MA or LPN which is best?

Well, it depends on your need. I have seen that many medical assisting programs are not that regulated...some schools have programs for 6-9 months, while others have an associate's degree. Medical assistants are primarily trained for ambulatory care in clinics. Offices have hired people whether they were certified, registered or trained on the job. And, most times, unfortunately, the tuitions are usually high (some start with as high as $12,000--what a person can pay to become an RN) and the rate of pay for most medical assistants is not that much. In addition, many times, people do not find jobs.

Nursing programs are very competitive (as you see there is a long waiting list), and riddled with politics. You will have more opportunities in other areas such as nursing homes, assisted living, home care, hospitals and corrections. It will be the matter of getting accepted and being able to make into and then, through the program and take NCLEX in order to practice.

I really agree with your husband about pursuing nursing school itself versus the medical assistant, but the choice is yours.

Have you had the opportunity to talk to any nurses and/or medical assistants? Ask friends and family if they know anyone in the field you could talk to and maybe even shadow them at work one day. Have you considered volunteering in a health facility to get a feel for the work, the environment, etc? Having some concrete experiences might make some of your decisions easier.

For me, it's easy to get caught up in comparing pre-reqs, time commitments, costs, potential income, career growth, etc and forget to factor in my personal preferences. If you end up using your training, you're looking at potentially 40+ hours/week doing whatever it is you trained for. I eventually discovered that I prefer a quiet office environment for my full-time work... not the average environment for most nursing jobs (I don't currently work as nurse for that reason among others).

I'd suggest starting with some kind of health related experience (volunteering, EMT or CNA course) and maybe take a course that would apply to most any health-care related role (anatomy, biology). Consider whether you need to decide right away or not. Will another six months to a year really make a difference in the long run? Especially if the extra time helps you clarify your goals and formulate a game plan?

Of course, it depends on you. I do better taking things step by step. Others do well jumping right in and going for it all out. Good luck with whatever you do! Enjoy the fact that you've got so many interesting opportunities ahead of you!

Sounds like you're doing all you need to do to make an informed decision for yourself. Best wishes!!

I think you would end up with more personal satisfaction as an LPN. Plus, it opens the door for future mobility.

Can you expand your school pool? I would apply to several schools as this would increase the likelihood of getting in a program. A visit to the admissions counselor for each program is probably worth your while. It never hurts to say that you can attend on short notice. Quite often students end up not using a nursing school slot for personal reasons. Schools hate to lose a slot because a lost slot is gone for that training cycle.

Best of luck in your career choice.

HTH

I took the MA course and after I graduated I could not find a job to save my life. Before taking the MA course, I had 3 years experience as a CNA. I thought that would help me but it didn't. In Ct, you don't have to be certified as an MA, it's opitional. But when I went to the job interviews they would ask me if I was certified and I wasn't. Of course I never got a call back. The course cost 12,000, but I only have to pay back 8,000, which is still alot of money. Then I would have to pay $170 to become certified and then wait 4 months for the results. I have to pay all this money to make $14 an hour. Please! It wasn't worth it. I was just accepted to an LPN program that only cost 7,000. After I graduate I'll be making $20-$25 an hour. Now that's much better! Trust me take the LPN course.