Mattoon, IL -(Effingham Radio)- The medical assistant program at Lake Land College received accreditation status from the Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in March upon the recommendation of Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).
“I am very pleased that our medical assistant program was the first in the region to achieve being fully accredited through CAAHEP,” Medical Assistant Program Director/Instructor Molly Yeske said. “I am happy that we are able to provide quality education in a very rapidly growing career.”
The Lake Land medical assistant program trains students in both administrative and clinical roles. In these positions, duties may include patient care, phlebotomy, injections and assistance with minor office procedures, scheduling and billing. The goals of the program are to prepare competent entry level medical assistants in the knowledge, skills and behavior learning domains.
“The accreditation process evaluates multiple categories of the program or institution including curriculum standards, courses and goals, adequate facilities and equipment for training as well as several other aspects,” Yeske said. “By attending an accredited program, you can be sure that you are making a good investment financially and that you can trust the education you are receiving.”
Students who complete the program go on to take the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). Graduates of the medical assistant program at Lake Land have a 100% pass rate of passing the certification exam on the first try and are often highly sought after locally.
The medical assistant program is available as a two-year associate in applied science degree or one-year certificate program at Lake Land. The program is a special admission program requiring applicants to meet a specific list of criteria to qualify for admission.
In addition to the traditional classroom program offering, the program is also offered in a hybrid format, meaning all classes are offered online with two evening labs each week.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the medical assistant field is expected to grow by 23% through 2024, much more rapidly than the average occupation, and Medical Assistants earn an average salary of $35,720 or an average hourly wage of $17.17. The average wage for a Medical Assistant can vary depending on the industry in which they decide to practice.
For more information on the medical assistant program at Lake Land College, visit lakelandcollege.edu/high-demand-programs/medical-assistant/ or contact Molly Yeske at myeske@lakelandcollege.edu or 217-234-5055.
Lake Land College District 517, located in Mattoon, Illinois, serves the second largest community college district in the state, with a total population of 189,869. The Lake Land College district comprises all or part of 15 counties and 31 public school districts in rural east central Illinois. Counties served by Lake Land College include: Christian, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Macon, Montgomery, Moultrie and Shelby.
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