How to reenter medical field?

[dolphincatch]

Three years ago I completed a medical assistant program and externed in several medical practices where the doctors and staff were awful and unethical and it scared me away from the medical field. For the last two years, I've been working in a fast food restaurant and I want to reenter the medical field. I want to get a job as a medical receptionist or medical assistant and go back to college for nursing. Do you think I could get hired even though I have been out of the medical field for three years? I know I'll need some medical experience to be accepted into the nursing program. I REALLY want to become a pediatric nurse and cannot imagine doing anything else with my life. Can anyone offer any advice for me? Thank you so much for your help! :)

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

Experience as a medical assistant is not normally helpful for getting into nursing school. My best advice would be to start taking nursing prerequisites and keep your grades up really high. You could also look into programs in your area and see what their requirements are for applying. Most programs have at least some information available online.

You might also want to take a serious look at nursing and make sure you're not romanticizing it too much. What did you find unethical about your prior MA job(s) that made fast food a better option?

[roser13, ASN, RN]

You do not need "medical experience" to be accepted into nursing school. And as has been said, any experience as an MA does not necessarily help someone in nursing school. If you want to be a nurse, look into your options.

[RNperdiem, RN]

When I applied for nursing school, nobody cared about my years working as a nursing assistant. "We go by grades and test scores" is what I was told. Experience was not necessary.

If you want to get out of food service, go ahead and apply for some MA jobs. Either they hire you or they don't; nothing to lose.