Hello, I am so glad I found this forum! My name is nancy I am 43 yo. Ok, to make a long story short I went to school in 1992 ago for basic X-ray at a govenment owned adult vocational school. Also we were taught how to do vitals, EKG's and Phlebotomy. I had an excellent instructor there. I was a licenced basic x-ray tech and worked in the field for a few years as an x-ray tech/MA. Then I got pregnant with twins and because my pregnancy was high risk, I had to quit work. After the twins were born my dh and I decided that I would be a SAHM. When they were 4, I was looking into going back to work but fell and injured my knee. I had to have surgery, and then therapy for what seemed like forever. Anyway, Oh, yeah this was supposed to be a short story. At any rate after several years of being a SAHM I tried to go back to the medical field and I heard the same thing over and and over....it's been too long, there have been too many changes blah, blah, blah. So I ended up going to work in retail. Years later I'm tired of retail and want to go back to the medical field so I start looking into differnt schools. I went to several of them and finally decided on the one I'm currently in. They are fully accredited, and it is for an AS in Medical Assistant with basic x-ray (My dh didn't let me keep my x-ray licence current...said we couldn't afford it GRRRRR)
My point is, I am not sure if I chose the right school or not. I have been in class for less than 2 months (part-time at that) The medical office management book we had to buy is USELESS because the simulation software that came with it doesn't even work. We have been told we can't return the books because they are a necessary part of the curriculum for the accreditation. Ok, if this is necessary skills for accreditation, HOW are we supposed to learn this if our software doesn't work????

And don't even get me started on the instructor.....

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes, but not currently as an MA

I feel your pain. I also went to a crappy, yet accredited school. Even though it was crappy, and my internship was also crappy (pain specialist, nothing more than rooming patients and pulling charts) and I waited 4 more years to take my exam...I still passed and got two good jobs. Get a good study guide to prepare for your exam. Does your school offer externships?

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

Are You Still In School? NO

Are You Working? Yes

nancyh:

You don't say why you chose that school over the others; but if I were you, I would

1) Go to the Director/Dean and explain the situation and the fact that I am PAYING for an education, and I have a right to expect to get a quality education from an accredited school; with books and software that are in good and operating condition.

2) I would ask that some type of accomdation be made; other software? Online program software?

3) If I did not get satisfaction, I would report the school to the accrediting agency and

4) transfer to one of the other schools.

That's just what I would do. If they have a shabby program, they probably don't have a good reputation among medicl offices and clinics; and you won't get hired after graduation. In any case, talk to the accrediting agency, anonymously first, and ask questions about the school's reputation and accreditation. Have there been other complaints reported?

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

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

Thanks for your replys. I chose this school because it just seemed like when I toured the school etc that they had a really good program. Of course when I start my class, it seems to be a whole different ball game. My instructor is new....just his second semester there I believe and when I talked to the director of the porgram and mentioned that maybe I'd like to teach an MA program in the future, she remarked that they have a hard time finding good instructors. I guess I should have cked it out with the accreditation board or whatever. I didn't know that I could do that. How do you go about contacting them? As far as transfering, they make you sign a form that basically says even if you don't finish the program, you still have to pay so I don't think I could transfer because then I would end up paying for 2 programs. GRRRRRR.

nancy h

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes, but not currently as an MA

Ok, I have done some research and the program I am attending is not accredited by either CAAHEP or ABHES. Now having said that the school has accreditation with the MA programs with either one of the other in other locations, but not in the location that I am currently attending. I know that the accreditation is programatic, and each program in each location has to have it's own accreditation that they do not accredit the institution itself, so how in the world is the school claiming to have a fully accredited program when it appears to me that it is not accredited at all? I have only been attending part time for 2 months, and now I feel I have been wasting my time because if the program is not accredited, then how will I be allowed to sit for the RMA/CMA exam? My fault I guess because I should have not just took their word for it that they were accredited. I'm just very frustrated right now.

nancy h

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes, but not currently as an MA

This is not good. You will not be able to sit for either exam if your program is not accredited by CAAHEP or ABHES. How can they make you sign a contract paying for something you don't receive? I would check with a lawyer to find out if this contract is legally binding. I would also check with the Department of Education in your state and your State Better Business Bureau. I would be filing complaints with all of the above. Their misrepresentation be considered fraud; but I am not a lawyer, and you need legal advice. Many private programs attempt to do the same thing that your school is doing; but I don't think students are making them accountable. I think in many cases, they are not realizing it until the end of their programs. I would not spend anymore time or money on this school. If the contract is not legally binding, I would take a loss on the credits you have earned up until now (actually not that much) and get out.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: BS, AD, PNCC

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No