Continued Warnings About Bad Medical Assistant Schools and Diploma Mills

We have criticized, reported and warned about misleading advertisements and fake schools targeting potential medical assistant students seeking online courses on our website for years. Now, Donald Balasa of the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) legal department is also raising awareness among prospective medical assistant students with a public note of caution.

Mr. Balasa points out that several AAMA members have informed him of misleading advertising fliers from St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants, a self-study online program. the following language is used in their advertising: "Medical Assistant Program Online. Medical Assistant Home Study Program. Nationally Accredited and Certified Program. 24/7 Convenient Online Classes. St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants now offers a Nationally Accredited and Certified Medical Assistant Program completely online. Yes, Complete This Program in as little as 6-8 weeks." You can read their article titled Misleading Advertisements on their Eye On The Law blog.

Similar warnings about such schools that may not deliver what you expect, including St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants have been on our own websites and medical assistant blogs since 2005. We also filed a rip off report against St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants on the Rip Off Report website for taking content from our Medical Assistant Net website without our permission and publishing it on their own site.
Mr. Balasa states that approximately three years ago the AAMA also reported St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and promises that they will continue to report medical assisting diploma mills to the appropriate governmental authorities.

St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants also has also received several negative ratings with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) from students who feel they were misled, or that they did not receive what they paid for. When it comes to vocational training, especially online, awareness is the key to successes! If an online post-secondary training program, non-traditional university, or so-called virtual college attended is not legit students may be in for an unpleasant surprise.

If You Want to Become a Medical Assistant

If you want to become a medical assistant your objective is to find credible and certified medical assistant schools and programs in your local area. There are medical assisting self-study courses that you can take online to obtain your medical assistant degree or certification.Most states offer medical assistant training in both the public and private sector. This includes training from post-secondary vocational schools, vocational training institutions that are privately owned and for profit, and community colleges which are funded by the community and state, and not for profit.

Generally the training and diploma programs at any of these schools are one to one-and-a-half years. There also are online accredited medical assistant schools with programs to complete and earn a recognized vocational diploma completely online.

The Medical Assistant Net website continues to provide prospective medical assistant students with valuable information about all aspects of the medical assistant career. Page, after page, you learn about what a medical assistant is, does, and needs to know. The site also lets prospective medical assistant students instantly locate and explore vocational training schools online.

The so-called "Find a School by ZIP code" widget on top of every page throughout the Medical Assistant NET at www.medicalassistant.net website allows immediate information and lets them research more than one school at a time. Medical assistant training programs are readily available throughout the USA and Canada, and there is one for everybody that wishes to become a medical assistant often in just 9-11 months!

If you are highly motivated and see yourself eventually pursuing a career in nursing or higher, we strongly recommend that you enroll in a 2 year program at a local college or online program from a college leading to an associate in applied science degree (AS or AAS). In many cases, some of the college credits you have earned in an associate degree program can be transferred into another higher education program, e.g. to become a licensed practical nurse, RN, or earn a related Bachelors degree, such as in hospital administration, medical technician, ultrasound technologist, and health care management in the future.

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More at Medical Assistant NET website.

Choosing the Right Medical Assistant School to Succeed on the Job

Where so many qualified medical assistants are graduating from formal training programs, only to find themselves competing with their peers for available medical assistant jobs, obtaining medical assistant certification takes on a whole new meaning. Many medical assistant schools gear their program and curriculum toward their own preferred certification organization with which they have a contract or agreement, however, what they are not always sufficiently explaining to their student body is that there are additional other well recognized medical assistant certification sponsors offering their services and professional membership opportunities to those medical assistants who qualify.

Selecting a Better School for Your Vocational Training

"After paying $9,000, I have nothing!" When Silvia Pascu laid out $9,000 to attend the Canadian Aesthetics Academy in 2007 she shared the aspirations of many new looking for a foothold in a promising career. While we have never visited this school and don't know the owner or faculty of this particular school, we know that similar consumer reports, disappointed student's statements and complaints on message boards and forums is on the rise and also happening all over the USA. Unsuspecting students sign up for training at questionable schools assuming they are fully qualified, accredited and affiliated with a real campus school, and then, when they apply for jobs, they realize they were indeed not getting the training that would prepare them for meaningful employment. Considering the magnitude of this problem, this unfortunate situation gets very little media cover.

