Long story short my whole medical assisting program is only 2 months long.im more than half way done and we barely do hands on practice. The only things we have done is practice Injecting a tb test on fake skin and have done EKGs. I don't feel prepared to enter a workplace or externship. I don't feel confident in any of my skills because we only did it once then moved on.

I don't want to make excuses but the instructor we have is new and we're her first class she's ever taught so she's kind of all over the place I don't blame her since she's new but I feel like I'm not learning anything for real life. She spends alot of class talking and gets off track

We still haven't drawn blood. I know in the workplace nobody is going to be patient with me people are going to expect you to know how to do it . Well shit I don't know how to do anything ! If someone told me to draw a patients blood or do a tb test on them I would probably panick and do it wrong. I'm terrified. My program was is so short and I feel so clueless and hopeless . I feel so down about myself because I'm one of those people who need to practice alot to get it right. I'm passing the class test wise but what does it matter if I know a few medical terms? I need to know how to do hands on skills that's more important .

If I go on my externship I'm scared to be treated like crap. It's happened before when I went on my cna cliniclas . They will probably think I'm an idiot when they realize I don't know how to do anything correct or if I ask for help.

I just feel like giving up. Be honest should i? I know Healthcare is extremely fast paced and nobody wants to take time and try and teach the new girl everything because she's a slow learner . Am I completely screwed ?

Just wanted to say that I passed my exam this Tuesday! This Reddit is a gold mine and I did very well on the CCMA exam!

I'm currently working part-time as a Costumer Service Agent at a Family Medicine clinic in the US from Pakistan. My job usually consists of scheduling appointments and communicating messages between the front desk staff, doctors and the patients. I'm currently doing bachelors in Anesthesia technology. Just wanted to know if there's any area in this field i could get to. The job I have is kinda limited and doesn't really have lots of room for improvement also I'm looking for something to apply my pre medical background at as well. Is it possible for me to apply in an office in the US from my country so that the visa process gets a bit easier and get a CMAA type of job there? I've already got the know-how of the healthcare system in the US and also I'm doing a course on CCMA right now (I know i didn't really know about it when i took admission, plus there weren't any CMAA courses there). Any help would be appreciated.

Hello, I am located in Washington state and there is an Associate of Technical Arts Medical Assistant degree you can obtain here or you can become certified. I am wondering from anyone who actually has the associates degree if they found it worth their time to get this degree and noticed that it got them better job opportunities and pay? Is there any other perks you have encountered or noticed with having the degree vs someone who might be certified. The associates degree takes a few months longer than the certificate so it seemed like a no brainer to get the degree for me. I start school in July. -Thanks

im having the hardest time finding a good nursing shoe. i dont have the $150 for cloves plus you can only get them online and i have a weird foot size that requires me to try them on before i buy. every scrub store i go to its just clogs clogs clogs which i cant wear. i need help lol

Hello! Im interested in taking this certification and Im looking for free study tools online or any free online trainings to help me prepare for this. Can anyone recommend? I live out of state and as Ive tried researching, a lot of colleges / universities offer online courses but they cost a lot for me. Im currently job hunting for htis position and I believe this certification will open more oppurtinities for meee. Thank you!

Hey y’all! I start school for medical assisting in a few weeks at Concorde (Memphis if this helps any), and was wondering when you start school, are you provided a kit? I know we get scrubs and our badges at orientation but just was wondering

Can anyone give me any links that helped them study/pass the medical assistant exam ? I’ve just won a scholarship that will pay for me to become a medical assistant by September and really want to make sure I pass the exam.

I'm going to be doing orthopedics for externship. I'm interested in getting my RN, after working steady for a year and learning the ropes.

Any advice for what the actual field holds for me?

I really love school and have developed an excitement to start this career. As a male, I am the only male in my school for example. The ONLY one. I worry about that dynamic sometimes, in a healthcare setting. I have just recently started getting serious about having a career and being a professional. So, I'm wondering how some of you felt when you first went on site compared to a few years or so actually working.

Is it a challenge being a male healthcare worker?

Anything surprising about the actual job compared to clinicals and admin in school?

Also, how hard are the AMT exams actually and what's the best resource to prepare for them?

Thanks to anyone who responds! Well wishes to you all!

Hey guys, So I had an interview today with the head MA and physician at my future externship site arranged by my school. They seem very professional, but it is a smaller practice with one physician and roughly 10 -15 MAs, some of which are externs as well.

I feel a little weird about doing this 160 hours at a medispa and I can’t quite put my finger on why.

Have any of you externed at a similar practice? Or work at one? Can you tell me what an average day looks like?

Hey, So I had recently shadowed the radiology department at my local hospital and the manager got me in touch with a recruiter for medical assistant positions in radiology.

I set up a time to speak with a recruiter. What are some interview(or pre-interview) questions that I might be asked? I become very nervous during interviews so I dont want to blow it.

Maybe questions I should ask the recruiter?

hi! i’m looking to get into the field and would like to get my certification. looking for some good online programs that include an externship. any recs? also any general advice for a newcomer? thanks!

So there’s three MA’s that are “mean girls” that recorded a conversation between two other MAs. They listened to the audio and stated that the other two were talking bad about the mean girls. The recording occurred in the MA office where all the MA’s sit. (I never heard the recording, I only know of this bc another MA told me)

Is this illegal? Is this enough for them to get fired?

