What are some positions to advance to from medical assistant?
Asked by Red Eye
im looking to become a certified medical assistant with only a high school diploma but i dont just wanna stop there . what are some positions i could move up to with more schooling?

Best Answer:
I do not know of any. Sorry, but the MA position is really only that one level of work. If you go onto the CNA program then you can have some upward movement into rehab assistant, then there is nursing or physical therpy assistant with a little more education. Or you could go into phlebotomy but there is not much upward movement there either. The MA position really only works in the doctors office. The program is long and expensive. You could get into a nursing program for just a little more money and time. think about it, an MA takes around 18 months to go through the program and costs (I think) about $12,000, or more. For a little longer in school and maybe half again more money you can become a nurse and make around $25 an hour or more. The MA position pays what? Maybe $12 an hour, I don't know. I teach the CNA program and I get MA's in my program a lot. They always say these things; there are not a lot of jobs in this field, it is too long and expensive for the pay you finally get, and some doctors offices are like the cliques in high school. If you don't fit in, you are out. Please understand I am in Oregon, so the hourly wages and costs and time lengths of the programs are Oregon numbers. I would say though, if you are looking for training and a career path, go into the CNA field, the training is about 4 weeks and the pay is the same as the MA. But the upward movement and career possibilites are much better.

with more schooling, you can be a Registered Nurse, but you'd have to take prereqs that satisfy the requirements to get into RN programs like anatomy, physiology, microbiology. RN programs are 2-4 yrs of school and you have to be really sure you want to be an RN (must have the dedication and passion for helping people and taking care of the sick and must be able to put up with "crap" and other "extra stuff") before you waste your time, energy, and money. if you get a bachelors degree, you can even go to school to become a Physician Assistant which is a master's degree (school is hard as you will pretty much be learning medicine all in 2-3 yrs. that's half the time as regular med school! but with your experience, you would be more familiar with medicine than with nursing). know, tho, that there are prereqs to get into a PA program so it's wiser to major in something that would already satisfy those prereqs like biology. i think there are also BA-PA programs which are accelerated programs. do check with the schools in your area. also, just like nursing, know that you have to have the desire to be a PA and make it a realistic goal to be one. it's good that you're aiming higher! just don't give up cos you wouldnt want to be "stuck" forever! with your years of experience, you are already an asset to the medical field. good luck!
Answered by jaqui