Matching Your Medical Assistant Job Application and Resume With the Posted Wanted Ad

With so many applying for the same jobs, showing in your medical assistant resume that you have successfully graduated from a medical assistant training program from a reputable community college, or accredited vocational training institution will not only positively influence the time it takes for you to land your very fist  job, but also positively affect the medical assistant salaries employers are willing to offer you.

Remember, that when you fill out your medical assistant job application or submit your resume to make sure to add all your previous and present skills, knowledge and qualifications so that it matches the advertised medical assistant job description as closely as possible, emphasize the type of medical assistant training  and any outstanding achievements you have accomplished and mention that you are confident and a good candidate to handle the medical assistant duties as posted in their ad.

Qualified Medical Assistant Training that Gets You Hired

Where so many qualified medical assistants are graduating from their formal training programs and find themselves competing with their peers for available medical assistant jobs, having medical assistant certification takes on a whole new meaning.

"After paying $9,000, I have nothing!" When Silvia Pascu laid out $9,000 to attend the Canadian Aesthetics Academy in 2007 she shared the aspirations of many new vocational students looking for a fresh start in a promising career. While we don't know any details of this particular school, nor the owner, or its faculty, we do knwo that similar stories are happening all over the USA at questionable cyber schools or sub-standard training facilities who target medical assistant students. It is very important that prospective medical assistant students thoroughly research a school or online course before signing up for anything.

Not all medical assistant vocational training programs are the same and not all vocational program graduates automatically qualify for to sit for medical assistant certification exams that lead to desired credentials that employers want when they hire.

Many medical assistant schools gear their program and curriculum toward their own preferred certification organization with which they have a contract or agreement, however, what they are not always telling their medical assistant student body is that there are additional other well recognized medical assistant certification sponsors offering their services and professional membership opportunities to those who qualify.

Showing in your medical assistant resume that you have successfully graduated from a recognized and respected medical assistant training program will not only positively influence the time it takes for you to land your fist job but also positively affect the salaries potential employers will offer you when you start.

Remember, that when you fill out your job application or submit your resume to make sure to add all your previous and present skills, knowledge and qualifications so that it matches the advertised medical assistant job description as closely as possible, emphasize the type of medical assistant training and any outstanding achievements you have accomplished and mention that you are confident and a good candidate to handle the medical assistant duties as posted in their ad.

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More at Medical Assistant NET website.

Tough Decisions: Online Medical Assistant Program or Campus Based?

No one can tell you which type of medical assistant program is right for you. Ultimately, you are the one who must choose which path to take to learn your medical assistant skills. Part of your decision will be based on how FAST you want to be done and finished with your training, the cost and how quickly you hope to land your first real medical assistant job.

Rule of thumb is that self-paced online medical assistant courses can be finished the fastest if you apply yourself, however, on the flip side, doctors may not be easily persuaded or convinced to hire you without having direct experience and hands on practice which you would have gotten in a campus based training program. All too many former medical assistant online students have learned a painful lesson.

Things You MUST Ask Before Signing Up for Anything...

As with any kind of education, there are things to be aware of and different programs have their pros and cons. Making a wise choice and informed decisions puts you into a position where you won't have to regret it later. Should you decide that going with a web based program better fits your schedule, budget and personality than bear in mind that no matter which online school you choose you have to ask certain questions BEFORE signing up for anything. We have put a very detailed list of questions to ask before enrolling in any medical assistant program.

First and foremost check out the fees that the online medical assistant school charges for their courses and find out about their refund policy. It is common practice of all reputable online vocational training schools to be up-front with their fees, since they realize it is important to new students to know how much they will be paying for the course. Putting forth a sincere effort to discuss all fees person-to-person over the phone helps to build trust in the school.

You will need to check out the course requirements before signing up for anything.  Each school has different requirements that must be met before entering their program. Almost all online medical assistant programs require a high school diploma while a few want you to have specific course studies from other schools. Some online medical assistant programs, especially those approved by the Department of Education, require competency in complex clinical and technical skills to earn their degree, which can only taught under the direct supervision of a qualified instructor or professional in the field who is familiar with a wide range of medical assistant duties.

