[time4meRN]

Have a friend who went to a 10 month ma school.(ohio) Graduated with a cirtificate and now works in a Dr's office. She spent about 10,000 $ to go there. (another thread all together) She's had 3 jobs since she's graduated. So far I really think she is finding out that an MA is not the wounderful position the school made it out to be. She talks of going to nursing school. The school she graduated from says their credits will tx.to nursing . I'm a nurse in an ER. 2 ma's have told me they attempted to go to nursing school after ma cirtification. The nursing schools turned their credits down. Said they are sorry the ma school was not up-front with them. But, non the less the credits will not tx. Has anyone had any experience with such issues. I'm worried my good freind has wasted a lot of time and money and was "taken." I attempted to tell her all of this b4 she went into school. but, I guess she's a person who needs to find out the hard way. I still hate to see her go through all of this. I just want to be there to support her if she goes to apply and then finds out the hard way that all of her hard work was for not. (I hope I'm wrong...not her) Let me say that MA's are wounderful people. I love working with them. They are a needed aspect in the medical field. I just don't think the school she went to was up front with her as far as pay and job duties. Thanks to all of you, love ya !

[futureRN2006]

Well I live in Virginia and many people I know went to the "for profit" schools for Medical Assisting. The costs were outrageous and the promises made to the students were unbelievable. Many took A/P,drug caculations,biology,etc. but many of the state schools won't accept coursework from those types of schools. It's a shame,but the truth is your friend is not alone. Most of the people I know in that situation were left with loans to repay and an Associates Degree that won't help them grow. Many went to community college to get CNA licensure. That along with their MA education helps make them more marketable...at least in my area. MA's are valuable members of the healthcare team,so its unfortunate that so many are finding it difficult to move up simply because of the school they chose. Your friend may just have to start from the beginning with the nursing pre reqs. at a community college and move forward from there. Good luck to her.

[RunnerLuvLisa]

I am in Akron Ohio.... and I know of 3 different people that are in that boat... all went that route before nursing to have a job that will help them pay for NS. They went to Brown Mackie. It is around 24,000 a year there. Now they are left with a loan for a job that isn't as available as say, a CNA position. The credits don't transfer, to pretty much any school.

Good Luck to your friend!

[Quickbeam]

Not in Ohio, but I know several people who had to start from square one in their MA to RN path. Very unfortunate and a less than efficient use of their tuition dollars. Education seems to be very much a "buyer beware" market, preying on the vulnerable.

[SKJACKS]

Hi
I am a medical assistant. My school didn't acknowledge my degree or my experience. Some schools will offer credit for life experience. When I was in school for medical assistant, we were given this big blown out of proportion dream of a wonderful career as a medical assistant, making good money. The job is nice if you like working in a doctor's office, but the money and benefits are much better if you get hired at a hospital. The tuition was about $6,000, but I wished I had went to school for rn instead of ma.

[saraphina88]

I am a CMA. Did the other MA's sit for their National Boards?. I scored in the high 90's and have the framed certificate for my efforts. I just enrolled in COTC for RN. They took alot of my courses from my previous college. My college was two years, I have an assocates degree in applied science in addition to my National Boards certificate. Maybe there is a difference between a ten month and a two year associates degree. About 7 of my courses transferred. A&P, A&PII, all my english and math courses. My Pharmacolgy however did not transfer, they are making me take that here.

[My2Giants]

I was a CMA and none of my credits transfered when I went through nursing school. I had to start all over, but I think this had to do with the type of program I went too. We had modules that were 8 weeks in length and consisted of pharm, A&P, etc. I was also told how wonderful being a medical assistant would be, but no one told me that some places will not even recognize medical assisting as a profession. The college here recently discontinued the medical assisting program. My advice to anyone who asks is go for nursing instead.

[Crux1024]

I read this question as:

any ma's TORN in Ohio...

hehe

[saraphina88]

I agree about the pie in the sky promises about medical assisting. "it is the fastest growing profession" "you will make between 8-15 dollars an hour". I looked for months and finally I got a job offer from Krogers for a cashier at 7.00 an hour (union) or an assisted living called me to work for them, 8.00 an hour, in the special care unit. I was embarassed because our college advisor told us, it was 'beneath us' to do nursing home work. I enjoyed the work...well, working with the people. I left there to work for a Hospice as a home health aide, which I love. The hospice is paying to send me to college to get my RN. I had to sign a contract to work for them for five years after I pass my boards, but that is what I want to do anyway. I don't even try to keep my CEU up for my certification. I don't want to say it was a waste because it has been a springboard in my career and the college I am attending...but I can't recommend the two year program/profession.

[pnhopeful]

Many credits will transfer if she went to a nationally accredited school, such as a community college for medical assisting. If a tech school, maybe not. I am a former MA and live in Ohio. It is a nice job and pays ok, but RNs make twice as much. Plenty of MA jobs here too. I am in RN school now and nothing transferred from my MA tech school. However, I never felt mislead...I knew what I was getting into. If I knew then what I know now...who knows!!!