Medical assistant training a waste of time

Nurses General Nursing

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I hear so many people going for the Medical Assistant Training, as it is the best option when in reality it is not. The private schools are charging $16,000 to $20,000 for NINE MONTHS of training, when with a couple months extra you can be in a LPN program graduating and exceed far better than a medical assistant.

Ten years ago, it was a great position to go for, because there was an abundance of positions at least here in New York City.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

A waste of "time"???? No, from what I am reading, it's a huge waste of MONEY. The return on the investment is virtually non-existant as you won't make much as a medical assistant.

Beware for-profits like that. They are generally a rip-off.

I would consider going to school to be an LPN or RN if that is even a long range goal for you.

Think how long it will take paying a 5-figure debt on a medical assistant's poor salary. Makes zero sen$e.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I totally concur with the opinion that training to be a medical assistant may not be the most optimal investment of time and money. I was unable to secure employment after having trained as a MA.

However, not everyone pays exorbitant tuition and fees to become a MA. My program at a private storefront school was $4600. Many others pay affordable tuition for MA programs at community colleges and state-funded adult education centers.

Still, those who want to be nurses would be wise to not get trapped into the medical assistant vortex.

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I have a good friend of mine who went to a private school for MA training. $24,000 later she can not find a job and is going back to school for Healthcare Admin. She told me that the school was very misleading telling her that hospitals have a great demand and that MA's are taking the jobs of nurses. In our area hospitals do not hire MA's and well, I think nurses are here to stay;)

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
In our area hospitals do not hire MA's and well, I think nurses are here to stay;)
Hospitals in my area do hire MAs, but they're hired and utilized as unit secretaries rather than MAs. In the hospital setting around here, their duties are more clerical rather than clinical.

In fact, the only hands-on procedural skill they perform in hospital settings in this area is drawing the very occasional vial of blood for a stat type & cross.

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Specializes in Healthcare risk management and liability.

Interesting that there is an unmet need for medical assistants in ambulatory care in the Seattle area. Typical wages are $ 16-24 per hour and my clinics could hire 10 of them right now if we could find the qualified candidates. Some other ambulatory healthcare systems in the Seattle area are offering a $ 3000 sign on bonus if you stay for two years.

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Interesting that there is an unmet need for medical assistants in ambulatory care in the Seattle area. Typical wages are $ 16-24 per hour and my clinics could hire 10 of them right now if we could find the qualified candidates. Some other ambulatory healthcare systems in the Seattle area are offering a $ 3000 sign on bonus if you stay for two years.

You don't have a million for profits schools in Seattle?

If they are paying that much, why not just hire nurses?

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Specializes in Healthcare risk management and liability.
You don't have a million for profits schools in Seattle?

If they are paying that much, why not just hire nurses?

There are not a whole lot of the for-profit schools in this area for MA's. Experienced nurses in ambulatory care in this area go for the low $ 30's to the low $ 40's per hour. You can make more in the hospital depending on specialty and shift differentials. Just about all of our ambulatory nurses came to us from inpatient care for lifestyle reasons (primarily the M-F 0800 to 1700 schedule).

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There are not a whole lot of the for-profit schools in this area for MA's. Experienced nurses in ambulatory care in this area go for the low $ 30's to the low $ 40's per hour. You can make more in the hospital depending on specialty and shift differentials. Just about all of our ambulatory nurses came to us from inpatient care for lifestyle reasons (primarily the M-F 0800 to 1700 schedule).

Omg I'm living in the wrong area. I'd love to work there haha

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Specializes in Healthcare risk management and liability.
Omg I'm living in the wrong area. I'd love to work there haha

The sticky wicket is that the cost of housing in this area is very high. In some parts of the Seattle area, housing or rent prices are as high as San Francisco. Traffic and commutes are also bad.

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