There are countless medical assistant students who have told us that finding  their own clinical internship site was EXTREMELY challenging and frustrating and some of them gave up, never earning their medical assistant diploma or degree. Therefore this is probably the most important part of evaluating a prospective online medical assistant school.

Certain online programs operate on the same premise of standard schools and might require that their students complete a minimum number of hours in class room study to be eligible to graduate; so, make sure to ask whether a program is entirely web based, or partially web based. All that is required should be listed in the course description and should be discussed in person during the review process.

Academic degrees is another area where one should put fourth some effort in research before signing up for anything. If the online program does not offer the degree that you need to get the job you want, then it is useless to you as a school. Don't be discouraged, most of the online medical assistant schools, and nursing schools for that matter, allow you to achieve the type of degree that you want.

Looking for Medical Assistant Training?

Are you looking for vocational training providers or on the job training to become a medical assistant, or get a job, a better job, or improve your position in your current workplace? 

Finding the right medical assistant program remains difficult if you do not have a clear goal and don't know where to look. The vocational and post-secondary education system for high school graduates and working adults consists of countless campuses across the United States and Canada. Additionally there is a plethora of vocational self-study online programs to choose from online. Without a certain amount of help, finding the right school, or program can quickly become a daunting task.

The quickest and easiest way to find medical assistant schools and explore medical assistant programs near you is via our medical assistant schools by ZIP code search on Medical Assistant Net... our recommended vocational education and training programs provide qualified training and teach you the skills you need to land medical office and healthcare jobs. The Medical Assistant NET website is ready for all mobile devices. Visit us on your iPhone, BlackBerry, Android tablet, or PDA.

For tips on how to become a medical assistant and how to find a program that's right for you visit the  Medical Assistant NET website at medicalassistant.net

What You Need to Know About Medical Assistant Online Training Programs

Are ONLINE Medical Assistant Programs Legit?

Many community colleges and vocational training institutions now offer their complete, or partial medical assistant program online, however, potential medical assistant students should NEVER sign up for anything before doing thorough research and asking important questions.

Some websites emphasize that they offer the best medical assistant training online with nationally accredited endorsement for their certified medical assistant program, however, just because it is advertised it doesn't necessarily mean the course is accredited by any of the reputable national accreditors of healthcare schools such as CAAHEP and ABHES, or the Department of Education.

Anyone can set up a so-called medical assistant online program and locate a self-proclaimend accreditation committee and  then, make the claim their course is a certified medical assistant online program and among the best—that doesn't always mean it is true, nor does it guarantee the certificate you will receive is worth the paper it is printed on. At best, you can frame it and hang it on your wall.

What you will get, if that much, is a paper that states that you have completed an online medical assistant course. Good luck with landing a qualified medical assistant position with that and applying for "real" certification with the AAMA or AMT, the recognized authority in medical assistant certification in the USA and abroad. Also, keep in mind that some US states now mandate certification in certain medical specialties and procedures, such as in phlebotomy, X-ray, EKG, and of those who administer physical and IV therapy.

To learn more about the medical assisting career and what a medical assistant does please visit Medical Assistant Net on the Web.

What Is Your True Calling?

Year after year working and aspiring health care professionals, including thousands of medical assistants are asking themselves the important question:"What is my true calling; where do I see myself in the future; to what level will I take my career next?"

Explore Health Care and Medical Assisting Schools Near You! 

Within seconds... you will see the possibilities and propel your future into a new direction.

I Need Money for Medical Assistant School

How Can I Get Money to Pay  for My Medical Assistant Training Program Tuition?

"I would like to become a medical assistant but I don't know how to pay for my training." One concern that is emerging to the forefront of many potential medical assisting school applicants' minds is the how to come up with enough money to cover the cost of learning a meaningful trade and funding.

 Medical assisting students can expect to incur approximately $7,000-$9,000 for tuition and books at a community college and up to $16,000 at a private for-profit vocational training institution. Many do not know where to look for money, although  money for school is available.

Obvious and Hidden Costs of Attending Medical Assistant School
There are obvious costs, and hidden costs. Obvious costs are for tuition, books, laptop, software, scrubs, stethoscope, and a penlight. Hidden costs associated with going back to school often are cost for transportation, babysitter, and loss of income (if you have to put your job on hold or cut hours to go to school).

