A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry
So I was researching a different career and - sm - MT4now
Posted: Feb 23, 2012
one of them was medical assisting. I went to the American Association of Medical Assistants website and had a bit of deja vu... There are 4 certifications one can get - CMA, RMA, CCMA, and NCMA. They, of course, were kind enough to point out the differences and I swear I was reading the AHDI site, especially the part about membership dues and recertification CEUs. You'd think an MA was an MA, but I guess not. I originally was just trying to research whether or not a certificate program is enough or if one would be better off going the Associates degree in MA route. Any advice or experience?
Always needing to pay the state to keep credentials. - sm
[ In Reply To ..]This is what turned me off from being a medical assistant or CNA in my state. Is every year I have to pay for my credentials to be renewed. In my mind that is like paying to have a job, they shoud give you the test for free after you finish your schooling. I do believe, however, there are certian employers that do pay for your updating credentials.
Credentials and CEUs - Ayn
[ In Reply To ..]This is one thing I never understood about my fellow MTs -- Why does everyone complain about having to pay for their credentials and CEUs? This is not something exclusive to our field -- any other profession that requires credentially and/or CEUs - the individual pays for that. You pay for your education, not your employer. That said, yes, some employers will reimburse you some or part through education assistance programs, reimbursement for credentials/CEUs, and/or higher pay for having/maintaining the credentials, but that is a benefit of employment, not a right.
Bottom line -- we start paying for testing & credentials in high school when we pay to take the ACT/SAT, we pay for our higher education, we pay for our credentials, and we pay to maintain those credentials (regardless of what field of work we are in). I don't expect an employer to pay for those things - I expect to be a better candidate for employment and a better employee because of it.
It is all a scam in my mind - sm
[ In Reply To ..]Look at our society and student loan problems. This is all a scam. This is why other countries have such smarter societies, because they educate their people for free, it is their right for an education. Heck they even send their students to our elite schools and pay for their education in America, because their education is a right.
In Germany, a person cannot just go into - allie
[ In Reply To ..]any field and have their tuition covered by the govt. Germany is picky about whom they're sending to school and for what. HS grads have to meet very high educational standards in order to study for the career of their choice. Just because you want to be a nurse, for example, doesn't mean you'll get into nursing school. If you didn't do well through HS and pass exams, the govt will not pay your tuition nor will it even allow you entry into nursing school. You can pay for it on your own elsewhere and many foreign students here in the US are doing just that. My niece explained all this to me when she was visiting last summer. She wanted to study to become a psychologist and didn't pass the grades. She had to choose something that the govt would pay for and hope to find work in the field and then try again.
If you ever work in a hospital, it is funny to see - which jobs have to have
[ In Reply To ..]CEUs and which ones don't. All of these certifications have different boards that they certify for, and they are the ones who decide if you have to have CEUs. For my state, lab techs and nurses do not have to do any continuing ed. MAs do, but they can't just choose any CEUs. A lady I work with can only buy her CEUs through the place that gave her certification. The doctor I work for does free CEUs. I do think it is kind of messed up that certain ones have to and certain ones don't. I work with a nurse and an MA. It makes no sense that the MA has to pay for CEUs every year, but the nurse doesn't even have to do them, but the nursing is a state license.
To the OP above, there is no way I would do an associates for MA. If I were going to do an associate's degree, it would be either RN, x-ray tech, lab tech, respiratory therapist. Same degree and a lot better pay potential.
Lab techs are now being laid off - Informer
[ In Reply To ..]There was a lab technician (over 25 years in the same hospital) who was in my class for the unemployed that I just took. She was a stat tech and was laid off. When I expressed surprise, the instructor informed us that several other lab techs have come through the workshops recently.
credentials - mt99
[ In Reply To ..]This is what would make MT a profession, just like all the others that need credentialing and CEUs to exclaim to the public and employers- I know what I need to know and can do the job. I am certified through another profession and it is NOT inexpensive at all. But the credential carries a statement about my skills.
If you are looking to become a medical assistant, do it right. Don't skimp and try to cheat the system. Get certified. Good luck.
MA - MA student
[ In Reply To ..]I am currently going to school to become an MA (been MT for last couple of years). I think a reputable employer will help pay for the costs. I personally don't have a problem with it. You can even get CEUs even for renewing your CPR so I don' think it's as hard as one might think.
I just wanted to say that a technical diploma is fine. An AS would be a waste. In the end, all an employer care about is that you graduated from an MA program and that you ARE certified.
Make sure your school is ACCREDITED or you cannot take the certification test. Without being certified it will be next to impossible to find a job.
Also make sure your school assigns you to an externship site. I have heard some schools that makes the students set it up and if they can't find a site on their own, they won't graduate. Also look into graduate placement rates. (my school has an 80% placement rate from just the externship positions).
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