I was recently hired for a medical assistant role at mass gen Brigham in Massachusetts and am wondering if they test for THC. I stopped using a few weeks ago as a precaution but am curious if anyone knows if they test for it, and if so if it’s only upon hiring or are there also random testings.

I’m looking at doing a CMA program at my cc with an idea of entering the healthcare industry and eventually becoming a nurse. Can anyone who’s followed that path tell me their experience?

For anybody that has done either one of these, do you have recommendations? As of right now I am scheduled to do the Stepful program to get certified to be a medical assistant, but I also noticed that the other program is go at your own pace and isn’t necessarily onset days which is a perk, I guess also could be a downside.

For anybody that has done either one of these, could you give pros and cons? Also, I really want to go into the medical field but I am very nervous about what I’ve seen in regards to the wage of medical assistance, I don’t necessarily plan to go into nursing, is being a medical assistant a livable wage ?

We make up close to 20% of jobs but healthcare being toxic is seen as normal. None of that is normal, why is it expected and yes, bad behavior is excused.

Just when I learned how to use EMA mod med EMR, I was let go from the practice that uses it. Now that I’m applying to other MA jobs, I see that a lot of them use EPIC EMR. I was wondering if anyone could tell me if switching from EMA to EPIC is somewhat easy… as opposed to not knowing any kind of EMR software and trying to learn EPIC. Thanks!!

How was it? What’s did you use to study? Message me

Is there anyone here that I could message and ask questions to?

I've graduated high school and I'm considering becoming a medical assistant. I'm just worried about some things and I've been thinking about whether I'll be good enough or smart enough to become a MA.

So pretty much, in high school (for freshman, sophomore, and junior year), I didn't really try to pay attention or try to get good grades, so I ended up with a pretty low gpa (which I regret so much, and if I could, I'd go back and fix that). The only way I was able to graduate was by taking a program. This particular program (It's technically a charter school, but it started off as a program to help seniors, but now it's turning into a school? idk. this information was irrelevant 😭 ANYWAYSSSS) is in the same building as a tech college, so they have connections to help us. I passed the accuplacer, so I'm good on that. But I'm just worried that I won't be good enough to be qualified to become a MA. I think I'm just overthinking the paperwork that y'all have to do, I don't know though. But please, if someone could help clear and answer some questions I have, I'll be beyond grateful!

Does anyone know any credible online courses to get certified as an MA? I am currently working as an uncertified MA, so I am getting hands on learning. However, I would like to get certified online. Any recommendations for California?

Hi everyone, I PASSED NHA CCMA MY EXAM!!! This group helped so much! 🙏🏽🫶🏽

Does anyone have any tips? I'm in MA school and I'm struggling hardcore with being able to draw blood on the hand using a butterfly needle. I've been really successful drawing on the anticubital veins, but for some reason I keep missing the hand veins and I'm getting frustrated lol

I just graduated a month ago and I started applying right after I got my MAC license (I’m in Washington and we’re required to).

This is my first interview so give me EVERYTHING yall got and I will study all the comments given! 😭

Thanks in advance!

We’re learning how to take manual BPs. For systolic, I’m so confused. I hear a bunch of sounds and then the systolic is actually lower than I heard. How are you supposed to know which sound is which when they sound the same lmao?

Like when you receive a verbal order and give it to the pharmacy from the physician. I'm stuck on this point

For the MA’s in speciality clinic - how far are your provider’s scheduling out?

I work in a very busy Cardiology office, and some of our providers are scheduling into November for consults! Our NP’s are scheduling into June for follow ups. This is the most crazy I’ve ever seen their schedules.

I currently work at a busy ER 3 days a week and worked my way up to seniority over the past year to have my dream schedule. Day shift, no weekends, 4 days off. I love the people I work with and even on hard days, I feel fulfilled by the work I do. However, I just got another offer at a clinic that’s offering to pay me the same amount of money but with a sign on bonus and a raise that’s due in a few months. This would be a standard 9-5 type of job with weekends and holidays off.

I’m struggling on what to do and I know ultimately the decision is up to me, but what would you do?

While I find my current job rewarding and I enjoy the people I work with and the work I do, most of my fellow MAs will also be leaving in the next month or so to pursue other things or go on medical leave. This means we’d be hella short staffed in already short staffed, busy ER. I’m worried about the burn out and wondering if I should just suck it up and take the clinic job even though I enjoy my schedule so much….

I’m feeling pretty conflicted here and am interested to hear other’s experiences or perspectives on this!

For context, I live in Imperial Valley, California. It’s a neighboring county right next to Baja California, Mexico. There is only 1 community college here (in where I’m enrolled as a pre-nursing and allied health major student) and big cities that have better job opportunities like San Diego and Los Angeles are 2-4 hours away.

I’ve job hunted for months and even getting a retail or fast food job is very difficult here. At the moment I volunteer at a hospital and that is all I’m doing plus college.

At my college there are nursing programs such as LVN and RN and MA as well but there are prequistes and deadlines for them (which have passed already, can’t apply until next spring). I want to land a job as an MA but I need my certification for that. I’ve researched and many people have done accelerated programs such as Stepful and one I’m currently looking into is CalRegional to do a MA program.

Does anybody have any suggestions or advice on what I can do ?