Calling all full-time MA's...How much flexibility does your employer expect from you? Are you expected to stay late when busy, then adjust your hours on another day so you don't go into over-time pay? If "yes", is this a regular occurance or rare? How about lunch hour? If you are supposed to take a 1 hour lunch, without pay, does your employer run late and expect you to adjust your lunch hour?

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No

Thanks for the response everybody!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No

When I worked as an MA yes you were expected to stay until the physician is finished. You do get your lunch, as the law states if you work 8 hours you have to get a 30 minute lunch. If able, you may be able to leave early on another day to make up for staying late,, but it depends on the office and how many staff you have.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: GN

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? yes

Thank you, Tracy. Last year, I was hired 8-5 with an unpaid lunch hour from 1-2. I was told I would occasionally have to stay late when the MD ran late. In reality, I was to be available 8-6 as the MD ran late most days and my lunch hour was whenever he finished for the morning. I'm thinking this is expecting too much flexibility as I couldn't ever plan on leaving at 5pm for my family scheduling. I was hoping to hear from others regarding their hours. What irks me most is that MD ran late due to having personal conversations with his 'best friend' the OM who shared a very small office with him. Meanwhile, I'm sitting there, watching the clock, as I listen to them discuss what they were each like in high school with two patients waiting after 5:00! This office is more dysfunctional than my family!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No

Yes, if they told you up front that the physician is known to run late that is one thing. I only fill in at clinics now, and I state that I " have" to leave by a certain time due to my kids, so if they want my help someone else will have to stay. I'm only a fill in though so if they need the help, they'll make the adjustment for me ha ha!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: GN

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? yes

I'm curious as to whether you are still working there. Seems like that was a situation where if you complained to either about them sitting around yakking,you risk getting fired.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

I left this job last month...my goal was to work there 1 year and then to start looking elsewhere. The reason I quit was when I asked for 1 hour off on 12/26 (asked to arrive @ 9:30 am) the OM Cx pt's and told me it would be the whole day off without pay. I asked her to reconsider as I knew the real reason was so she could have an extra day off with pay. (she's salary) So the final straw was when the MD and OM said I couldn't have my hour off AND a previously paid day off (12/24) was now closed without pay! I did manage to stay for 1 year but the personality/control issues were a major headache! I just hope they don't give a bad reference because they honestly have no reason to. I had excellent work attendance, attitude, and competency. I even gave a 2 wk. notice-which of course was rejected. The MD has a bad temper and took it upon himself to pack up my personal belongings. He is a spoiled brat of a doctor. Lets his abnormal labs/reports sit on his desk for WEEKS and expects nursing/ma staff to decide which reports were really abnormal and not just abnormal in general. In regards to those late days...one day I left at 5pm as previously arranged to get my dtr. to the YMCA and the nurse had an emergency with her dtr. so we both had to leave @ 5pm with 1 pt. left in the office. For this offense we had to endure a lecture the following day. The OM "prepped" me first so that I was aware of his bad temper and not argue or I would be fired. So the lecture started with MD stating, "You girls get to leave and go home to your families but I have to stay and do reports and THEN I have to go to the hospital to see pts. so many nights I don't get home until after 10pm..." This brought the nurse to tears out of frustration. I looked him in the eye emotionless, thinking, 'You are so full of yourself...you don't even know what an a** you're making of yourself!' I guess this turned into a vent but I started the post to find out what if this situation is a common. I mean, are most docs all business and do their best to see their last pt out 20 min. after it's scheduled or do others waste everybody's time with personal business. He'll order scripts for me to print off and then go to the bathroom with his new boating magazine for 15 min. while we wait for a signature! I'm so glad to be outta there! I want to believe there's a professional practice for me out there.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No

Wow. Sounds like a bad situation. There certainly are many doctors like that; but there are also reasonable ones. In a situation like that, maybe it's best to talk to the doctor alone and say something like "I realize that you are swamped with work; what can I do, so that we can all leave the office by 5:00 to attend to our other obligations?"

I worked for a doctor who was anal about us taking lunch at 12:00 sharp; which we never could do, because we weren't done with morning patients. If we left at 5:00 (with a patient still with her), she would have a fit! This was a temp job for me, so after she complained about us not leaving an 12:00, I just started doing it. I figured it's her practice and if she doesn't care that there are still patients in the office, why should I? So I would leave at 12:00 and 5:00. She would also frequently storm through the office yelling about who did....??? Or she would target one of us and complain about something (even if we weren't the one who did it); but it was always so obscure, you couldn't defend yourself. I took a month of agony and requested a different assignment.

I also worked for a wonderful doctor for four years. Who was very good to me. He gave me $ 600.00 Christmas bonuses and a $ 400.00 wedding gift. I also had decent salary and benefits.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: BS, AD, CNA, SMA

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

i worked for an ENT doc we NEVER had a break we could eat lunch but had to work at the same time

i ate at the front desk while signing in pts it sucked

I am happy to report that I now work for a doctor who starts on time, does not see pt's into lunch hour and sees his last pt at 3:30. I AM IN HEAVEN! What a difference a new job makes!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

Are You Still In School? NO

Are You Working? Yes

Congratulations, Rena!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: BS, AD, CNA, SMA

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No