School question

guiltysins · Jan 21, 2010

I wouldn't waste my time with medical assisting. It just seems like extra schooling that you don't need. There are other ways to get experience.

mammac5 · Jan 21, 2010

I agree. I've been a Certified Medical Assistant for many years; it was the right decision for me at the time because I could do the program REALLY fast which fit into my personal requirements at the time.

If you know you want nursing - you've shadowed a nurse and are sure that's what you want - then go right to the LPN. If you aren't 100% certain, get into a quickie certified nurse asssistant in your state and try that for a while to see what you think. It'll be quicker and less expensive!

tazmom · Jan 21, 2010

I am a Kaplan graduted with a medical assistant. I graduted last year and still no job, none of my classes transfer anywhere but 1 school. It is a waste of time, don't do it. I wish i had went to RN school instead but i wouldn't had meet my best friend.

caliotter3 · Jan 21, 2010

Don't waste your time or money on medical assisting. The schools are giving you this advice because they want you to take their courses one by one in turn and give them all the money they can get out of you. A nursing license will be the better choice for your future career. Look at the community colleges and adult school as well as ROP (Regional Occupational Program) centers for a good LPN program that is modest in price. Stay away from the proprietary schools unless you can not get anywhere with the other types of schools and you can afford the higher costs.

studentinnursing · Jan 21, 2010

So I am new into all of this, I havent even started school yet. I have met with a few schools (no community schools basically career colleges, such as Medvance, Florida career college, keiser) All of which are advising me to go for Medical assistance first just for the experiance in medical feild, then crossover to LPN then on to Associates.
I am sooo confused & basically asking if anybody in the FL (south FL) area has any advice on nursing school?

Check out Saint Petersburg College; it takes a little longer than a career college, but you'll be an RN when you're done, and if you felt like going further or doing the RN at USF, UF, etc., all your credits will transfer; if you do prerequisites at SPC, you can apply to USF for the actual nursing (last class acceptance GPA there was lower than SPCs). I am told that SPC gets good clinical time too, but I don't know that for a fact. Pasco-Hernando Community College has a program too; if you're GPA is below 3.5, SPC will take longer to get into if at all; you need a really high GPA and they want all prerequisites done (last fall it was 3.8 average GPA that got in), but it is a great school.

I posted somewhere else on this forum; I think it was Kaiser, but I'm not sure, one of their "clinicals" was at a kindergarten class, teaching them to wash their hands, so be careful of which school you pick and check with the hospitals in your area to see which schools do clinicals there. And if you think that going to a career college will let you "skip" the prereqs it goes both ways, you still have to pass their entrance exam, meaning you still will need to know some algebra, etc., just check around and ask lots of questions at all of the schools in your area.

jam911 · Jan 24, 2010

Those private schools are a mess.. last year when i was undecided on what i wanted to do and was going to to to kieser to question the RN program i was 4 points off on the Nursing program test.. So they were trying for me to get in the Physical Therapist program..They always try to gear u to some other program.. instead of telling me to study and come back.. They automatically came in and was talking bout PT.. I was like what are you talking about.. what about Nursing, then she tells me oh you were a few points off of passing the test.. Geesh.. its like they get a bonus or something when you dont past and if they can get you in another program or something...

as for LPN,

I was extremely close to going to school for the LPN program at Sheridan. I did everything background check everything. i was on the waiting list but luckily God lead me to this site... for direction.. that would have been double the money.

Do you have any credits to get you started, or will you have to start from the beginning in regards to getting your AS

allnurses Guide · Jan 24, 2010

Do your pre-requisites, make stellar grades and go for your ASN at a community college Skip the rest.

Coriander, BSN, RN · Jan 24, 2010

Don't waste your time or money on medical assisting. The schools are giving you this advice because they want you to take their courses one by one in turn and give them all the money they can get out of you. A nursing license will be the better choice for your future career. Look at the community colleges and adult school as well as ROP (Regional Occupational Program) centers for a good LPN program that is modest in price. Stay away from the proprietary schools unless you can not get anywhere with the other types of schools and you can afford the higher costs.

Exactly this. When I read the OP's post, I thought the same thing - they're trying to get as much money as possible. What a weird path to recommend to someone.

Kayla1605 · Jan 25, 2010

Those private schools are a mess.. last year when i was undecided on what i wanted to do and was going to to to kieser to question the RN program i was 4 points off on the Nursing program test.. So they were trying for me to get in the Physical Therapist program..They always try to gear u to some other program.. instead of telling me to study and come back.. They automatically came in and was talking bout PT.. I was like what are you talking about.. what about Nursing, then she tells me oh you were a few points off of passing the test.. Geesh.. its like they get a bonus or something when you dont past and if they can get you in another program or something...
as for LPN,
I was extremely close to going to school for the LPN program at Sheridan. I did everything background check everything. i was on the waiting list but luckily God lead me to this site... for direction.. that would have been double the money.
Do you have any credits to get you started, or will you have to start from the beginning in regards to getting your AS

No Credits I am starting fresh.

Thansks ladies for your advice, I def think you have saved me time & Money

Finally my Time · Jan 25, 2010

Go to a community college and get college credits then apply to their nursing school, or transfer to a 4 yr program... Med Asst. is not even necessary to become an RN...