National Medical Academy

smallcheeks · Sep 10, 2009

Miss Rogers, if you go the the michigan government website, you will find that this "program" is not on the list of approved programs to even take the NCLEX. So you will just be wasting your cash on some shady program. Go elsewhere. Really, I wouldn't want a nurse from this program to care for my loved ones.

One of the beauties of being alive is that there is always something more we can learn...

A "nursing school" doesn't have to be on the board of nursing's "approved list of schools" in order for a student to obtain a license. It just means that schools that are already on the list don't need any further scrutiny at the time of applying for a license. If I graduate nursing school in Oregon and decide to apply for my orginal licensure in Michigan, my school will not be on that list. Same thing if I graduate from an international program.

Graduates from National Medical Academy can sit for any state board as long as they can prove that they received training comparable to an "approved" program. People who actually visit the facility tend to get a better understanding of how the process actually works.

Oh yeah...does it really matter what "kind" of program a person attends as long as they can deliver competent, safe, and compassionate care? If a person has a license then theoretically they know a little something. The rest is a mystery no matter what program a nurse graduates from.

There will always be good and bad health care providers no matter which school they went to or how much experience they have.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/cis_fhs_bhser_rnpkt_74438_7.pdf pay particular attention to #6 and page 2

RN1982 · Sep 10, 2009

As far as I am concerned, the program is a scam. I just looked up program codes for all the programs in the state of Michigan at the NCLEX website, and surprise surprise National Medical Academy is NOT on it. My point is, students should go to one of the community colleges or universities here and get a real education, not pay 2500 bucks for a program where they can't even sit for the NCLEX. I find it amazing that I cannot even find a website or any info on this "academy" when doing an internet search. You would think that the founders of this academy would want to advertise to potential nursing students but obviously since I can't find any info, it's probably because they are scamming those who are dumb enough to think it's an acreditted program....

RN1982 · Sep 10, 2009

By the way,

the address for this "school" is at 2550 West Grand Blvd. Detroit Michigan 48208 according to ReRe's post, it's at the DPS office, same address....is that scam enough.? Since I work in that area, I will be making a visit and will be filing a report with the Michigan Board of Nursing...

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 11, 2009

Thread closed for now, pending Staff discussion.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Sep 11, 2009

remember our terms of service don't toss shady and scam terms around as potentially libelous.

a "nursing school" doesn't have to be on the board of nursing's "approved list of schools" in order for a student to obtain a license.

all us states require that a nursing program based within their borders is required to be approved by the state board of nursing in order to qualify for a nursing license. applicants applying for licensure who've attended out of state us based nursing program, still have to have to attend an approved board of nursing program...most states require that they be a program graduate (ca does not). this is done to ensure quality of education. reason cgfns was created to qualify that graduates of foreign/outside us nursing programs meet or exceed our standards.

this program does not appear to have state board of nursing accreditation in any state it operates, making graduates ineligible to obtain licensure.

michigan regs: nursing

part 2. licensure
r 338.10201 definitions.
rule 201. (1) as used in this part:
(a) "act" means 1978 pa 368, mcl 333.1101 et seq.
(b) "board" means the michigan board of nursing.
© "completed a practical nurse education program acceptable to the
board" means 1 of the following:
(i) that the applicant is a graduate of a practical nurse education
program which is located in this state and which is approved by the board.
(ii) that the applicant is a graduate of a practical nurse education
program which is located in another state or territory of the united
states, as required by 333.16186, and that program is substantially
equivalent to the program requirements of article 15 of the act and the
rules promulgated by the board.
(iii) that the applicant is a graduate of a nurse education program that
is substantially equivalent to a practical nurse education program approved
by the board. the applicant has completed the core curriculum for
practical nurse applicants in a nurse education program which is not less
than 30 weeks in duration and which includes courses in both theory and
clinical practice.
(d) "completed a registered nurse education program acceptable to the
board" means 1 of the following:
(i) that the applicant is a graduate of a registered nurse education
program which is located in this state and which is approved by the board.
(ii) that the applicant is a graduate of a registered nurse
education program which is located in another state or territory of the
united states, as required by 333.16186, and that program is substantially
equivalent to the program requirements of article 15 of the act and the
rules promulgated by the board.

md: 15364?f=images&fn=doc-tab.gif&up=1&2.0 8-302. qualifications of applicants.

nclex-rn application instructions for graduates of schools within the united states

to be eligible for the nclex-rn examination you must:

complete satisfactorily and meet all requirements for a degree or diploma from:
1. a registered nursing education program approved by the board; or

2. a registered nursing education program in any other state that the board finds substantially equivalent to the program in this state

since md requires applicants to have education from a program approved by the board, in order to qualify in michigan you'd not meet "substantially equal" requirement.

all post secondary education programs are required to be licensed in this state.

see: mdcd - postsecondary services

[color=#182383]educational corporations program

program not on the list under: [color=#182383]proprietary schools

this site provides information on schools in michigan that provide training in a specific trade, occupation or vocation, usually to individuals beyond the high school level.

