I went to United Education Institute (UEI) to learn medical billing and insurance coding. I did really well. My externship site really liked my work and hired me. I worked for them for one year. I was layed off due to company down-sizing. I am a client of the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation for the state of California. I have a learning disability and I am a type II diabetic. I have looked for work on my own for five months. My vocational counselor has placed me with a job developer in January who is helping me find a job with no luck. In April, my counselor has placed me with another job developer. I have right now two job developers that cannot help me find a job. It is now nine months and I still have no job!
One of my job developers has suggested that I go back to school to learn medical assisting to have more options. I wanted to be a medical assistant when I was in high school. There was one community college that I could go to. They offered the medical assisting classes, however the school did not have a degree for medical assisting. I took both classes. When I took the back office class I found out they would not be teaching phlebotomy, giving injections, and pharmocology. I also had to find my own externship site, which I could not find on my own. My teacher talked to her supervisors about me and still gave me the certificate even though I did not complete the externship requirement. I never looked for a job as a medical assistant because I did not feel I was capable to do the job. Since my job developer has suggested going back to school, I have researched about medical assisting and have learned that it is best to go to a school that is accredited by CAHEP or ABHES, so I can take the test to get certified. I have gone to the CAHEP and ABHES websites to see the names of the schools in my area. I was suprized to see that there were only two schools in my area. UEI is not one of them. I am leaning towards to Everest College which use to be Bryman College. Is this a good school? Should I go back to school to learn medical assisting?

Thank you,

Wendy

Your Professional Title/Credentials: medical biller

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? unemployed

Since you already have some classes under your belt, it would definately be an avenue to investigate. Medical assisting is a great career, and with your billing background it will just open that many more doors for you. Good luck whatever you choose!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: LPN

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes

I think its a good idea esp if DVR is going to help pay for it. Another option could be getting your RHIT which would expand on your billing and coding education, but I think the MA program would open more job opportunities (MA plus other jobs an MA can do like phlebotomy tech, lab assistant, some hospitals hire MAs as patient care techs or EKG techs) even though the pay might be a little less. Sometimes its better to have a job at all than to spend a year trying to find something that pays $1.50/hr more.

Good luck.

Don't do it. I did and it was the biggest mistake I've made. I should have gone for Dental Assistant. I used to be one but it was so long ago that everything is new. AND they make a whole lot more than MAs. So now-I"m in my 50s, just got divorced and no prospects for a job anywhere. AND I have a 10,000 loan I've got to pay off.
I had taken CNA training and my teacher warned me not to go to school for MA but I did it anyway. I should have listened to her. It's a supreme waste of money.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No

As in so many things in live there is always the good and the bad. My best advice is to find out what's best for you.

Here is a very inspiring story abouit a medical assistant who beat the odds, and found her place in the medical office workplace:

http://www.jobsight.org/Archive/AimeeRobertsonScsStory.htm

Remember:
Everybody has a differnt story to tell! Create your own.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Website Owner/Site Admin

Great story but try being a 58 year old woman in a youth oriented area like Vegas. No one wants me in their office.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No

Yes, that must be very tough! You're right, when it comes to finding a job at a more mature age such as your group, it gets tough.

The job market is very competitive, and employers are seeking out, and hiring applicants that best fit their mental image of what their staff should be like.

However, I'd like to add, that you cannot blame the situation on the the fact that you are a medical assistant. This unfortunate situation exists across board --- in hundreds of career fields.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Website Owner/Site Admin

Oh-no argument there. But that coupled with the lousey salaries that these cheap drs pay doesn't make it very attractive.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No