Any benefit to Medical Assisting or Scrub Tech?

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Mar 11, 2006

The onyl problem i could see with the CST one is that you might not be able to work as a CST while going to nursing school, because there's not many OR jobs that offer very flexible hours.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Mar 12, 2006

I have heard good things about the Surgical Tech jobs. I took a medical assisting course, and it's hard for me to say if it helped me or not, because when I became employed as a Patient Care Associate, I did not use most of the skills they trained me for, anyway. If you attend a decent Medical Assisting course, you will have a nice base for practical nursing, but may not be compensated well for your time, or financial output. At least here in New York, they make just a few more bucks than a CNA. You will be working under the license of the doctor, and he will determine whether or not you will be administering medications and such. Now, the surgical tech is a bit more exciting to me. You will be sterilizing instruments, may be passing instruments to the surgeon during the procedure, and many other things. Look for the website for the occupational handbook. They have a full description there.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 12, 2006

There are facilities that will hire CSTs for only weekend shifts, as well as work around your schedule. The facilites that I worked at always did this.

I have worked with quite a few CSTs that went on for further schooling. And the hosptial even will pay for it in many cases. Something else to consider.

snoball333 · Mar 12, 2006

I am a surgical tech in NY, and am currently going to school for my RN I love what I do, it's a great job. The hospital where i work helps pay for school so they will are flexable around my school schedule. In this job, you never stop learning, which is fun. Good luck

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2006

One of my classmates in LVN school was a surgical tech. He returned to school to become an LVN because his surgical tech job just was not paying him enough money.

I completed medical assistant school 6 years ago and it was a mistake, as doctors are stingy when it comes to paying decent salaries. Many of the courses for medical assisting and surgical technician will not transfer over to a nursing program either. This is just some blunt food for thought.

SFCardiacRN · Mar 12, 2006

I did the ORT to RN route. I had no trouble finding work while in school but I live in a city with many hospitals. The pre-reqs for ORT school transfered to RN school. Plus, scrubbing is fun! Good luck!

postmortRNhere · Mar 12, 2006

I would go with the CST, also the most credit you will get in any nursing program for your medical assisting program is maybe 1 week to 2 weeks credit, at least that is what they give here ( Los Angeles, Cal.) and some colleges will not even consider it. Sad but true. I would choose based on what you want to learn and do now...not whether or not it will enhance your nursing education. As far as LVN schools have you tried private colleges? they usually don't have waiting lists that long. Due to the cost. Otherwise just start on all your prereqs for the nursing program. Unless you already completed them. I don't know where you live but have you tried inquiring into a distance program ? I think (not sure) "Deaconess College of Nursing" has a distance LVN program. Just a couple of suggestions...Good Luck.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2006

As far as LVN schools have you tried private colleges? they usually don't have waiting lists that long. Due to the cost.

I attended a private Los Angeles area LVN program with no waiting lists in 2004 and 2005, and the cost was $20,000 for the 1 year program. I simply financed it with a Sallie Mae student loan. I shall add that I have no regrets for taking this route.

zoeyzoe · Mar 22, 2006

Because the wait for the ADN programs in my area are very long I'd made the decision to go with an LPN program first and then do the transitional to RN later. But after visiting all the LPN schools in my area I've found out that they either have about a 2 year wait or aren't even taking applicants right now! They do have Medical Assisting and Surgical Tech programs open right away. Would either of these to certifications help me in any way towards a future nursing degree? My goal is that I really want to start working in the medical field and earning some $ ASAP, and then working at my own pace towards the RN. Any opinions would be appreciated.

I'm not sure about what state you are in, but here in Georgia, I was going to GPC for the ADN. I was pre nursing while taking my pre-recs, I knew they had a waiting list, but I figured after I finished my pre-resc, I'd go down in talk someone into letting me into the nursing program LOL. Needless to say that didn't work. They said I could go on a waiting list in it may take anywhere from 6 months to over 2 years, I was like what? So with most of my pre-recs under my belt, I came home got on the net in found out that if I became a lpn I could do the fast track lpn-to rn online. Wow I through, that's for me. So I started looking up LPN schools in my area. Well, needless to say, the LPN schools had waiting list too. But while in the admissions office, one of the people working there told me to apply for the medical assistant program, there's no waiting list and they take some of the same classes that the LPN's take. And when I did get into lpn program, I could just transfer them. So that's what I did. I took health and nutrition, sct 100, medical terms and within 3 months by the start of the next quarter, I was in the lpn program in the second level, because of classes I had taken. Now I'm done, just waiting to get my grades on Thursday, from the finals I, just finished today. Hooray!! My school Atlanta tech requires students to do a 2 month review before they send your name to the boards so you can take the nclex. Right after I pass the nclex and get my license, I will send it off that day to excelsior college so I can begin the ADN program. So I found the medical assistant program to be helpful to me. By the way I still haven't got a phone call or letter from GPC telling me my time is up on the waiting list.