Medical Assisting For Profit Vs. Tech School programs

Published

Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Pediatrics.

I am looking for a career change in the medical field. I currently teach but I dont have the passion and patience for it. I have always wanted to be a nurse and God willing I will. However, after doing research and looking at my financial situation ( I am married with a 1 year old ), I have decided to wait before applying to a nursing program where I would have to quit working fulltime. I have looked at medical assisting since the hours are pretty much the same and with budget cuts to education, the pay wouldn't be too different. My question is would it be safe to go to a for-profit program like Everest and Sanford Brown instead of a technical school? Of course, I would rather go to a technical school simply due to the price but they don't offer night and weekend classes like Everest. I would like to start taking the program while I work fulltime. Any advice is welcome!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

I used to hire MA's for a big group practice. What school you attended had no bearing. You were were either certified or not. So choose the least expensive option. You do realize the pay is 20 to 25 k a year right?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Pediatrics.
I used to hire MA's for a big group practice. What school you attended had no bearing. You were were either certified or not. So choose the least expensive option. You do realize the pay is 20 to 25 k a year right?
Thank you for your response. I understand would be substantial lower than what I am making now. What would be another route that you would suggest that would not include me quitting work? That is just not an option at least for the next two years.
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Another problem with medical assisting is the lack of jobs for those with no experience.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

I understand. What I had to do (20 years ago!) was work every weekend and holidays at the hospital. I was a unit clerk/monitor tech/ekg tech/staffing coord...... you get the idea. Anything I could do, but those also paid about the same, but allowed me to do all, but my last quarter of nursing school while working.

I don't want to discourage you, but I never hired any MA without experience because I always had way too many experienced ones applying to choose from.

Whatever you do in any job these days you have to network all you can.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Pediatrics.

Thank you CrunchRN for your honesty. I really want to be a nurse and I have been discouraged because the programs, as we know, require fulltime. I think I need to be patient and just focus on prerequisites I need to do for the nursing program.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

One step at a time. I was not even a high school grad. 1st I got my GED at 17. Then did a voc. tech unit secretary thing. Then 10 years later I finally started taking pre-reqs at my local community college. And finally, did the nursing program.

The thing is to just keep chewing away at it, but do not pay the obscenely high tuition the private schools charge for MA or RN!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, Med-surg.

In my area MA's and CNA's make the same amount of money, but CNA's have more opportunities for employment, largely because of turn over rate. I would encourage you to not quit your teaching job to become an MA. It's not worth it. I've had friends who spent thousands upon thousands of dollars and over a year of their lives only to not be able to find a job or find a job making $9.00/hour. You can still go into nursing and teach. Talk to nursing programs in your area and see if they have a night program. If you hate teaching that much or can't wing it with the schedule, I would strongly suggest going the CNA route over the MA route.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Pediatrics.
In my area MA's and CNA's make the same amount of money, but CNA's have more opportunities for employment, largely because of turn over rate. I would encourage you to not quit your teaching job to become an MA. It's not worth it. I've had friends who spent thousands upon thousands of dollars and over a year of their lives only to not be able to find a job or find a job making $9.00/hour. You can still go into nursing and teach. Talk to nursing programs in your area and see if they have a night program. If you hate teaching that much or can't wing it with the schedule, I would strongly suggest going the CNA route over the MA route.
I thought about it and decided that I am going to stick with nursing. I am going to take it one step at a time and work on prerequisites that I need to finish or even take back over. Thanks for the advice!
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in alzheimers, hospice, dialysis.

CNA's only make like $11 where i live, MA's are like $15-$18 depending on where you work. I would recommend Everest and Heald. I know graduates from both schools for MA program, and all are doing really great.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, Med-surg.
CNA's only make like $11 where i live, MA's are like $15-$18 depending on where you work. I would recommend Everest and Heald. I know graduates from both schools for MA program, and all are doing really great.
$15-$18 and hour is how much LPN's make around here. What state do you live in?
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in alzheimers, hospice, dialysis.
$15-$18 and hour is how much LPN's make around here. What state do you live in?

i live in california, about 30 min from SF

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion