Hi Everyone. A little background info. I have worked on and off as a medical secretary for 16 years. I have experience in clinic/ER registration,admissions, billing, coding, medical records, precerts, and scheduling. I will be finishing up a medical transcription course in about 2 months and will take a final exam for that. I am not sure that I want to do Medical Transcription full time. I have been thinking about something that I could pursue that I already have some background in. I have seen job ads in my area for certified medical assistants. I went to an interview at a college today and really liked the info that I got. I have most of the office experience, but I don't have any clinical experience and I think it would benefit me to know the clinical aspects of the office. Do you think that this is something I should pursue? I really enjoy working in the medical field.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Medical Secretary

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

depends....If you've been a medical secretary for that long, you're probably not going to make much more if any as a starting MA. I know there are differing opinions on this but I really don't see the point in getting a "degree" for MA. Most jobs require that you've graduated from an accredited school or that you're certified. They don't require an associates nor are they willing to pay more becauses you have one since they don't require it. We only have one girl in our office with an associates degree and she makes the same amount (actually a good bit less because she just graduated and just started with us a few months ago) as the rest of us.

If you're willing to spend the money just because you think you'd enjoy the work more then go for it.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? Yes

I agree with Lorraine about the associate's degree. I wonder what biller/coders are paid? I think it's more than MA's.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA

Are You Still In School? n

Are You Working? y

I was researching salaries last night and it looks like the medical biller/coder salary may start a couple of dollars higher than Medical Assistant. Does anyone know which job is in more demand? The school I am enrolling in has both programs. One person who went there did a Major in Medical Assisting with a minor in billing/coding. She now works at a clinic and works up the patients from start to finish. I think she is paid well for it. I am actually enrolling on Monday, so I am taking time this weekend to make my decision.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Medical Secretary

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

Well, if our office is typical, we have one "official" billing person (there are a few of us who also do charge entry and some light billing tasks) and 6 MA's so finding a MA job will probably be easier. I know the billing girl makes more than any of us but she's also been with the company (large hospital network our docs are in) for around 12-15 years I think so it's hard to say.

If you decide to do the MA route, do a short program with no degree, you'll cut your cost big time and like I said, in most instances it just doesn't pay to do it.

Just like the fact that I'm the only girl in my office that is certified and I don't make any more than someone who's not. I just did it because I wanted to be certified...

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? Yes

I have 16 years experience in ER/Clinic/Office settings. The reason I am trying to take a course is to get certification. I am finding it harder and harder to find a job as a medical secretary that will start me out at anymore than $8 or $9 per hour. 5 years ago when I quit the job I had, I was making $12 per hour. So, the wage I am being offered is basically not sufficient. I have seen a lot of job postings in my area recently looking for "certified" this or that. Whether it be medical assistant or medical coder. Right now my problem seems to be that I am not "certified" in anything. I just have lots of experience doing everything. Years ago this would not be a problem, but it seems like in the past couple of years things have started changing and in order to even start at a decent wage, you have to have some sort of certification. If I start school now, when I finish I will be a certified medical assistant and certified medical biller/coder, plus I will have finished my transcription course by next month and will have that certificate. Surely with 16 years experience and those certifications I can have a starting salary of more than $9 per hour.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Medical Secretary

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

I don't know where you are location wise...I'm in PA and most offices are owned by large hospital networks. They have a starting wage for MA's and experience that you have prior to the MA job has no bearing on your pay. I was a CNA before becoming a MA and was making 12.00 an hour before I quit that. I took a pay drop of almost $4.00 an hour when I started my MA job. IOW, when you get your first MA job, you're probably going to get paid the starting MA wage since this is basically a new position for you regardless of your billing experience, they most likely won't deem it relevant, just like my CNA experience wasn't relative.

Another thing to consider is that most larger offices/networks don't have a biller/MA position. They hire billers OR MA's. So being a certified biller/MA will probably only benefit you in a smaller, private practice which probably isn't going to have the financial ability to make that worth your while. Like I said, I also do charge entry/coding but we have a girl that just does billing. The company is not going to pay liability insurance on her so even if she were also a MA (she's not), they're not going to pay her more for that credential as her primary position is billing and they're not going to pay insurance on her so she can't work with patients.

If you get certified for billing, you're experience may get you higher wages.

Hope this post made some sense...hehe...

