which healthcare position course would be best first to take? MA or CNA

sueall · Jan 29, 2014

Welcome!! Great to see you are "Determined" and want healthcare experience!

There's an old saying: It's impossible to choose a direction to travel unless you know your intended destination. It applies to your question, because unless we know what your goals are, we can't offer thoughts or advice on how best to meet those goals.

Tell us a little more about where you want to be in the healthcare world. The directions and experiences offered by MA and CNA are very different, and they may or may not help you meet those goals.

Lizzly · Jan 30, 2014

Try both CNA and MA to find out which one you like best and choose one. I'd love to go into account/business but there are not many jobs out there right now. After hunting a year for a job in business, my friend got her associates in nursing and works at a hospital as an RN now. Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life. Good luck on your decision.

lulure79 · Jan 30, 2014

I have chosen CNA to take this spring semester, and medical assistant as my secondary..i wanted to be certified for both as a just in case when I apply for the position and just so happens I am having delays in getting hired. And i was also hoping to work in a physicians office when I get certified. I'm hearing how difficult it is to find doctors who will hire CNAs.

sueall · Jan 30, 2014

Sounds like a great plan. Yes, MAs usually (but not always) work in physician's offices or clinics. CNAs are not really trained for office work.

kenya1005 · Jan 31, 2014

I'm sure it depends on the area, but here you can get a CMA job with just a CNA license, but the hospital won't hire you as a CNA without a CNA license or your first year of nursing school completed. CMA programs are generally much more expensive that CNA. I would get the CNA first. There's a lot you can do with that... hospital, nursing home, home health (and don't let people tell you that you can only work in a nursing home with no experience. I started out in a hospital 1 month after my certification test and I've been there 2 years). Then after a year or so, you can probably get a "CMA" job even though you aren't technically certified. Another route to take depending on your end goal is an ER Tech. Here, they're CNAs, but they get extra training through the hospital so they can do a lot more than a regular PCT or CNA can.

deetrain · Feb 3, 2014

Cna....hands down

guest769224 · Feb 3, 2014

I completed my CNA in a single week.

Medical Assistant programs usually take 4-8 months in my understanding. And MA's make $3-5 more an hour. CNA is certainly cheaper, that's for sure. However, MA has a larger scope of practice, and the work duties are more desirable. When I was an MA I would remove casts, apply splints, remove surgery from surgical sites. CNA is poop clean up and vitals.

guest769224 · Feb 3, 2014

I meant to say remove staples.

MrsClarkRN · Feb 3, 2014

Depends on what your future goals are....

Paws2people · Feb 3, 2014

MA jobs are harder to come by than CNA. CNA's do more than just "clean poop." They do vitals, EKG's, blood sugars, phlebotomy, stock, prep for surgery, ADL's, assist the nurse with whatever they need; from dressing changes to admissions to call lights to etc etc.

This has been a long debate: MA vs CNA. Really it's a personal decision. Best of luck :)

daisy-mae · Feb 9, 2014

I would start with CNA first. The training is shorter, and will give you a basic knowledge before you decide if you want to do MA.

If you decide to do MA, my advise would to look into a CC first before you look at some of those "for profit" schools. I don't know what all CC's offer, but you can end up with an Associates degree which in some place gets you higher pay, and better opportunities.

Goods luck!