NorthWest Suburban College
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Medical Assistant Certificate

With a Pharmacy Medical Assistant Certificate in Just 10 Months

Ready to start a rewarding career in the healthcare industry? Our accelerated certificate programs offer the perfect combination of hands-on training, flexible scheduling, and real-world experience to prepare you for immediate employment.

With monthly start dates, hybrid learning formats, and comprehensive externship opportunities, you can gain the skills employers are looking for while balancing your current commitments. Plus, our flexible payment plans, institutional aid, grants, and scholarships make these programs affordable.

Whether you’re interested in dental care or pharmacy services, our programs provide the professional training and certification preparation you need to succeed in today’s growing healthcare industry.

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Medical Assistant Certificate Program

Step into the dental field with comprehensive training in clinical and administrative dental care. Learn chairside assisting, radiography, laboratory procedures, and patient record management through hands-on practice and expert instruction.
Dental Assistant

Medical Assistant Program Highlights:

  • Duration: 8 Months
  • Format: Hybrid (In-Person Didactic Hours + Asynchronous Online Coursework)
  • Total Hours: 720 Hours (including a 160-hour externship)
  • Schedule: Wednesdays 9:00 AM–3:00 PM and Saturdays 8:00 AM–2:00 PM
  • Start Dates: Monthly

Core Courses

Administrative Procedures, Dental Sciences, Dental Radiography, Laboratory Procedures, Operative Dentistry, Orthodontics & Dental Health

Externship

8-week, 160-hour supervised clinical experience at a dental facility

Career Pathways

Graduates are prepared for employment in:
  • Dental offices
  • Specialty clinics (orthodontics, endodontics, etc.)
  • Hospitals
  • Community health centers

Certifications

Graduates of the Dental Assistant Program are eligible to sit for dental certification exams through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) or the American Medical Technologists (AMT) association. While certification is not required for employment as a dental assistant in Illinois, earning a certification demonstrates your ability to deliver professional care in clinical and administrative dental settings.

Admission Requirements

  • High school diploma, GED, or equivalent
  • Completed application
  • Interview with the admissions team

Pharmacy Technician Certificate Program

Prepare to work alongside pharmacists in hospitals, retail pharmacies, and healthcare facilities. Master prescription processing, sterile compounding, infection control, and drug classification through classroom learning, lab practice, and extensive externship experience.
Role of Pharmacy Technicians

Pharmacy Technician Program Details :

  • Duration: 8 Months
  • Format: Hybrid (In-Person Didactic Hours + Asynchronous Online Coursework
  • Total Hours: 600 hours (including a 240-hour externship)
  • Schedule: Tuesday evenings and Saturdays
  • Start Dates: Monthly

Core Courses

Pharmacy History, Laws & Ethics, Pharmacy Practice Settings with Sterile & Non-Sterile Processing, Pharmacy Operations & Workflow, Pharmacology of Body Systems, Pharmacology of Body, Alternative Medicine, Dilutions & Allegations

Externship

8-week, 160-hour supervised clinical experience at a dental facility

Career Pathways

Graduates are prepared for employment in:

  • Retail pharmacies
  • Hospitals and clinics
  • Home healthcare agencies
  • Pharmaceutical companies
  • Nursing homes and assisted living facilities

Certifications

Graduates of the Pharmacy Technician Program in Chicago and the surrounding area are eligible to sit for the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) exam, which is administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, and the ExCPT exam, which is administered by the National Healthcareer Association. These certifications qualify graduates for licensure as Pharmacy Technicians in Illinois and prepare them for success across a range of pharmacy settings.

Admission Requirements

  • High school diploma, GED, or equivalent
  • Completed application
  • Interview with the admissions team
  • Background check

Why Choose Our Certificate Programs?

Institutional aid, scholarships, grants, and flexible monthly payment plans
Hands-on training in real healthcare settings
Flexible scheduling for working adults

National certification exam preparation

Monthly certificate starts

Experienced instructors and clinical partnerships

Job-ready skills from day one

Ready To Start Your Healthcare Journey?

Apply now or schedule a visit to learn more about how Northwest Suburban College can help you achieve your career goals.
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What Our Graduates Say

I’m so lucky to be a student and nurse. The staff are so friendly and joyful. I learned so much in my 32 weeks, new medical advances. This is the best in the pharmacy field, and I want to learn more.

Amelia De Los Reyes – Pharmacy Technician Program 2025

This college has played a crucial role in shaping my career. I came here from my home country with big dreams and aspirations, and I achieved everything that I thought of thanks to my teachers and this college.

Vanshu Sharma – Pharmacy Technician Program 2025

Northwest Suburban College is a career college providing the needed education and skills to secure a job and build a career. It is a great path into the medical field. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to receive institutional aid from the school. This was a difference maker for me in being able to quickly start my path to a new career.

Angel Corral – Dental Assistant Program 2024

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