Hello everyone,

Sorry I haven't been posting, but I have been very busy with school, new house, kids and a husband.

I am still in school for medical assisting and have 2 semesters left. Several of my friends are in school with me. We have every class together, kind of like a family. One of them was absent from school one day. What made it unusual was that she did not let anyone know she was not going to be there like she normally does. When she came back the next day she informed us that she had went for a job interview at a doctor's office and that she got the job and would be getting on the job training and she would not be back the next semester. First of all, we were kind of upset because she didn't say a word before about the interview, like we might go and take the job out from under her. But the main thing I am upset about is that the doctor's office hired her without finishing school. What does that say about the rest of us? Are we wasting our time when someone can go out and get a job without finishing school? It really depresses me!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CNAI & II

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? no

You are not wasting your time. She has just happened
to find a doc who is "willing" to train on the job
so he/she can pay a low wage to their MA's. When the day comes that she wants to ask for a raise, the doc
won't feel any obligation to reward her for being a worthy, well educated MA. He can remind her that he gave her a job when she had no formal education or clinical skills.Everyone loses in this situation.
The M.D.-whose malpractice insurance she will work under. The patients-who probably would not feel comfortable knowing their MA was hired off the street.
And the "MA"-who will be stuck working in the same office because she doesn't have the credentials to back her up to move on in her career.
Wish her the best and keep moving forward with your goals!
skills

Your Professional Title/Credentials: certified clinical medical assistant

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes. Hospital clinic

I beg to differ and I hate writing the following but this is how I see it-it IS a big waste of time if it is time that could have been spent doing something else that will result in something. By that I mean it's a year learning stuff that could have been a year learning the same things,and more,for another program,such as nursing. And there is no denying that you get a job from that. Do you have any idea how many non-working trained MAs there are? The only thing they got out of it was some pre-training if they end up going into another program. Otherwise,it was just one of those things that didn't work out for them. And that can bring on a lot of anguish.
For me it really was a waste and of course I am feeling even more bitter (and embarrassed) since I am making loan payments every month. What did I get out of the program? I only went in one since I couldn't find a job as a phlebotomist. Little did I know I would have even more trouble finding an MA job. But I DIDN'T know,I didn't do any research or look anything up,I was just eager to try something else and as fast as possible. But I already knew how to draw blood,I already knew how to give injections,I already knew A&P and medical terminology. The only thing that was new to me was the EKG training but how many cardiology departments hire MAs with minimal training in that complex field? None.

So I can see how you are feeling about this fellow student no longer having to attend school so her loan payments (if any) may be cut. It also makes you question if this really isn't something that can always be taught with just OTJ training. Those of us who completed a program or are in one don't want to believe that but many do get a job this way.

I agree 1 hundred percent with Shelley. SOunds like what Shelley is saying is not only common sense, but very likely. She should of just stuck it out and finished her education, and it's true. WHen she asks or feels like she should get a raise, the Doc or P.A wont give it to her, or not much at all...and she will be stuck in that situation where even if she did look for another job as an M.A and she was competing against a formally educated M.A that did well in school , who do you think they are going to pick? Anyone with more education is going to get the job over someone with little or no education or degree, (in this case, Diploma.) Eventually, I believe the laws are going to change, and that someday ALL medical employees will have to have some sort of diploma or technical training in school to be able to work in the Medical Feild. Doc's want little to NO liability when it comes to their practice.

Had to make some changes on a post that someone made earlier on last year on something else. It still makes sense,though and in this case, it applies well to this topic.

Doctors would be less likely to be accountable for negligent entrustment, also. Imagine this scenerio on the witness stand,

"Doctor Welby, why did you allow the MA to perform the procedure that killed Mr. Smith, when the MA was trained on the job and had no or little formal education?"

Answer:
Welby: "You're right, you should have my house and car."

The answer after the M.A on the extern?
Welby: "I had no idea. she was insured by the school, and I'm entitled to rely on the school licensing and insurance."