Money is Available

There are federal student loans, scholarships and grants and even vocational training programs for teens and adults that are completely free or fully paid for by the Department of Labor or other government funding, such as the Workforce Investment Act (WIA):

• Regional Occupational Programs (ROP) offer specialized training to high school juniors and seniors or students who are 16 years of age and are free.
  
  
• Job Corps is a program administered by the United States Department of Labor that offers free-of-charge education and vocational training to youth ages 16 to 24.
  
  
• Workforce Investment Act sponsored programs designed to prepare youth and unskilled adults for entry into the labor force, previously known as JTPA.
  
  
• And then there are Pell grants, especially Pell Grants for low income single parents returning to institutes of technology, collegiate-level institutions, vocational schools and trade schools to get a post-secondary education that will lead to a trade.

For a list of Federal Student Aid and Assistance Programs go to the New Medical Assistant website. This website will give you additional tips and ideas where to turn for medical assistant training program funding.

 

Single Mom: Why I Wanted to Be a Medical Assistant and Not a Nurse

I was always interested in the medical field and a meaningful career and am interested in working as a medical assistant, rather than in nursing, which requires enrolling in a nursing program, which is hard to get into and takes time.

- I like medical assistant because they work Mo - Fri in a clean environment.
- Contrary to nursing, medical assistants work normal business hours, no weekends and holidays. This gives me time with my family.
- Take home pay is good. Once you take the certified medical assistant exam it gets even better.

When I needed to learn more about this career and what it entails I found EVERYTHING I needed to know quickly and easily on the website at www.certified-medical-assistant.com: -description -duties -rules and an easy school finder. The website helped me find the perfect school to get into medical assisting fast.

Teaching Medical Assistants of the Future: Are Medical Assistant Instructors Up for the Task?

What Kinds of Duties Will Medical Assistants Have in 2015?

Either through choice or necessity, more and more adults seek enrollment in secondary vocational programs, postsecondary vocational; vocational or skill-centered curricula. One responsibility that will fall heavily on vocational schools and for medical assistant instructors is keeping up to date. Advances in health care, new discoveries in medicine and technological changes in the workplace can happen quickly and must be followed.

Often we are asked simple questions:
Can a Medical Assistant give injections if he/she isn't certified?
Can a Medical Assistant give injections in _________ (your state)?
Are medical assistants allowed to start or disconnect IVs?
Are medical assistants allowed to give narcotic injections?
Are medical assistants allowed to inject collagen? Botox? Flu Shots?

But what about the more complex skills and skills that are on the brink of discovery? Keeping abreast with the latest changes and discoveries often necessitate changes in the medical office workplace. Preparing the future medical assistant student body for these changes is important and essential for the student's success. If medical assisting teachers cannot anticipate and do not keep current with the latest changes, their vocational training programs quickly become state, outdated and obsolete. As a result their graduates must be retrained, or worse, they cannot find employment.

Teaching Employable Medical Assistants of the Future

In addition, medical assistant school teachers must keep up with workplace trends and customs, for example, men in nontraditional roles and positions in the medical office, medical assistants performing limited x-ray skills, CLIA waived lab procedures, training in specialty fields, electrocardiograms, ophthalmology chair-side assisting, podiatric procedures and starting IV lines.

Their educational activities must be directed toward the preparation of individuals for productive and gainful employment in the medical office, or better ANY and all medical offices. While most state regulations remain vague on the exact role of their practicing medical assistants in their state some states have strict rules with the medical assistant's scope of practice clearly spelled out.

Measurable Occupational Learning Outcome

Although there are several ways to measure learning outcomes, the most common method employed in vocational education is occupational competency testing designed to assess mastery of skills and knowledge found in specific jobs. Learning and building a successful career path never ends. Many medical assistants, in addition to their recognized, certified credentials, are inspired to reach even higher and return back to the classroom to earn an academic degree, such as an A.S. degree in Medical Assisting or a Bachelors in Healthcare Management.

Getting A Medical Assistant Education

Getting a medical assistant education will open up many opportunities:

Professionals in the field get to work alongside doctors and nurses, in settings such as physician's offices and hospitals. The career outlook is great and pay is comparable to that of other highly skilled health care workers.

