Did anybody do medical assisting before LVN??

3sodapop · May 5, 2009

I got an associate's degree in medical assisting right out of high school. I liked the courses and thought it would be fun. Well...looking back I wish I had used that 2 years to become an RN instead. I had a hard time finding clinical work and ended up working mostly in secretarial duties. In the Dr.s offices I worked at, the clinical MA's did the mostly the same work as the LPNs and RNs; the only major difference was the pay. I got laid off and applied to LPN school. It was VERY hard, but I made it through and after much searching found a job at a nursing home. I never thought I would say it but my job seems even harder than nursing school! I'm hoping to go back to a physician's office where the pace is easier and more predictable.

I don't know where you want to work, but being an MA and an LPN might give you an edge over other new grads looking to work in Dr. offices. You will have more administrative knowledge. A lot of LPN's don't know how to answer the phone, schedule, type etc... Good luck!

njitalgirl · May 5, 2009

hi there,

i have just been accepted to ctc in scranton, pa for the lpn program starting in august. i have wanted to be a nurse for about the past 10 years. i could not go to school full time because i was raising the kiddies. in the meantime i took medical transcription - graduated with honors, however hated the job. now i am in the middle of an intense phlebotomy course. lots of a&p, blood draws and vitals - so it's medical assisting without the computer, billing - office work, etc. i love it. i understand what you are saying - maybe it's the office end you don't want to be involved in and that's why you hate medical assisting. one thing i will say is that you will have a heads up for nursing school if you are getting a lot of a&p in your course. there is much more to learn in nursing school but you will be ahead of yourself and that's not a bad thing.

i can't wait to sit for my certification in three weeks for phlebotomy and nursing school is right around the corner. i'm finally getting to do what "i" want to do :-)

good luck to you!!! kim in pa

3sodapop · May 6, 2009

i can't wait to sit for my certification in three weeks for phlebotomy and nursing school is right around the corner. i'm finally getting to do what "i" want to do :-)
good luck to you!!! kim in pa

wow! having phlebotomy skills on to of being an lpn is a huge asset to your skills. congrats & good luck 2 u!

njitalgirl · May 6, 2009

3sodapop

thank you so much. i actually just took the course to get some medical experience down pat but i love it - didn't think i would be able to handle drawing but it's fine.

i was hoping it would add to my resume and help me stand out when i graduate lpn school. thanks again :-)

kim

futuremombabynurse · May 6, 2009

Hi,

I did a Medical Assisting program with the intention of going to nursing school after working a few years. Well, my school dropped the ball as far as the "We'll help you get a job after you graduate!" and this 3.87GPA, 99 on the RMA exam student, couldn't find a job because everyone wanted 3-5 years experience (NO NEW GRADS! is common on the ads here), and the most my school would do is to give me the fax or phone number of some place that might be hiring (who would either ignore my faxed resumes or hang up on me because they wanted experience too). So, I just started nursing school.

And now, a semester into my LVN program, I finally got a job as an MA, not because of my previous credentials, but because I'm a nursing student! :banghead: But I have to say that the med term and some of the clinical skills have helped in nursing school, especially (at this point) vitals and charting.

Ganbatte ne!

1uvakindmom · May 6, 2009

Hi! I actually went to school to be an MA before starting LPN school. I liked the MA school, but it was impossible to find a job....so I actually got out of that school and went to get my CNA certificate before starting the LPN program I am in now. Everywhere "wanted ppl with experience", but I never had any problem finding a CNA job, and there are more opportunities for CNAs, and the schedules are more flexible, which is important in nursing school. I do like that I got the classes in EKG and Phlebotomy, however...they helped me in Cardiac:)

Missy