Anyone in Oregon is CMA/ or graduated from Medical Assisting program?

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Hi

I'm already decided to venture on a new career path-medical field/health care.

I'm just not sure where I should go for. I initially going to a 9 mos Medical Assisting Program, but from what I've been reading about the job market is not so optimistic.

I also read about Certified Nursing Assistant and it looks promising when it comes to getting a job. I have 2 kids and I understand MA schedule is much better. I want a career that I can learn more, discover more and give me an opportunity to initiate something beneficial for the whole organization. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you a lot.

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Welcome, Foxym3

We moved your thread to the CNA/MA - Nursing / Medical Assistant forum for the best response.

Good luck with your decisions.

Specializes in Psychiatry.

Don't get into the medical assistant program; the pay is not worth the time. You're better off getting into a nursing assistant program. Please select one that is a month long as opposed to a semester long. You'll be done sooner and you'll make money sooner. Instead of using up 9 months training as a medical assistant, you might as well get your lpn license (You would probably need a CNA license to get into the LPN program). There are more opportunities in the nursing path.

The need for CNAs is so huge, you'll never be out of a job as a CNA. I would check to see if your local community college offers the ICATCH program (Innovations in Creating Access To Careers in Healthcare). They paid for my entire tuition to obtain my CNA. I like the flexibility of working as a CNA. I chose to work in home care after completing training at a retirement facility. People can also work in hospital departments. The workload between the 2 situations is immensely different. I have SO much respect for my fellow CNAs that work in a facility. There's a lot of physicality in this job, compared to an MA, so bear that in mind. We are people perform Activities of Daily Living. Lots of people get injured on the job. I feel like CNAs are more directly involved in patient care. We need to be hands-on. We see people at their most vulnerable, loneliest, and fearful. Many are so grateful. You would definitely be giving back to the community in this job. I like MAs too, and if I had another scholarship, I'd want to study that. I see it as more of a desk job, but I admit my ignorance on the subject. In fact, I see MAs relying on telecommunication to provide services now! It's smart of you to research between the 2 careers. Best of luck to you on your decision.

Thank you for your input. For awhile I was really torn between MA and CNA, but thinking about for almost a month now, I finally decided to become a CNA, then take a Associate Degree in Nursing and work to become a RN. And your input solidify my decision. It is greatly appreciated. And you're right the financial aspect of going to MA is not an option for me now.

Hi

Thank you for your advice. My heart is set on taking CNA program. I feel like becoming a CNA will really make me see how is it like taking care of people in their vulnerable situation. I volunteered to take care of my blind brother in law with slow mental maturity( he is 35 but acts like a teen ager) and hearing problem for 1 1/2 years, he is mostly independent. I had to prepare food for him sometimes and bring him to his doctors appointment and took him to his music gigs (he plays paino for seniors) while taking care of 1 year old. This, I think made me go into healthcare field. Regarding the ICATCH program. I live in Oregon and it seems like there are no such thing like that here, (I've been looking all over, but I haven't seen one). I actually went to a CNA Information Session in SPSCC in Olympia and they have a grant to give for 10 selected participants. I haven't heard from them yet. I'm hoping to get selected.

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