Medical assistant training is offered at a variety of college throughout the country. The career field appeals to people of all walks of life, and is accessible to anyone no matter what the age. In the past, workers were trained on the job, but with mandated changes in health care guidelines more colleges have worked the program into their curriculum.

Classes for the program include biology, pathophysiology and coding.
Students will also complete a set amount of hours in a clinical setting.
This is usually done towards the end of the curriculum.

Getting Started

Many two-year colleges and technical schools offer the program. Do an internet search to find a local college that has the curriculum. The requirements at each school will vary, but all students need to achieve a high school diploma before applying.

After finding a program schedule a campus visit. This provides an opportunity to see what the school has to offer and learn more about the courses. Speak with an enrollment counselor as they are fully prepared to help students choose a major and set up classes.

The next step is to sign up. Most colleges offer an online application, but the paperwork may also be filled out at the admissions office. Be thorough and do not leave any spaces empty.

During the admission processes a student will likely be required to complete an entrance exam. Some schools require the TEAS exam and others demand the SAT be taken. This information will be discussed during that initial meeting with the guidance counselor. The test serves as an assessment of math and English skills and as a guideline to where each person is with their education. Many colleges offer study groups and tutoring to help students prepare for the examinations.

Financing Your Education

The school will require payment prior to starting the program. Colleges offer a variety of options to students who are struggling to pay for school. Visit the financial aid office to find out about assistance.

Federal aid is one method of financing college. Students can get a Pell Grant, federal loans and state scholarships to help pay for school expenses. A work study option is also available and requires students to work part-time in one of the school's offices.

The deadline to apply for aid is on March 10. Although applications are still accepted after the date, students should apply quickly to receive the maximum benefit amount. Talk to a school counselor to find out more information.

A medical assistant diploma opens many doors for those who graduate the program. No matter what age group or walk of life a student comes from, an individual can gain a lot from the curriculum. Check with a local college to find out more information about training. The career is truly rewarding and the pay is great. It is a great choice for anyone who wants to change their life.

Free Money for Medical Assistant School?

------------------------------- UNHEARD OF! Or?

The goal of going to medical assisting school is to learn how to assist doctors treating patients and making the medical office run smooth and efficiently. However, another concern that is emerging to the forefront of many medical assisting school applicants' minds is the "cost and funding resources" list to pay for their training. Medical assisting students can expect to incur approximately $7,000-$9,000 for tuition and books at a community college and up to $16,000 at a for private for-profit vocational training institution.

We have been told that there are programs that give away free money for medical assistant school. There are vocational training programs, including free medical assisting training, for teens and adults that are completely free.

What Should Medical Assistant Students Learn?

The nature of a medical assistant's workplace today is different from that of the past. It is characterized by competition, cultural diversity, new technologies, and new management processes that require critical thinking, problem-solving and communication skills as well as advanced levels of various complex job skills.

Medical assistant students should be taught more than just skills related to a basic secretarial job and never become a "Girl-Friday" for the doctor on the clinical floors. Medical assistant students should be taught in all aspects of administrative and clinical skills, and be exposed to advanced interpersonal and resume writing skills which will prepare them for the demands and versatility needed to assist doctors and various other licensed health care providers, and land the better jobs.

Medical assistant programs need to provide health and medical skills education in clinical lab classrooms where they take on the role of working medical assistants and patients to practice skills they need. They should role-play scenarios to learn how to run the front and back office efficiently and productively.

Cert Med Assistant: Free Guide for Working Medical Assistants

Cert Med Assistant: Free Guide for Working Medical Assistants video testimonial:

First off, it’s not often you stumble upon a website where the primary objective isn’t to sell you something. At Cert Med Assistant it seemed as if I came across someone who had my best interest at heart. When I learned that Medical Assistants have replaced Nurses in doctor’s offices, I realized the potential for working in a medical office near me (something I always wanted to achieve). After finding out which schools in my area were accredited, it didn’t take me very long to register. In 5 minutes I found every answer I was looking for. It’s almost a no-brainer. With Cert Med Assistant (.c0m) they have created a site that not only helps you along the path to getting your medical assistant career started, but also get certified, and there is an active medical assistant message board, resume help, and the scope of its practice by each state for reference what medical assistant can, and cannot, do.

