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a couple of random questions

Hi. I have a couple of questions for you all. I went to school for medical coding and worked as a transcriptionist for a while, had to quit for family reasons, but I would not go back to medical transcription given the choice. The lack of variety and having to sit basically unmoving for hours at a time was not much fun. Love medicine though. Anyway, I was skimming the job listings at a local hospital website this weekend (not looking for a job now but like to stay in touch) and noticed there are a lot of patient care tech jobs that require either a CNA with 6 mos exp or certified Medical Assistant with the experience requirement waived. The pay is very similar to the starting pay for MAs at the hospital's outpatient clinics. I know things can vary by region sometimes and was wondering if MAs have found this availabilty of tech positions to be similar in their area. (We move every 3-5 yrs for dh's job). I'm curious because 8-5 work might not necessarily be what I need at certain points in time and if MAs can find work as EKG techs, etc... that would be good to hear. I know often hospitals have prn or other work schedules. While I would prefer the office setting it would be nice to know I could work part time when I needed to. (BTW if you are thinking I should look into nursing, I got into med surg clinicals for LPN and did not like it unfortunately - which is how I ended up being a transcriptionist). I have thought about CNA instead because it is cheap (the only MA programs here are private) and I could do some of the tech positions but I wonder what extra doors MA would open (like EKG tech since MAs learn EKGs).

Somewhere on here I am sure I saw someone listing the various types of positions MAs can do but I cannot find it.

My second unrelated question is has anyone thought about ophthalmic medical assisting? I am thinking about that too and it seems like the work environment would be interesting, esp with the increase in people getting Lasik surgery at the ophthalmolgist's office or outpatient surgery center. Obviously less variety in job options but just something I am thinking about.

Thanks for any feedback.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: former medical transcriptionist

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? no

Re: a couple of random questions

Working in an ophthalmolgist's office or outpatient surgery center sounds really interesting to me. I'd like it because I was always interested in the inner and outer workings of the eye, and always heartbroken, when dealing with blind people. Eye-sight, and it's preservation is one of the biggest miracles, and a great field.

Since it also is a specialty office, it just may pay a little more, too. And hopefully no weekend, night, or holiday duties? Then it sounds perfect to me. Go for it, if that's what you want.

Danni

Your Professional Title/Credentials: Website Owner/Site Admin

Are You Still In School? No

Are You Working? Yes

Re: a couple of random questions

I worked for an opthamologist back in 1993. I did glaucoma testing and assisted with checkin, drops, minor procedures etc. We did not do Lasik though so I am not familiar with that. It was interesting for the few months I was there. She had done an eye prosthesis out of sea coral. It was so porous that the blood supply just worked itself into and around it, so then after the muscles were reattached and the prostesis was in place, it moved in unison with the other eye so you could not tell it was prosthetic. Really cool!

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA/LPN

Are You Still In School? yes

Are You Working? yes

Re: a couple of random questions

Thanks guys! Yeah I have heard the pay is better for ophthamology work.

I will look into it. I know there are separate programs that train specifically for it but also there is a certification exam you can take if you are working in an ophthamology practice. So there are a couple of ways to go about the education process.

Just cannot go back to typing all day long!

Thx