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HEALTH CARE IN DANVILLE
DACC paves the way to health care careers
“ These types of careers , especially imaging , you get your associate degree and after that it ’ s all certifications ,” said Dean Manuel Rodriguez . “ So you don ’ t have to go back to get your bachelor ’ s , you don ’ t have to go back to get your master ’ s . I mean , you can , but to get those pay raises , you can achieve those by getting certified in something new , so that ’ s very handy .” Photos courtesy of Danville Area Community College
BY HANNAH SHILLO
Health care has become a popular aspect in higher education in recent years with an increased demand for health care jobs in the area .
Danville Area Community College offers various programs to help supply qualified candidates to fill those positions .
Students can choose from programs that will provide front line interaction with patients , like nursing , nursing assistance or general medical assistance , or they can opt for more behind-the-scenes work with medical imaging and health information technology .
Certified Medical Assistant
Candice Milam runs the Certified Medical Assistant program at DACC . The program offers students the ability to learn skills to perform in entry level positions at medical facilities like physicians ’, chiropractors ’ or podiatrists ’ offices or clinics .
With entry-level theory and hands-on training in basic and routine administrative and clinical tasks , students who complete the program have the competencies required to perform in a clinical or administrative capacity . Graduates of the program are able to perform typical office procedures like taking vitals , draw blood , give injections , EKGs and the like .
The program takes about three semesters to complete . Milam said the first two semesters are mainly all medical assisting classes and the third semester usually fills the general education requirements and implements internships .
Students also have the option to take their education a step further , Milam said . “( DACC ) started the medical office assistant degree , so there ’ s also the associate degree with the program ,” she said . “ It ’ s one more semester that ’ s completely online , so students can actually work while they ’ re getting their associate degree .”
She estimated 65 percent of students work in a physician ’ s office , while others may work in cardiac rehab and other different areas as far as testing goes .
Those who complete the associate degree program not only get the medical office assistant certificate , they also get the medical office personnel certificate and the advanced medical office personnel certificate , Milam said , so they get three certificates on top of the degree .
After graduation , students are usually able to find jobs fairly easily , according to Milam . She ’ s had students find employment in Danville , Champaign and elsewhere .
“( CMAs ) are really in high demand ,” Milam said . “ It ’ s one of the fastest growing professions in health care .”
She encouraged empathetic people who want to go into a caring profession to look into the CMA program .
“ A lot of times you have to have empathy for your patients , because they ’ re the sick ones ,” Milam said . “ That ’ s what I usually look for in students . It ’ s an open program ;
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