being a medical assistant better than a cna

juliaann · Apr 16, 2010

If you really want to be a CNA, be a CNA.

As an MA, getting a job that you enjoy and is worth the time and money you spend on MA school will really depend on your location, the job market where you live, and the type of employee medical offices and clinics choose to use (in-house trainees, LPNs, MAs, ect.)

Without knowing more about your location I can't really comment on pay, but in my area the pay is comparable. Plus as a CNA you can often get shift differentials for nights and weekends, while most MAs only have the option of weekday daytime hours. But pay really won't come into play if you can't find a job as an MA...and you said the market isn't good...that would be a red flag for me.

I like being a CNA. But no, I don't think one is "better" than the other.

Boog'sCRRN246, RN · Apr 16, 2010

There are more opportunities as a CNA. If you're planning on going into nursing, being a CNA will will give you a broader skills base than being a medical assistant. You may make more as medical assistant, but your opportunities will be limited.

And the kicker (for me anyway), is that medical assisting programs generally cost MUCH more than CNA programs. The cost for medical assisting programs (again my opinion) is not justified at all.

rayne215 · Apr 16, 2010

Im kinda having this dilemma as well, im a pre nursing student, but since i have no previous medical training, i wanted to get trained in something 'quick' that will benefit me in the long road i have in nursing school, and gain experince (i work in a restaurant) my college has a 1 semester phlebotomy course that i was gonna take, get certified and try to get foot in door with that. (my college does not have a CNA program, i can pay for one out of pocket for 1200(kinda broke) though but the phlebotomy is financial aid paid) i was gonna do my MA program but its comparable to the LPN prgram in price.. so i decided against that. hope i can find a job in phlebotomy and take it from there..BTW im in Philadelphia

caliotter3 · Apr 16, 2010

What good would it be to become a medical assistant if you never get a job as one? More than one person has posted that they never obtained employment as a medical assistant. Best to go where there is a better opportunity for jobs and advancement, CNA.

Misslady113 · Apr 16, 2010

Well... you said yourself that you want to be a CNA so why follow your friend to be something that you really don't want. Medical assistant training is more expensive and time consuming than CNA. There are far more opportunities as a CNA. You can work in a hospital or nursing home and like someone said already, you get more chances to work different shifts. I like having the option of working 11-7am, 7-3pm, or 3-11. If I have something to do for the day, I can just switch my shifts, rather than take a whole day off because I work a 9-5.

Not to mention that CNA with additial training in EKG and phlebotomy become Patient Care Technicians and make the same amount as medical assistants. And being a PCT makes you very marketable, because you can work as an EKG tech, phlebotomist, CNA, or the combination of the three. I LOVE being a CNA. You really create a bond with your patients, rather than just see people come in and out of an office all day. It's more rewarding, cheaper, and the jobs are out there becuase CNA jobs have very high turnover. Good luck to you.:redpinkhe

butterfly_kisses9188 · Apr 16, 2010

The state I live in, LPNs and MAs make about the same amont of money per hour. I was wanting to be a MA while in nursing school, but got told it would be a waste of money when I am spending so much money to become a R.N. and I will make double or triple the money.

TDCHIM · Apr 16, 2010

I'd endorse the CNA instead of the MA for three reasons:

1. You said you really want to be a CNA, not an MA, and if you take a job because somebody talked you into it, you aren't all that likely to be happy doing that job.

2. As other posters have noted, becoming an MA is considerably more expensive than becoming a CNA.

3. Around here, at any rate, the MA program takes a good while longer than the CNA program. My stepfather recently explored all this; he's in a CNA course right now as a pre-req for an LPN program he's joining in the fall. He also looked at the MA option, but the cost and course time were fairly close to what his LPN program is going to take, so it seemed silly to pursue an MA when he could get comparable skills through the CNA option.

Good luck to you!

SnowStar4 · Apr 16, 2010

My hospital system in MI hires MAs as CNAs. They get paid the same. The only difference is that sometimes the MAs paid up to 30K for school to get the same job. That's 5 times more than I paid for my ADN!