program not on the list under:

[color=#182383]2009 directory of higher education institutions

program not on bon list: nursing education programs

attorney general of each state charged with maintaining consumer protection

[color=#00e010]where do i file a consumer complaint?
answer: you can file a complaint online at www. michigan.gov/ag or click on file a complaint online . you can also call to speak to a complaint specialist at 1-877-765-8388 if you have questions.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Sep 11, 2009

fromnational medical academy ga website:http://www.nmaeducation.com/

about us page:

national medical academy is an accredited, institution committed to the professional success of its student body and graduates. years of medical industry experience nma is an accredited, institution committed to the professional success of its student body and graduates. nma is qualified to offer this curriculum in a flexible format. here, you will earn your certificate in seven months.

as a medical assistant
, you will be one of the most appreciated team members in any medical office setting. national medical academy's comprehensive training will groom you for a rewarding, fast-paced career in a physician's office, health care facility, or clinic. your skills learned will make you a valued member of the medical office staff!

think this program description written by someone with english as secondary language or did not proofread as redundent.

not approved to provide nursing education program http://sos.georgia.gov/plb/rn/rn_school%20directory.pdf

[color=#a53737]accreditation
national medical academy is regulated and approved to operate by the postsecondary education commission. (wia program) for the medical assistant training program.

ga: postsecondary education commission

don't see this program on states [color=#666699]degree granting , [color=#666699]non-degree granting nor wia training providers list.

smallcheeks · Sep 12, 2009

I think it's quite obvious that National Medical Academy (at least in MI and MD) is NOT a state approved program.

Let me repeat, NOT A STATE APPROVED PROGRAM! Nor is it a school or a post-secondary institution. If they claimed to be one I'd have the most posts reporting this "scam".

But I can't deny that I personally know of people here in these United States that did not attend a state-approved program and are working in their field under a valid license.

As I said before, if you actually took the time to visit with an open mind, you'd understand how the process works. We live in a global society, I can attend a school in another country on-line, do my clinicals here in America, and get my nursing license.

All these quotes from various regulating bodies are accurate, but they don't apply to National Medical Academy because they are obviously not state approved.

AND... if this was so illegal and such a scam, why are they still in business? Surely if you all know about it so does the media and the government.

RN1982 · Sep 12, 2009

NRSkaren, thank you for all of the info. You are correct. All nursing programs are required to be approved by the State of Michigan. As I have said before on the NCSBN website, National Medical Academy does NOT have a program code that is required to indicate from where the applicant graduated from.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Sep 12, 2009

i can attend a school in another country on-line, do my clinicals here in america, and get my nursing license

you are talking about a different situation.

educators, cgfns and boards of nurses are more closely looking at these programs to ensure one meets minimum requirements to practice as safe effective nurse and meet state regulatory guidelines....and prevent diploma mills pumping out fake degrees.

program you describe is located outside us but clinicals are based in us institution. written articulation agreements between nursing program and clinical sites exist that describe training/education provided. each countries nursing regulatory body has final say in determining if nursing program meets their nursing standards and has proper business/health care license. one still must meet guidelines for taking nclex examination and each states bon to be issued license to practice within that state. passing nclex is not a guarantee if other license requirement's not met.

2007 cgfns annual report: global credibility pg15

[color=#c5cd94][color=#c5cd94][color=#c5cd94]global protection [color=#a4738c][color=#a4738c][color=#a4738c]against fraudulent documents

[color=#a4738c][color=#a4738c]falsification of documents, counterfeit transcripts and
[color=#a4738c][color=#a4738c]licenses, and identity fraud are growing international problems.
[color=#a4738c][color=#a4738c]advanced technology has made it easier to produce more
[color=#a4738c][color=#a4738c]sophisticated-looking forgeries. in addition, bribery and
[color=#a4738c][color=#a4738c]collusion help perpetrators pass off seemingly official
[color=#a4738c][color=#a4738c]documents for immigration, licensure, employment and
[color=#a4738c][color=#a4738c]academic admission. a significant portion of cgfns's
[color=#a4738c][color=#a4738c]credentials evaluation and assessment services is devoted
[color=#a4738c][color=#a4738c]to detecting fraud and preventing unqualified people from
[color=#a4738c][color=#a4738c]becoming practicing healthcare professionals. our international[color=#a4738c]
[color=#a4738c]credentialing and quality assurance staff constantly investigate,[color=#a4738c]
research and evaluate documents we receive from international
schools and licensing authorities. we conduct periodic
document audits to confirm seals and signatures and verify
approved schools of education. cgfns also consults with
state boards of nursing, international nursing councils and
education databases to ensure that all information is
accurate and current. state, federal and international
governmental bodies request information from cgfns
regarding nurses and allied healthcare professionals and
their credentials. cgfns conducts risk assessment
procedures to identify recurrent instances of fraudulent
activity and irregularities in applications and documents from
particular institutions, countries and individuals. our current
policies are being refined to increase the flow of information
[color=#a4738c]among the appropriate stakeholders in the public health arena.

