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Our Illinois Medical Assistant Training Program here at Stepful is a 4-month online program for Illinois residents. We prepare you to take the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). This nationally recognized certificate makes you a more competitive job applicant and ensures that you are ready to work.
Our course includes live, 90-minute classes twice a week with expert instructors. You will complete daily assignments, mock exams, and simulations—100% online. Topics covered include medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, infection control, phlebotomy, EKG measurements, and more.
We also help students find an in-person externship at one of Stepful’s 8,000 affiliated clinics across the United States.* There, you will work closely with a clinical supervisor to ensure proficiency in key skills such as patient intake, taking blood pressure, measuring heart rate, and more. Through it all, your dedicated externship coach will answer questions, provide guidance, and keep you on the path to success.
After completing our Illinois Medical Assistant Training Program, you will be ready to test for your national certification exam. Our students have an 87% CCMA Certification Exam pass rate, which is over 10 percentage points above the national average.
When you are ready to find a job, you can attend mock interview workshops, receive 1:1 support from your career coach, and get updates on open medical assistant jobs in your area.
From certification to hiring, we’re with you every step of the way.
*Students must be in good academic and financial standing and available during regular working hours, Monday to Friday, for a minimum of 20 hours per week.
In Illinois, becoming a medical assistant is very accessible. All you need to do is graduate from high school or earn your GED. You will need your diploma or GED certificate when you apply for training programs or jobs.
Illinois does not require a license or certification to work as a medical assistant. However, employers prefer to hire medical assistants who have some training and are certified.
Courses that prepare you for a national certification exam, like ours here at Stepful, can be completed in a few months entirely online. So, not only will you gain knowledge, skills, and confidence, but you will also increase your chances of getting hired.
Some medical assistant training programs include an externship component where students experience the job firsthand in a healthcare setting.
Healthcare systems in Illinois, like Shawnee Health and many others, offer externships or apprenticeships for aspiring medical assistants.
At Stepful, we assist students in good academic and financial standing in securing externships at our 8,000 partner clinics. This opportunity includes 80 to 160 clinical hours, providing valuable hands-on experience prior to starting full-time employment.
With an externship, you can apply your online learning in real-world situations under professional supervision. This kind of hands-on training is invaluable for you and future employers.
Getting certified shows employers that you are competent and prepared. It can lead you to better jobs and a higher salary. Since Illinois does not require a specific certification, you can choose which certifying organization to test with.
Most training programs prepare their students to test for the credentials of Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA), or Registered Medical Assistant (RMA).
Our Illinois Medical Assistant Program prepares students to test for their CCMA certification. This certification is more focused on the clinical aspects of medical assisting as opposed to the administrative work.
Job search sites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter list many job openings for medical assistants in Illinois.
Likewise, healthcare systems in Illinois, like Northwestern Medicine and Advocate Healthcare, have postings for medical assistants in the various hospitals and practices they run.
Here at Stepful, students have access to resume services, mock interviews, and 1:1 support in finding a job in their areas. We support you from enrollment to employment.
While medical assistants are not required to be certified in Illinois, 87% of organizations prefer to hire certified medical assistants, according to the NHA.
The most common certifications for medical assistants include Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) from the NHA, Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) from the AAMA, and Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) from the AMT.
Stepful’s program prepares you for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) from the NHA.
While they do not need a license to work with patients, medical assistants in Illinois must work under the supervision of a licensed healthcare provider.
Scope of practice defines the procedures, actions, and duties a medical assistant may legally perform.
Many states do not have specific laws that regulate the scope of practice for medical assistants. In other states, the state medical board or other government body writes rules that govern how licensed healthcare professionals utilize and supervise medical assistants within their practices.
Below, you can see how the Illinois State Board of Education describes the scope of practice for medical assistants in Illinois.
Technical medical assistants may:
Administrative medical assistants may:
Medical assistants cannot do functions that are reserved for licensed providers. These include:
In addition, Illinois warns that medical assistants should never refer to themselves as nurses.
Medical assistants commonly perform a variety of clinical duties, such as:
Medical assistants also perform a variety of administrative duties, such as:
Certified medical assistants in Illinois shouldn’t have any trouble finding a job. Between 2023 and 2033, job opportunities for medical assistants are expected to increase by 15% nationally.
This is more than three times higher than the average growth expected for all jobs across the nation (4%) and better than the projected job growth for all healthcare jobs (12%).
As of May 2023, Illinois has 21,040 medical assistant jobs in the state, or 3.5 jobs per 1,000 residents. The Chicago area has the 4th highest number of jobs in the country, with 16,210 jobs.
Medical assistants in Illinois also earn decent salaries. The average certified medical assistant earns $40,658, which is about $20.84 per hour. The Chicago area has the highest mean salary in the state, with an hourly mean wage of $21.25, or $44,200 per year.
The high demand for medical assistants means that certified medical assistants may be able to negotiate for higher starting wages.
Illinois Society of Medical Assistants: This organization's mission is to unite medical assistants in the state of Illinois to maintain high standards through educational programs. It also seeks to advance the profession by providing honest, loyal, and efficient service to the public and continuing to work within the medical community to demonstrate knowledge and professionalism.
The ISMA is an affiliate of the American Association of Medical Assistants, with chapters covering different parts of the state:
National organizations that support medical assistants in their careers include:
