Once you have completed your CMA requirments, have you found that your credits from the MA courses you took transfer to an ADN program or BSN program ? I really hope so. My freind that is an MA, bless her heart (one of the sweetest people you will ever meet), wants to go to school for her RN. I work with an CMA , who told me she went to a 11 month program , became certified and when she went to apply at an ADN programe they told her that none of the credits would transfer. She said she left in tears. She said she felt like she had been robbed. That it even sent her into a depression for a while. I hope this isn't true. My friend worked so hard ,payed a good sum of money, but has already found that the pay isn't what they had told her. I guess, I want to be prepared to be there for her if she faces the same difficulties. I like the CMA I work with but, I have to tell you , I hope she did somthing wrong. I really don't want my freind to go through this.
What I don't understand (and I'm not bashing MA's at all!!!) is why someone would take a 2 year MA program, come out of it with fewer job opportunities, fewer qualifications and less pay than an LPN when an LPN program is usually less than 2 years??? OH, and since the ADN program is also two years, you come out as an RN, have endless job opportunities, MUCH, MUCH better pay. Why take the MA route???
I respect what MA's learn, their scope and their skills, but it seems like a "dead-end" job in a lot of cases. You can work in a clinic/doctors office, perhaps be the manager there and make more money, but that's pretty much it.
Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.
I've slowly taken the courses needed to complete this RN mission. And due to the time factor I had to repeat A & P along the way. Yuck. How is microbiology, any pointers?
Loved micro especially the lab making bacteria was fun. The only pointer that I can give is if you struggle with the sciences in general I wouldn't recommend taking two at the same time. The micro class that I took was taught by a neuro surgeon who ahd never taught before and let's just say a C in that class was an A. The only good thing is that the school that I'm planning on going to for my RN requires a micro that's specifically for nursing and the one that I took was a gen class for another nurding program.
Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.
What I don't understand (and I'm not bashing MA's at all!!!) is why someone would take a 2 year MA program, come out of it with fewer job opportunities, fewer qualifications and less pay than an LPN when an LPN program is usually less than 2 years??? OH, and since the ADN program is also two years, you come out as an RN, have endless job opportunities, MUCH, MUCH better pay. Why take the MA route???
I respect what MA's learn, their scope and their skills, but it seems like a "dead-end" job in a lot of cases. You can work in a clinic/doctors office, perhaps be the manager there and make more money, but that's pretty much it.
Can anyone lend some insight into this?
I myself didn't go to a two year program but I know a few people who had and they are kicking themselves because what they learned in two years I learned in 8 months. We've had this discussion and basically it was the quickest/easiest way to get in to the medical field. There's usually no waiting list, pre reqs, or even a real application process. In the area that I live in MA's are hired in hospitals, urgent care clinics, doctor's offices, insurance companies, labs, and as teachers for these wonderful money robbing MA schools (something which I would never do because I know I would tell them what a waste 99% of these so called accredited programs are).
I agree with the dead-end position part of your MA view. I'Ve told my tale before, I was in a situation where money was a huge factor and I didn't look to Welfare for life issue. I am an LPN now, but I started my CMA In a Texas Hospital in the Cath Lab, setting trays and ready for CS to sterilize. I learned a tremendous amount of info at this job. I would freqeuntly be caught up so I could observe the caths, attend the Dr's. conference qFriday's,etc.
It was this employer that called me into his office and offered me a scholarship to return to school and come back to the hospital as a staff nurse. My situation here is alot different than what I've been reading. I know I was lucky, blessed, whatever, but the experience I received and the knowlegde I received in the MA course helped me in the long run. Yes, I wish I went straight for the RN program, but I did the best I could with what I had at the time. It gave me confidence over the devastation of the abusive marriage. Being an LPN has brought me even further into some really stressful days,none to compare before entering MA school. And even better when you've assisted in a code and the patient lived, you cry your little heart out because of something so profoundly positive, rather than living in a negative environment. My son and I lived so poorly during those early years but did we have a blast at life. The beach is free! (Went to shool in Corpus Christie, Tx).Hope this helped.
I just started LPN school this week and I'm 31. I have spend the last 12 years working as a medical office assistant, which is somewhat similar to an MA's position, but hardly any clinical stuff, mostly reception, paperwork. So, for all intents and purposes, I was an MA for that time.
I took a 9 month course to do that back when I was 18 as a quick way to get into the medical field. No pre reqs, no wait list. But I was also young, naive and didn't feel like doing any type of real schooling.
BUT,,,if I had to make a conscience decsion to go to school for 2 years, for a "career", it just wouldn't make sense to spend 2 years becoming an MA when you could spend 2 years becoming an RN.
I just started LPN school this week and I'm 31. I have spend the last 12 years working as a medical office assistant, which is somewhat similar to an MA's position, but hardly any clinical stuff, mostly reception, paperwork. So, for all intents and purposes, I was an MA for that time.
I took a 9 month course to do that back when I was 18 as a quick way to get into the medical field. No pre reqs, no wait list. But I was also young, naive and didn't feel like doing any type of real schooling.
BUT,,,if I had to make a conscience decsion to go to school for 2 years, for a "career", it just wouldn't make sense to spend 2 years becoming an MA when you could spend 2 years becoming an RN.
Make sense?
Not really because i have yet to meet someone who became an RN in only 2 years.
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
Not really because i have yet to meet someone who became an RN in only 2 years.
I'm not posting this to pick an argument but you haven't met me or any of my classmates. I attended Hudson Valley Community College, from 1969 to 1971. That is just two years. And I graduated with an Associate in Applied Science, in Nursing, in May of 1971, as did approximately 68 of my fellow classmates. We had no prerequisites, just corequisites. Our program was just two years from start to finish. And 98% of our group passed NYS state boards on our first attempt.
Yes, makes perfect sense to me. And ur right you were working as an administrative medical assistant. Good Luck with your LPN program, I loved every minute of mine except nutrition (boring).
Hey Woody, In 1999 my husband was transferred to SW Florida. I had no problem in getting a FLA license at that time just to meet the mandatory dom.violence and HIV req. But working there was a whole other picture. The cardiologist I teched for in the lab one week alt working the floor with him the next, would see a patient q5mn. No ****. I felt so unethical, had to do EKG's on patients seen 6 mo or less, saw more caths ordered and of course these were the "older snowbirds". It was crazy. The hospitals were filthy in the town I worked in and pt's were so sick from nosicomial infections it was unreal. I t sounds like times have really changed and conditions are far worse. We luckily were there for only 3 years. They(FLA) also rely yearly pn seasonal nurses during the peak season, at least where I observed in the hospital setting.
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
Hey Woody, In 1999 my husband was transferred to SW Florida. I had no problem in getting a FLA license at that time just to meet the mandatory dom.violence and HIV req. But working there was a whole other picture. The cardiologist I teched for in the lab one week alt working the floor with him the next, would see a patient q5mn. No ****. I felt so unethical, had to do EKG's on patients seen 6 mo or less, saw more caths ordered and of course these were the "older snowbirds". It was crazy. The hospitals were filthy in the town I worked in and pt's were so sick from nosicomial infections it was unreal. I t sounds like times have really changed and conditions are far worse. We luckily were there for only 3 years. They(FLA) also rely yearly pn seasonal nurses during the peak season, at least where I observed in the hospital setting.
I had no problem getting a license in 1980. Nor did I have any problem reactivating my license in 1996. And it didn't cost me much, either time. Now I have to jump thru hoops. But what really piss me off, is them placing REVOKED on my license, on their website. I let it lapse. If I could afford to move back up to NY I would, in a NY minute.
What I don't understand (and I'm not bashing MA's at all!!!) is why someone would take a 2 year MA program, come out of it with fewer job opportunities, fewer qualifications and less pay than an LPN when an LPN program is usually less than 2 years??? OH, and since the ADN program is also two years, you come out as an RN, have endless job opportunities, MUCH, MUCH better pay. Why take the MA route???
I respect what MA's learn, their scope and their skills, but it seems like a "dead-end" job in a lot of cases. You can work in a clinic/doctors office, perhaps be the manager there and make more money, but that's pretty much it.
Can anyone lend some insight into this?
Well the actual MA program isn't going to be 2 years. People who do a 2 year MA program are also doing general college education requirements for an Associates of science or and associates of arts degree. So these general education classes for the associates are college level courses and are above and beyond the requirements for an MA and so they are usually transferable. A person can also often choose the take the nursing/PA/dental Hygiene sciences instead of the MA science classes because they are of a far higher level and length. Some people will do this so that later on they can go back to school with those credits already done or if they don't get into a nursing program they can get into the MA program without taking anything else.
OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN
585 Posts
What I don't understand (and I'm not bashing MA's at all!!!) is why someone would take a 2 year MA program, come out of it with fewer job opportunities, fewer qualifications and less pay than an LPN when an LPN program is usually less than 2 years??? OH, and since the ADN program is also two years, you come out as an RN, have endless job opportunities, MUCH, MUCH better pay. Why take the MA route???
I respect what MA's learn, their scope and their skills, but it seems like a "dead-end" job in a lot of cases. You can work in a clinic/doctors office, perhaps be the manager there and make more money, but that's pretty much it.
Can anyone lend some insight into this?