Medical Assisting school difficult vs Dental Assisting

[Candylicious]

As a Medical Assistant would I be able to do more? Also are the classes for Medical Assisting difficult? I am currently taking Dental Assisting classes but I'm thinking about switching to Medical Assisting.

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[RNthenDoc]

MA can be cooler, job market sucks. Obviously your scope is broader than a DA...

DA pays better. Much stabler job.

That’s what my friends from either profession tell me.

 

[Candylicious]

MA can be cooler, job market sucks. Obviously your scope is broader than a DA...

DA pays better. Much stabler job.

That’s what my friends from either profession tell me.

When you say the job market sucks do you mean that it's hard to find a job as an MA?

 

[RNthenDoc]

When you say the job market sucks do you mean that it's hard to find a job as an MA?

Correct! That is going to be HIGHLY region-specific, though! I can only make generalizations from what folks have told me; my hospital does not use MAs in any form so I’ve never had one under my leadership to know much about their practice here.

 

[Candylicious]

Correct! That is going to be HIGHLY region-specific, though! I can only make generalizations from what folks have told me; my hospital does not use MAs in any form so I’ve never had one under my leadership to know much about their practice here.

Guess I should just stay with Dental Assisting then I also took some Massage Therapy classes. I do like Massage but decided to try Dental since the work would be more stable. I like variety so doing something different in a career is what I'd like. I do plan to eventually go back to Massage Therapy school. But I want to do something else as well though.

 

[RNthenDoc]

Variety is good.

Why is this is the pre-MD forum?

 

[Blakeb_212]

Personally I had luck getting hired as an MA without going to school for it, and got certified on the job. The pay sucks and being certified doesn’t really help that. The MA jobs seem to be mostly clinical. But I will say the healthcare experience is great and has helped me a ton!

 

[Candylicious]

Variety is good.

Why is this is the pre-MD forum?

What forum should I have asked this in?

 

[Candylicious]

Personally I had luck getting hired as an MA without going to school for it, and got certified on the job. The pay sucks and being certified doesn’t really help that. The MA jobs seem to be mostly clinical. But I will say the healthcare experience is great and has helped me a ton!

Well the school I attend does help MA graduates find employment after graduating. Some do get hired during their internship as well. Are you planning to go to Nursing school?

 

[500miles]

What forum should I have asked this in?

Are you planning on going to medical school?

 

[Candylicious]

Are you planning on going to medical school?

I assume going to Medical Assisting school isn't the same as Medical school/

Correct! That is going to be HIGHLY region-specific, though! I can only make generalizations from what folks have told me; my hospital does not use MAs in any form so I’ve never had one under my leadership to know much about their practice here.

So your hospitals only uses RN's? I know a lot of people say that happens since RN's can do the tasks that Medical Assistants are trained to do.

 

[RNthenDoc]

I assume going to Medical Assisting school isn't the same as Medical school/

So your hospitals only uses RN's? I know a lot of people say that happens since RN's can do the tasks that Medical Assistants are trained to do.

My hospital uses CNA-certified staff for most of what an MA would do. The rest is handled by various technicians.

You assume correctly. Medical school is a doctoral program (MD or DO). MA is a certificate from a tech school or community college... very different. You’d want to refer to it as “Medical Assistant School” or “MA school.”

 

[500miles]

I assume going to Medical Assisting school isn't the same as Medical school/

So your hospitals only uses RN's? I know a lot of people say that happens since RN's can do the tasks that Medical Assistants are trained to do.

I assume that means you aren't going to medical school. Pre-med = people who are trying to get into medical school. You probably won't get a lot of help in this forum.

Edit: the hospital I worked at had a lot of CNAs, and there are plenty of CNA jobs out there. It isn't a long course either. I dont know much about MA school though.

 

[Candylicious]

I assume that means you aren't going to medical school. Pre-med = people who are trying to get into medical school. You probably won't get a lot of help in this forum

I'll post this question in a different forum then.

 

[500miles]

I'll post this question in a different forum then.

Definitely not trying to get rid of you, and some people may still have some good insight here, but yes there might be better forums from a more informed population. Have you considered CNA?

 

[Candylicious]

Definitely not trying to get rid of you, and some people may still have some good insight here, but yes there might be better forums from a more informed population. Have you considered CNA?

I understand I didn't see a forum for Medical Assisting. Which is why I asked this question here. And are you asking if I have considered being a CNA? That's aloud of back breaking work. A lot of people say it's a hard labor job. Having to bath patients some of them fight, bite etc. I'd rather be an MA.

 

[500miles]

I understand I didn't see a forum for Medical Assisting. Which is why I asked this question here. And are you asking if I have considered being a CNA? That's aloud of back breaking work. A lot of people say it's a hard labor job. Having to bath patients some of them fight, bite etc. I'd rather be an MA.

Gotcha. I was a CNA for awhile so am familiar with that field, but unfortunately not familiar with dental or medical assistants.

 

[Candylicious]

Gotcha. I was a CNA for awhile so am familiar with that field, but unfortunately not familiar with dental or medical assistants.

I know Patient Care techs and CNAs are the same. But I would love to work as a Patient Care Tech at a children's hospital.