I took the pay cut because I wanted office hours, it was a pain working nights/evenings and weekends with a family. The sad thing is that if I went back to CNA work, I'd probably still make more than I do now and I only had a few weeks training to get certified as a CNA as opposed to spending $6,000 and being certified as a CMA.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? Yes

Thanks so much for the info. Starting pay for CMA here is $11-$14 per hour. Medical Coding is $13-$15. The school I am attending has 95% job placement rate. The reason I want both credentials is that I will have a better chance at getting a job doing one or the other. I understand I probably won't be doing both. The small office I worked for a couple of years ago could have used me for both and I would have gotten paid more than just doing the office part.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Medical Secretary

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

Don't depend too much on the pay scale that you'll find online. Talk to other MA's and find out what they're actually making. They told us in school we'd be making 10-14 dollars an hour when in reality, new grad MA's made closer to $8.00 an hour. Good luck to you and if I can be of any assistance, just send a holler out.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? Yes

I was getting my info from the job listings in our area as well as online. I started with a temp agency last year in Medical records for $10.50 per hour, surely CMA makes more than a temp med records clerk. Just as long as I can start out at in whatever job I decide to pursue at about $11 to $12 I will be happy. I do have lots of medical office experience. Hopefully, they would take that into consideration. It's not like I have never worked in the medical field before. Thanks for your help..

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Medical Secretary

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

I really agree w/ everyone. I went to community college, forked out a lot of $$$. (None of my credits transfered when I decided to go back to school) I worked w/ MAs who went thru much shorter and less expensive schools and I never made any more than they did.Most of the docs I have worked with told me they cared that the MA they are hiring is certified-did not care about an associate degree. Hope this helps.

What part of Tn are you in?

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

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes. I work agency. (Hospital ER Clinic for 6 years)

I am in East TN near Knoxville. The other reason that I opt for the Associates degree, is that the school offering it has classes at night. Our area Technical centers that have the Medical Assisting courses in less than a year are all daytime classes. There is no way I can swing daytime classes right now.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Medical Secretary

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

Tn Tech Ctr is awesome if that is where you are planning to go! Great program. I wish I had gone to a night program and could have worked during the day when I went! Good luck to you, you will do great!

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

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes. I work agency. (Hospital ER Clinic for 6 years)

Hi Lexi,
Thanks for the encouraging word. It is discouraging reading some of the stuff that is online. I am excited about getting certified. I am ready to accept whatever salary I may receive starting out. Anything could be better than what I am making now, since I am not working..I feel like I need to do something definite in my life and this is what is within reach at this time for me so I am going to go for it. I registered for school yesterday and will Major in Medical Assisting with a minor in Medical Billing/Coding. I am going to National College. I looked at Tenn Technology Center, but the classes were in the days from 8-2:30 and that is not possible for me to do right now. I chose National because they do afternoon and evening classes. Financial aid is covering the better part of the costs for me. Glad to meet someone else from the area...

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Medical Secretary

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

Tinmom2, why do you want to have your hands in so many pots? You already have a good job it sounds like with a lot of variety. You won't make any decent money as an MT. I've been doing it 5 years and I make squat. I know the account inside and out and could do it in my sleep, am a very fast typist, but still, little money to show for it. The good news is that I work from home and my schedule is very flexible if I give my super enough notice. The drawback is there is no interaction with people and I sit on my derierre all day. Because the money sucks, I'm looking to supplement my income with an MA certificate, since I can't make a living in either MA or MTing alone. Wishing you the best of success in whatever path you take.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: MT

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes

Ellen,
I am at that point right now. I have been doing this transcription course online for a few years. I had problems finishing it because of family matters so I was given extensions. I have typed over 700 reports in this course and also did some typing for the doc I previously worked for. I did not like it at all. For years I thought it would be great to work from home doing MT. I have changed my mind now and am looking for something else. That is why I enrolled in college to take the MA course. I added billing and coding as a minor, just for job security purposes. I started school last week and so far I love it. Hope I can say that after I have been at it for a year. I work from home now, but only doing rental management. I typed some but truly have kept busy with the rentals. I am looking forward to working outside of the home. My kids are almost finished with school and I think it will be perfect timing. Thanks for the info..
Beth

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Medical Secretary

Are You Still In School? Yes

Are You Working? No

TNMOM2, what do you think of the billing and coding course? Is it tough or do you enjoy it? I was thinking of going that way with the coding, but I'm not sure I'd like it. Heard it is tough to get hired as a new graduate, but then, so are many other positions. How intense is the coding? I understand your reasoning in wanting to get training in various jobs. Our economy is so shaky that I think it is wise to be trained in more than one area, just in case.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: medical transcriptionist

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? yes