SeBring, I agree with you. But dont let her "temporary good fortune" get you down. Since she will not have the credentials, she will get turned down for a higher position. I think that she should have told the doctor, "Thank you for this position, however I would like to finish school and get my RMA/CMA certification." If he wants her that badly, then he will wait. Plain and simple. Dont get discouraged!! You should just know that you...no wait, Y O U will have the upper hand on her. When you get a job that pays $5 more an hour than she, mainly because you FINISHED school and didnt drop out, AND you have your certification, you are all set!!! Dont even let that get you down!I hope these are words of encouragement for you!!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: LNA/MA

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes

My advice is that you continue your education and obtain certification. After you graduate, sign on with as many temp agencies as you can. Accept any assignments that comes your way. By doing this you will gain additional training and experience. Also, try to get hired at an hospital. I am a emergency room technician, this is how I learned to start lines (IV'S).
I have been a medical assistant for 14 years. The waste of time is going to nursing school, I am more experienced then some of the RN'S I know. Don't give up.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: NCMA,ERT

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? Yes

Nursing school is NOT a waste of time, and no offense...if you have more experience than most RNs you know then they must be new or not very good.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CCMA-C

Are You Still In School? Nursing School

Are You Working? Doing free doula service

Thanks, Hearts!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA

Are You Still In School? Yes-will grad in Dec. 08 BSN

Are You Working? Hospital ER

Going to RN school is not a waste of time. Its all in what you want to do, and how much financial independence that you want. RN's earn a considerable amount more than MA's and ED techs (a new RN in my area makes double what an experienced ED tech or MA makes)So if you want to further your education go for it. The experience you will earn as an MA will definitely help you as a nurse. It as shame that MA's have "experience" but dont get the pay! I have heard many an MA claim they do/know more than nurses, but earn FAR LESS! There is something not quite right about a profession that claims to allows so much autonomy and claim have such a high skill set, yet yields such a small salary (Not bashing MA's just stating the facts and wondering what is, if anything, is being done about the pay and recognition situation).

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RN

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? YES

In my state CMAs have a scope of practice...I think this is a good thing for many reasons, for the safety of the patient, and so that the MA can not be expected to do something that he/she is not PROPERLY trained for AND is not paid accordingly too. I guess not all states have a scope of practice for MAs...they pretty much do what the doctor tells them to...very scary...for many reasons. I think all states should be required to develop a scope of practice for medical assistants and require that all medical assistants be certified, its the many MAs that get hired off the streets that contribute largely to why MAs are not paid for what they are worth; people look at them as total lay-people that have no skills..."because after all they got trained of the street!"...you would never see a nurse in the hospital that was "hired off the street"...MAs need to have more pride in their profession and get and require professional training at JC and approved technical schools and be required to be certified to work...I graduated from a medical assisting at a JC program with honors...but many places will not pay me any more than the chick/dude off the street...it should be required to be certified, period.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CCMA-C

Are You Still In School? Nursing School

Are You Working? Doing free doula service

old post. sorry. But Gina is a M.A for 14 years, and she is doing I.V lines? Um what......Did I just stumble upon some alternate universe? Since when Do they let M.A's do I.V lines? No matter how long an M.A has been doing her job, she/he should not be doing I.V lines in Pts. Call me crazy, but Gina, darling why arent you doing LPN program after doing your M.A for so long? That way, the rest of us here can rest easy knowing that next time if we are admitted into a hospital and we need an I.V in our body, the chance of it being a REGISTER NURSE it much higher than an over qualified M.A who hasn't been through extensive training.
JUST SAYIN!

ER techs in our hospital start IV's. Starting IV's is a task which repetition makes you proficient. There are many nurses where I work that cant or wont start IV's. Being an RN myself, I dont start IV's and am not proficient at all in starting them.

I do believe that some places will train techs to start IV lines. I started them as an MA. It does take skill to start them, but no one other than an RN or MD should be pushing any medication through them. Hanging a bag od saline is one thing, but pushing meds is another completely.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RN

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? Yes

Depends on the state you work in that sets your scope of practice.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CCMA Certified Phlebotomist Certified X-Ray tech CNA

Are You Still In School? Will complete my BSN Dec. 08

Are You Working? yes. hospital ER