us based programs that are fraudulent in nature are eventually shut down.... especially after students and nurses complain to state government officials.

abc2 news: degrees of disappointment: the diploma mill

last update: 8/21

and of course, there are our favorite opportunities for advancement such as national medical academy located in baltimore. this training program offers lpn/rn training though in june 09, maryland issued a cease/desist order to discontinue leaving those who paid thousands of dollars for training in the high demand field of nursing were left "holding the bag". the reason? the academy's training credentials were not certified, therefore not accepted by the maryland board of nursing!

other

ma: attorney general coakley files suit against unlicensed nursing ...

nj: attorney general sues essex county vocational school and owners ...

kenyan school closed by state (state closes nursing program) ma

the importance of finding a legitimate, registered nursing school ...

mass: illegal nursing programs

unaccredited nursing programs operating within california

oregan list of unaccredited schools: office of degree authorization

information concerning unaccredited universities

smallcheeks · Sep 13, 2009

Again, National Medical Academy never professed to me to be a school, a nursing program, or a post-secondary institution. They simply told me that they could tutor me for an exam. They also wanted me to understand that thet were NOT a degree granting institution.

Therefore, they were not misleading. They have not promissed anything that they couldn't deliver.

Now if you can show me some law that says it is illegal to tutor someone for money, I will rest my case.

And as far as falsification of documents... that is yet to be seen.

With respect to the ABC news article... that is inaccurate. Hopefully everyone out there knows that you can't believe everything out there in the media. The media is a business trying to sell a story.

Maryland did issue a cease and desist order based on the assumption that National Medical Academy was operating as a "school". After a response from the company's director, the state now understands the nature of the business.

With respect to "paying thousands and being left holding the bag", unlike schools, National Medical Academy does not require that huge fees be paid upfront. Tutees pay as they go. Sessions didn't start until the end of July, almost exactly a month after the article- hardly enough time to collect thousands from its patrons.

The board of nursing continues to "investigate" the program. But that's no biggie considering it's not a nursing program so there's not much they can do. And no one is claiming to be able to sit patrons for the Maryland board.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Sep 13, 2009

Again, National Medical Academy never professed to me to be a school, a nursing program, or a post-secondary institution. They simply told me that they could tutor me for an exam. They also wanted me to understand that thet were NOT a degree granting institution.
Therefore, they were not misleading. They have not promissed anything that they couldn't deliver.
Now if you can show me some law that says it is illegal to tutor someone for money, I will rest my case.
And as far as falsification of documents... that is yet to be seen.
With respect to the ABC news article... that is inaccurate. Hopefully everyone out there knows that you can't believe everything out there in the media. The media is a business trying to sell a story.
Maryland did issue a cease and desist order based on the assumption that National Medical Academy was operating as a "school". After a response from the company's director, the state now understands the nature of the business.
With respect to "paying thousands and being left holding the bag", unlike schools, National Medical Academy does not require that huge fees be paid upfront. Tutees pay as they go. Sessions didn't start until the end of July, almost exactly a month after the article- hardly enough time to collect thousands from its patrons.
The board of nursing continues to "investigate" the program. But that's no biggie considering it's not a nursing program so there's not much they can do. And no one is claiming to be able to sit patrons for the Maryland board.

Never seen a student take so much time to defend a review program before.... ceast and desist orders not served unless governement officials have proof of consumer fraud.

smallcheeks · Sep 15, 2009

Never seen a student take so much time to defend a review program before.... ceast and desist orders not served unless governement officials have proof of consumer fraud.

Never seen soooooo many people take so much time to say things that either aren't true or are misleading or discouraging.

Fortunately and unfortunately many people base life altering decisions on comments left by bloggers who they've never even spoken to. I just feel that people should be able to make a knowledgebale decision- one that's based on facts not opionions.

Some people have been putting out plain facts, some skewed facts, and others outright lies. That's just not right or fair to anyone.

I can admit that this program doesn't exactly come across as a well-oiled machine. I can't imagine why a person would publish anything representing their company with so many typographical and grammatical errors. Or why someone is not always in the office, and so on. And if that is something that is important to you as a consumer, then just don't attend. That doesn't make it a fraud. And to say so without having been defrauded is slanderous and malicious.

I'm not defending the program at all- that's not my place. I could care less what people think about the program- that's their right. Unfortuanately most people don't preface their posts with " I'm not 100% sure about what I'm posting. It's just what I think is true".

I just want to help out those who come to this site to get the facts.

PS. The Maryland Higher Education Commission ( MHEC) issued the cease and deisist. They are only an independent agency with the responsibility of planning, supervising and coordinating Maryland's postsecondary education system. They don't enforce consumer laws. Their inital concern had little to do with fraud, but rather the notion that National Medical Academy was representing itself as a school or post-secondary institution that had not applied for their approaval.

So to answer my own question on a previous post- that's why they're still in business because they are legit.