Hi. I've noticed the board being active lately, so I hope I can get some help/advice.

I graduated a couple of months ago from a CMA program. I have been applying for jobs but haven't gotten any "bites" as of yet. A former classmate and I have been keeping in touch and she's about at her wits end. She's been going out of State for interviews because she can't find anything where she lives. I can't relocate at this time, so that's not an option for me. Her most recent one was in KY. She applied online w/a hosptial and when she went through the interview, she was told that she wouldn't even get consideration bc she didn't have an Associate Degree in Medical Assisting. She explained that there is no such thing as an Associate Degree in MA. When he informed her of schools in the area that have that degree program, she explained they can only say that bc they took enough General Ed classes to get the credit hours needed to qualify for an Assoc. She left the interview very frustrated bc she said it was obvious that those of us who went through "accellerated programs" are at a disadvantage. She said it was very obvious that employer believes that people who go through programs like ours don't know or learn as much. Our program was 8 months long. She also told me that it seems as though employers don't want to take a chance on hiring you if you haven't taken the NCCT and passed it. She has run into that during one of her interviews.

With that said, several of us in our graduating class are beginning to wonder if we just wasted our time and $. Only one girl out of our class of 30 has found a job. I can only specifically speak for myself 100% when I say that although I really enjoy the aspects of Med. Assisting, I am disappointed to see how this is shaping up. I always heard that the medical field is a popular, open field and you wouldn't have trouble getting a job. Well, seems as though its just as hard to get in as other fields of study. I know the job market is very crazy these days, but there are things that I'm finding out after the fact and feel like we really weren't told what the "real deal" was gonna be. Not to mention, its also frustrating to see ads in the local paper wanting Pharm. Techs(w/no experience required), but then Med. Assistants usually have to have experience and/or be certified. And contrary to what we were told...some employers do NOT take your externship under consideration and think of that as "experience."

Any help/advice would be appreciated. I went into this bc while I enjoy the medical field, I didn't want to be a nurse. I sure hope I didn't waste my time.

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? No