Why Even go for your MA? Don't Understand...

Nurses General Nursing

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please enlighten me as i don’t understand. i was talking with a medical assistant at a doctors office today. she stated that she went to school for 2 years to become a ma. she also stated that she was required to take all the classes that an rn takes before they can get into the program (anatomy and physiology, etc), but she gets pain less than an lpn who only goes to school for one year. how is that fair? why not just get an lpn license or rn license instead and make more money. please, i know it’s not all about the money but i don’t think one could advance any further from a medical assistant the way an lpn can advance to an rn? am i wrong or crazy for thinking this way?

Specializes in Ortho and Tele med/surg.

To answer your question, I think this person perhaps did not know about LPN and RN programs. I bet she paid a fortune for the 2 years too. That's sad, perhaps she can still pursue LPN or RN. Yes, I agree with the person who said, "They are given slanted information by the salespeople who are promoting the profitable school programs. If they had accurate career advice, they would know that nursing offers greater job and pay opportunities."

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Specializes in PeriOperative.

How many times have you been asked why you didn't become a doctor?

You are a nurse for a reason. Maybe it's the patient relationships, maybe the hours, but there is a reason you persevered through nursing school and are where you are today. And it probably wasn't because no one told you about medical school.

Let's afford MAs the same professional courtesy that we would like. There are some people who would rather do precerts than turn patients. And there are some really phenomenal MAs out there. I personally know an MA who eventually became the manager of her department.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

The education and things you do are very different. My mom is a cert. MA She went to school 14 years ago and back than at least where we were from, it was 18 months and that included the anatomy and physiology. She makes good money because she has been at her job for a long time and has a lot of experience. She is an exception though from what I have seen. A lot of people I know that went to MA school more recently went for shorter amount of time, aren't considered certified and make about 11-12 bucks an hour starting pay. But your role in the health care field is very different, and IMO I would rather stick to the nurse route, also so many areas you can go to if you don't like the area you are in and also higher education you can always do.

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MA programs are often offered at private votech schools that have flashy TV ads and great sales people. They usually require no transcripts or complicated paperwork. In fact the sales person will probably fill out all the necessary forms for you including the loan application for a very expensive tech education. All the prospective student has to do is sign on the dotted line and then be in too much debt to consider more education anytime in the near or even distant future. Next to medic mills, these programs make my top ten list of things that should be scrutinized closer by the consumer watchdogs of education.

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MA programs are often offered at private votech schools that have flashy TV ads and great sales people. They usually require no transcripts or complicated paperwork. In fact the sales person will probably fill out all the necessary forms for you including the loan application for a very expensive tech education. All the prospective student has to do is sign on the dotted line and then be in too much debt to consider more education anytime in the near or even distant future. Next to medic mills, these programs make my top ten list of things that should be scrutinized closer by the consumer watchdogs of education.

Those schools are pretty much all that's available in our area for MAs. They did have one at the Vo-Tech that my mom took when she lost her job and she said it was one of the worst classes she ever took. The instructor just yakked about her personal life and after she graduated she was only able to find low paying jobs for $8-$10 an hour. Thank God the local Careerlink paid for her education so all that was lost was time.

At my old job this girl was a QA and making close to $17/hr. She went to one of those flashy tech schools and paid $15 grand because she got suckered when they told her she would be making waaay more than what she was now. She was really disappointed when, like my mom, found out she was barely going to make over minimum wage.

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Specializes in Medical Assistant, Peds.

As an MA I would love to chime in on this topic. Many valid reasons have been cited already. For me, 25 years ago, I did not have the money to attend "nursing school". So I opted to get my foot in the door by attending an MA program through a private school in my area. I graduated top of my class with the intention that after working a few years and saving some money, I would go to college and get my RN.

Well, life took its course and I got married, had children, worked in a job I loved and didn't feel the need to go back to school.

Until recently.

Now that my kids are grown and I have gained so much "working knowledge"...more I might add than anyone ever learns in school...I wish I had a license. Frankly, in my clinic, I do much of the same work as the RN's and LPN's...only without equal pay. I take orders, I give meds, I give injections, I clean and dress wounds, I culture, I draw blood, I assist minor surgery, I test, I chart, I advise, etc etc etc etc etc.

What I don't do is bedside. But, even if I were licensed as an RN, I would not want to. It never was my desire. My goal was to become a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.

For several years now I have taught in other MA and basic Med Term/Anatomy classes. While I love sharing the knowlege of what I have learned, I always encourage my students to disregard the idea of taking MA courses and just go for the LPN. Same time involved, almost exact classes but with more intense clinicals and in the end higher pay and more respect. Plus then they can easily bridge to RN if and when they choose.

Unfortunately, nursing is an sorority of heirarchy. The more important letters you have after your name, the more respect you get. It doesn't matter who does a better job or who acquires more hands on knowledge. Which in many cases is a darn shame.

For me, I toss around the idea all the time of going back to school. But I honestly have no desire to do clinicals. I dislike the idea of bedside so much that it simply turns me off to further my career. Although I have been exploring the idea of Health Promotion or Dietetics. But again, at my age, who wants to go back to school for 4+ years?

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Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.
Sorry, having a hard time responding because your GREAT BIG BOLD LETTERS are freaking me out!

Wow! Is this being rude or what. I didn't find it that funny!

In answer to ur question......I didn't realize the MA had to take this much schooling. Something

Doesn't sound right about that situation.

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Specializes in Medical Assistant, Peds.
I didn't realize the MA had to take this much schooling. Something

Doesn't sound right about that situation.

MA's can take various types of classes. An associates degree requires two years of college. But in the working world, it rarely matters if an MA has a CMA, RMA or AD. The only times these really come into play is if they are working in hospital or in a teaching position. Other than that, most physicians offices only require a certificate of completion from an MA program.

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Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

I don't understand either. DO MA's have less responsibility?

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

i was a MA one year before i started nursing school and if i could do it all over again i would do lpn to rn or just rn. you are right that the pay is crappy for being in school the same length of time it takes to become a lpn. most MA programs are at the most 16mths but they are costly and advancement is minimum. very often the MA schools are easy to get in to and all you need is a hs diploma, so that attracts alot of applicants that are ready to work immediately, unlike nursing school when the possibilty of admission can be a rigorous process.

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Have you considered asking MA's this question? They will probably have more insight than people who did not go to school to be a MA.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I have a family member who is a new MA - she rec'd her training via a state grant for single mothers.

She actually plans to go to nursing school and then grad school.

Sometimes life circumstances decide for you what you have the time and effort to do.

However, its never too late to go back to school to further your education.

AND NOW, PUTTING ON MY STAFF HAT: Debate the topic not the poster. If you see something objectionable click on the little "REPORT" button in the left lower hand corner of every post and we will be glad to address your concerns.

Thanks.

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