose which type of credential you want to attain, and if you want to attend classes on-campus or online from home. After those choices have been made, you can begin the procedure of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, some students limit their searches to the colleges that are closest to Northbrook IL with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant qualifications, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must examine when evaluating schools. To assist you with that process, following are some questions that you need to ask about each of the schools you are considering before making your ultimate choice.

Is the Medical Assistant Course Accredited? There are several great reasons to confirm that the program you choose is accredited. To begin with, accreditation helps guarantee that the training you receive will be both extensive and of the highest quality. Next, if you plan on becoming certified, you need to enroll in an accredited program. Two of the accepted agencies 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 either of these organizations, you will not be qualified to take the CMA examination. Additionally, if you plan on applying for a student loan or financial assistance, they are normally not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as previously mentioned, many prospective Northbrook IL employers will not employ a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited program.

What is the Program’s Passing Percentage? The majority of accredited medical assistant schools develop their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. To begin with, you must learn 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 instance, then of course you will need to select a program targeting that certification. Next, find out what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and compare it to the national average. Doing this is one of the methods to help assess the quality of a school’s program. Naturally schools with low rates are those that you will prefer to eliminate.

Which Programs are Available? As we previously covered, there are basically two routes to obtaining medical assistant training. You can choose a certificate or diploma program and obtain entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, although the average is about 1 year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and receive a more comprehensive education that will require about 2 years to accomplish in a junior college or trade school. Whichever program you elect to pursue, make sure that the schools you are looking at offer the kind of program you have an interest in.

Are Internships Offered? Numerous medical assistant colleges sponsor internship programs with Northbrook IL area medical care providers. They are a great means to get hands-on clinical training and experience. They can also assist students build relationships within the Northbrook healthcare community. And as an added benefit, they are an asset on resumes and for job interviews as well.

Is Job Placement Service Furnished? Landing that very first job may be a difficult undertaking for graduating medical assistant students unless they obtain some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are researching provide job placement assistance in the Northbrook IL area and find out what their placement rate is. If a school has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the medical community. It also indicates that it has a wide network of employers to help place students in jobs.

How Big are the Classes? Class size might be an indication of how much individual instruction you will get during your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more prone to offer increased access to teachers and one-on-one interaction. If possible, try to monitor a few classes before enrolling in a college to experience what the teaching atmosphere is like and just how much attention the students get.

Is Class Scheduling Accommodating? If you plan on attending a medical assistant school while you continue to work on a full time basis, it’s essential that the school you choose offers classes that accommodate your schedule. If you have to attend classes at night or on weekends near Northbrook IL, verify 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 all clinical training or internships that might be required. Additionally, ask what the protocol is for making up classes that you may have to miss due to illness, work or family issues.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near Northbrook Illinois?

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

Northbrook, Illinois

When incorporated in 1901, the village was known as Shermerville in honor of Frederick Schermer, who donated the land for its first train station. The village changed its name to Northbrook in 1923 as an effort to improve its public image. The name was chosen because the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River runs through the Village.[4]

Glenbrook North High School, founded in 1952 as Glenbrook High School, is located in Northbrook. The village is also home to the Northbrook Park District,[5] founded in 1927, Northbrook Court shopping mall, the Ed Rudolph Velodrome, the Chicago Curling Club, and the Northbrook Public Library.

Members of the Potawatomi tribe were the earliest recorded residents of the Northbrook area. In 1833 the Potawatomi ceded their Illinois lands and moved to a place near Council Bluffs, Iowa. Afterwards Joel Sterling Sherman and his family bought 159 acres (64 ha) of land in the northwest quarter of Section 10 for $1.25 per acre; as of 2010 Northbrook's downtown is located on this site. A man named Frederick Schermer donated the land used for the first railroad station, named Schermer Station and later Shermer Station; the community was named Shermerville after him. By the 1870s Shermerville was a farming community. In 1901 the community was incorporated as the Village of Shermerville after a close referendum for incorporation. At the time of incorporation it had 311 residents and 60 houses. In these early years, Shermerville became notorious for rowdy gatherings at its five saloons; by 1921, therefore, residents believed that the name "Shermerville" had a negative reputation and sought to change it.[6] A renaming contest was held, and the name "Northbrook" was submitted by the US postmaster (and then President of the Rural Letter Carriers Association)[7][better source needed] Edward Landwehr.[8] Edward Landwehr was the son of Herman and Anna Helene Landwehr, both German immigrants and early settlers in the community and for whose family Landwehr Road in Northbrook is named. They are now buried in the Northfield Union Cemetery.[9] In 1923 "Northbrook", the winning name, was adopted; at the time Northbrook had 500 residents. After the end of World War II, Northbrook's population began to rapidly increase.[10] In 1997, President Bill Clinton visited Northbrook to congratulate the 8th grade students of Northfield township (which is mainly Northbrook[11]) for getting the highest score on a world science test, and for getting the second highest score on a world math test.[12] Between 1950 and 1980, the town's population rose from 3,319 to 30,735. Northbrook was the first community not bordering Lake Michigan to filter Lake Michigan water for public use.[13] The last working farm (called the Wayside Farm) in Northbrook was sold in 1987.[13]

Enroll in the Ideal Medical Assistant College Northbrook IL

Northbrook IL medical assistant student It’s important to start your new career on the right foot by enrolling in a medical assistant school that will provide the proper training. Whether 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 get the right info on available programs before making your selection. There are such a large number of schools providing training these days that you can make a selection based upon your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have covered in this article, verify that the program you pick is accredited by an acknowledged organization, such as the CAAHEP. This is especially critical if you plan on taking the CMA certification examination. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Summer Medical Assistant Programs. But regardless of the kind 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 so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately begin a fulfilling career as a medical assistant in Northbrook IL.