Medical Assistant/FutureRN

FutureRNGreen · Oct 17, 2012

Thank you maddie

boricualuna · Nov 16, 2012

I have a diploma in Medical Assistance and I am very thankful for this diploma because it has allowed me to fine a job that I absolutely love. I've been a PCT in a CCU for 8 years and I am currently a first semester nursing student. The education I got when I went to school for my MA and the 8 years of "on the job learning" has really helped me this semester. If you want to get your MA go for it, because for me it's opened many doors for me in the medical field.

carasaurus · Nov 25, 2012

Anything in the medical field will help you with becoming a RN. Why? Because nursing is not just about the medical aspect, it is also about interacting with your patients. Being a MA helped me learn how to talk to a variety of different people in different situations, and how to calm them down when they are upset.

kayak007 · Nov 26, 2012

You might be able to get a MA cert along the way as you become an RN. NJ and PA accept the Fundamentals of Nursing which is the first course you will take in the RN program and will certify you as an MA when you complete the Fundamentals course...check with your state BON first as I found out NJ has a time limit on the Fundamental course...it is only good for one year. Several CNA's in my class also worked at a local hospital...after passing the NCLEX they were immediately fired as CNA's...only to be rehired as RN's...my best advice is to check and see for yourself because only what you will see for yourself is what matters.

lillymom · Nov 26, 2012

I am in nursing school and have been a CMA for 5 years now. As far as courses go the pre-reqs and non core required for the associates degree followed the same as the RN program with the exception of micro but we learned that in MA class but it did not count for micro. This helped me because I didn't have to bother with pre-reqs before applying but NONE of my MA classes transferred to the nursing curriculum because the format and teaching models are vastly different.

I do think that in some cases it can be a help or a hindrance in nursing school. It was a great help in pharmacology because I had worked with the meds and knew the majority of them but there are also questions where someone who has medical experience can go too in-depth for the question and over think the problem. I do feel that overall that it helps with learning the material.

I also have to say that even though it helped me I would not have went through the MA program if I had the money to do the RN program. The MA program allowed me to work full time on 3rd shift which would not have worked with the RN program so it was my only option for getting out of the manufacturing industry at the time. It really all depends on the circumstances. Good luck either way!

nguyency77, CNA · Dec 1, 2012

I am in nursing school and have been a CMA for 5 years now. As far as courses go the pre-reqs and non core required for the associates degree followed the same as the RN program with the exception of micro but we learned that in MA class but it did not count for micro. This helped me because I didn't have to bother with pre-reqs before applying but NONE of my MA classes transferred to the nursing curriculum because the format and teaching models are vastly different.

That's awful! The whole classes-not-transferring thing was another reason I chose not to go the MA route. In my area, there are no CMA classes offered at our community college. The only schools that offered CMA were vocational schools, and I didn't want to take a gamble on whether or not the credits would transfer.

OP, good luck... whatever you decided to do! :)

Philly_LPN_Girl, LPN · Dec 10, 2012

MA can help some what in nursing school as far as vital signs, and giving injections that is about it. You're better off gaining experince as a CNA because as a Nurse, you are doing a lot of patient care and that is what CNA's do. From my experience, doing Nursing Assistant work and Votech has helped me a lot in clinicals as well as nursing fundamentals.

FutureRNGreen · Jan 19, 2013

Thanks everyone i got my MA and still looking for a job being its already been a month and a half