Illinois Best Medical Assistant Schools

Illinois is home to the nation’s third largest city, Chicago, which is home to over 9 million people. If you, like many others in this state, are looking for a career that is stable and meaningful, you may be considering becoming a medical assistant. Find the best medical assistant schools in Illinois for proper medical assistant training to be successful in this healthcare industry and start your career today!

We want to help make your search easy, so we’ve collected information about schools that offer medical assistant certification in Illinois. You can find a wide range of programs, from diploma to Bachelor’s degrees, in many different areas of healthcare. Take some time to read about your options, and contact all the schools on this page that offer what you are interested in.

Entering the medical field is something many people long to do their entire lives, and if you are one of them, we are happy to help you start today! Take hold of your future by getting the education you need today, to ensure for a bright tomorrow!

You may have been interested in a healthcare career for some time, but like many students, you may simply be unable to dedicate four years to a healthcare degree. However, since his industry has grown so much in recent years, there are many ways that aspiring healthcare professionals may get involved.

If you would prefer to spend one to two years earning a healthcare degree, consider becoming a medical assistant. If you enjoy working in an office setting and handling the logistics of patient privacy, you may thrive in a medical secretary role or a billing and coding role. If you see yourself working in a clinical role, you may look into medical assistant programs in Chicago that lead to CNA or patient care tech roles.

Although programs may lead to different types of certification and career roles, there are some traits that may simply help you perform better in the world of healthcare. First, you should understand the importance of patient privacy. Not only is this important for developing trust with your patients, it is a very important area of law in healthcare.

Second, you should be empathetic to the needs of people receiving and requesting care in your facility. Regardless of a patient’s medical background, personality, or other factors, you must be able to treat them with respect and kindness. Finally, flexibility is crucial in healthcare. Your schedule may change constantly to accommodate different priorities and expectations. Going with the flow can help you keep your own stress levels low and do more for your facility.

Medical Assistant Education in Illinois

The majority of medical assistant schools in Illinois will offer some variation of the following core courses:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Lab techniques
• Medical terminology
• Medical billing and coding
• Medical law and ethics
• Patient interaction
• Professional communication techniques
• First Aid
• Medication Administration
• Pharmacolgy

In your program, you may also take courses geared toward a specific care setting or toward the type of medical assistant you want to become, such as a dental assistant or radiology technician. You can learn more about specific types of Medical Assisting on our careers page, or by contacting the schools on this page.

Learn More About Medical Assisting Programs in Your City

• – Chicago

Medical Assisting Classes in Illinois

• Surgical Procedures
• Anatomy, Physiology, and Terminology
• Insurance and Coding
• Examination Techniques

At many Illinois schools, you may find medical assisting programs available. Medical assistant programs in Illinois tend to be fairly flexible, accommodating working adults and those who may be unable to attend daytime courses. At one of the state’s blended programs, you may do some of their coursework online and take other classes in person.

To become a Certified Medical Assistant, you need direct clinical experience with patients, so be ready to complete multiple clinical rotations by the time you graduate. Most medical assistant degree programs in Illinois last between one and two years, depending on whether you want to earn a diploma, certificate, or Associate’s degree. While other programs on this list may be designed solely for clinical care or administrative services, many medical assisting programs offer a mix of skills in both areas.

Billing and Coding Programs in Illinois

• Medical Terminology
• Revenue Cycle and Billing
• Ambulatory Care Coding
• ICD-CM Coding

The field of medical billing and coding is one specialty that relies exclusively on administrative training. If you go into medical billing and coding, you may still have contact with patients. Instead of providing clinical services, you could collect payments, ensure that balances are paid up, and send documentation to insurance companies.

You may also spend time double checking patient records to ensure that all procedures and tests are properly coded in the system. This is a fairly technical specialty in healthcare, so you may find that many of your courses center on the use of different programs and apps. Standards for medical coding and billing change fairly frequently, and you must stay up-to-date on industrywide changes to work efficiently in this field.

Illinois Nurse Aide and Patient Care Tech Classes

• Phlebotomy
• Emergency Room Technician
• Specific Systems Pathology
• Medical Documentation

This is a great example of a degree program that focuses exclusively on clinical work. Patient care technicians and CNAs do a substantial amount of documentation on the care they provide to patients, but beyond that, they typically do very little administrative work. You may go through a fast-paced curriculum of medication administration, patient transfers, personal cares, and other daily living tasks you may do for patients. This area of medical assisting does require certification and registration, so clinical experience is mandatory.

Medical Secretary and Administrative Med Assisting Programs in Illinois

• Keyboarding Speed and Accuracy
• Health Information Management
• Administrative Office Procedures
• Medical Terminology

Going through a medical secretary program may equip you with the skills needed to work in nursing homes, medical offices, and hospitals across Illinois. In addition to learning about billing and coding, you may learn how to transcribe medical recordings, properly handle medical information, and take on scheduling responsibilities.

This may be the perfect time to pursue a diploma or certificate on your way to medical assistant certification.

Use our list of Illinois medical assistant training programs to contact schools in your area.

Medical Assisting Careers in Illinois

Once you have completed your medical assistant certification, Illinois offers a well rounded healthcare system with plenty of different job settings. Medical assistants (MAs) work in private doctor’s offices, nurse managed care clinics, public health clinics, large hospital systems, nursing homes and specialty clinics. If you are one who likes a change of pace every few years, being a MA might be just the job for you, as there is a great deal of variety when it comes to choosing a job to apply for. The many chapters of the Illinois Society of Medical Assistants provides mentoring and a job bank for members, which can help you succeed in meeting your career goals.

As a versatile and valued member of the healthcare team, you can make a difference in patients’ lives, while earning a living you can be proud of. Take the next step today in making your dreams of working in the medical field come true. Request information from our list of schools, and start learning about how to become a medical assistant. Illinois is a great place to get the educational tools you need for future career success!

When it comes to finding a medical assistant job, a lot depends on where you live in Illinois. If you live in the Chicago area, you may have a diverse variety of employers and positions to consider. In the central and southern parts of Illinois, local healthcare markets may be dominated by a smaller group of clinics and institutions. However, these areas still have an expanding need for medical professionals at different levels of education.

Across the board, job growth statistics in Illinois are on par with Midwestern and national averages. By the year 2024, demand for medical assistance may swell 12% in Illinois (O*Net, 2017). For medical records technicians, job openings may see a 10% boost by the year 2024 (O*Net, 2017). A 12% increase in job openings for nursing assistants is expected by the year 2024 (O*Net, 2017). Between 2014 and 2024, job openings for medical secretaries may jump 9% (O*Net, 2017).

Illinois does have one of the largest populations in the Midwest, so it has been significantly affected by changes in healthcare legislation, affordability, and accessibility. As a result, many existing healthcare institutions are building new branches and expanding. On top of that, new medical clinics are opening across Illinois to meet the growing demand for care (SJR, 2017).

Some of the most common work environments for medical assisting graduates include clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, and home care facilities. However, graduates may also work in employee health centers, medical insurance companies, and other facilities that are indirectly related to healthcare.

Listed below are all of the schools offering Medical Assistant programs in Illinois. As a rule, you should contact at least 3-5 schools during the course of your research, and ideally more. There are important differences between the programs in terms of cost, admissions requirements, and other characteristics, and, as with many things in life, the way to find the best Medical Assistant program for your needs is to spend some time shopping around.

Here Are The Medical Assistant Schools…