Hello! I'm new here. My name is Deana, and I'm currently attending a local community college. I start my M.A. program this coming fall.

I have a few questions...

Firstly, I would prefer to work in a hospital setting, but are M.A.'s hired into hospitals?

Secondly, how much does it cost to take the certification test?

Thirdly, how hard is the M.A. program? I've already taken A&P, Medical Terminology, and I am certified in BCLS, so I have left is the actual program.

And finally, any advice on getting a job when the time comes?

Thanks =)

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? Yes

MA's are hired in some areas as " techs". This is not the case where I live, but check your local hospitals.
I can't answer the cost questions as it has been too mamny years ago.
If you got through A&P, and terminology fine, you'll do fine with the program. It is always different to put your knowledge into practice with actual patients, but that is the exciting part!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: LPN

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes

Yes, I did very well with A&P and Medical Terminology--Got A's in both of them. I studied my butt off, but it was all worth it in the end.

After going through some of these posts, I've noticed that there a few discussions of Medical Assisting programs that seemingly aren't so great. I was wondering if someone could tell me if the program I'm taking seems to be up to par.

Here are the classes I am taking this upcoming fall semester:

Class 1: Medical Office Procedures I: Administrative
Class 2: Processing Health Insurance Claims
Class 3: Medical Office Computer Applications

Winter semester class--
Class 1: Basic X-ray Techniques
Class 2: Medical Correspondence
Class 3: Medical Office Assistant Procedures II: Clinical

Spring Semester--
Medical Office Externship--Consists of 184 hours of clinical experience in an assigned ambulatory health-care facility. Also includes a seminar.

The program is apparently one of the few around this region that has been able to maintain CAAHEP accreditation...So that's a good thing, right? =)

Yeah,the accreditation is a good thing,or you wouldn't be able to take one of the certification tests. The RMA costs $90. I don't know what the AAMA one costs,but I do know if you join up you get a big student member discount on the test. But,that is a test only offered a few times a year while the RMA is offered almost daily.

Honestly,I don't know why more hospitals,especially the ones complaining about a lack of nurses,don't start hiring MAs. In my school we were taught how a urinary catheter is started,yet we can't do them. Many hospitals allow a nurse's aide to,though. Medical assistants are taught a wide variety of techniques yet many are unemployed,with all that training going to waste. Hospitals should get on the ball and start hiring them,and not as a "tech" either.

An MA program isn't very hard,just a lot of studying. The hardest part for me was the "Medical Manager",a computer program that had mistakes in it. I hated the admin part of the program but you should get what you can out of it. Seems like more and more offices are wanting an MA who can do a lot of front desk stuff.