Cert Med Assistant is a resource that prospective and current medical assistants can enjoy It seems like this will be a resource I’ll be using throughout my career. If you’re aspiring to be or thinking about become a medical assistant, it has tons of information on job outlook, where to find the jobs, how to get certified, where schools are in your area, and the scope of practice by state if you're looking for jobs elsewhere. If you’re already certified, it has job search resources and even resume help. If by some chance that doesn’t help, a forum to post questions that’ll be answered by other certified medical assistants is there too.

Check it out: www.certmedassistant.com

Announcing: Brand New Medical Assistant Website!

I know! I know!

There already are hundreds of websites dedicated to medical assistants on the Web...

However, we just had to add one more.

A completely redesigned "Advanced Medical Assistant of America" dedicated to the medical assistant has been launched to the Web on 07 July 2008.

We can never have enough medical assistant websites. Read about:

1. Medical Assistant Training
2. Medical Assistant Schools
3. Medical Assistant Certifications

And more!

How To Get Into College

Getting into a college can be an intimidating and scary process. There was a time—maybe 20, or 30 years ago—when students would put in three applications and were accepted into one, or two schools.

Unfortunately, there is NO backdoor in the college admissions process. There’s only the front door, and you either crawl in through the crevices, or you waltz in. That is, if you get in at all. I know it, because I've spent two years researching the complexity of today’s admissions standards.

Know what to expect! You usually get only one chance at it. That's it! It’s up to you to gather whatever information you can in order to compete to get into a matching college.

Find your match! American colleges, and college admissions standards ought to be simple, but today’s admissions process has become a high-stake obstacle course.

To help you with your efforts to find and apply for a college that's right for you I've researched and created this college admissions guide as a guide for any of you considering a tertiary education at one of America’s 2,400+ four-year undergraduate colleges (instead of a vocational education and training program).

Admissions-Guide.info

5 Tips for Becoming a Fast-Learning Medical Assistant

by Heather Johnson
Whether you are still in school or have already entered the workforce, you now realize how important the position of medical assistant is. Indeed, you have a lot of information to retain and are responsible for important duties. Don't become overwhelmed by the job, as you will quickly learn the ropes by following the five tips below.

1. Don't Hesitate to Ask – If you are having any doubts about something or have encountered a strange situation, never hesitate to ask your supervisor / teacher what to do. It might be prudent to ask questions privately if you are in front of a patient, but you should never feel too ashamed or proud to admit you need help.

2. Take Efficient Notes – While you are in class or are being trained on the job, take very efficient notes. Write rules and procedures down, as you may not be able to recall them later. Employers will actually appreciate your resourcefulness when they see you taking notes.

3. Stay Organized – From your notes to your workspace, you need to stay streamlined in order to be a more efficient medical assistant. Keep the clutter away and always know where your important tools are located.

3. Never Stop Studying – Even after you graduate, you need to keep authoritative texts handy and brush up on your studying from time to time. This will help to develop both your skills and a sharper memory.

4. Observe Your Superiors – Whether you are studying your teacher's demonstration of a blood draw or you are watching your employer fill out paperwork, take mental (and written) notes of how everything is done.

You may feel a bit overwhelmed on both the first day of medical assisting school and the first day on the job. After all, this is an important position and you are responsible for knowing a lot of information. Push any doubts from your mind, as everyone feels this way at first. By following the advice above, you will quickly catch on and become a seasoned pro in no time at all.

About the Author:Heather Johnson is a regular commentator on the subject of how to become a pharmacist. She welcomes your feedback and potential job inquiries at heatherjohnson2323@gmail.com.

Medical Assistants Not Finding a Job

In a discussion within our medical assistant web forum medical assistants are trying to put her finger on what is happening in the medical assistant industry, and why so many medical assistant school graduates have such a hard time landing a job. One participant's view in this discussion about what might be wrong with this picture is an eye opener.

Lynn says:"I think this wariness in hiring a medical assistant comes from something we
don't want to admit-there are a lot of bad medical assistants out there. There
are too many schools and programs and many of them are lousy. The word gets
around to hiring personnel what those schools are and they won't trust a student
that went there. All they need to hear is one story of a student doing an
externship who didn't know how to PUT ON the blood pressure cuff properly and
that will make them leery. Who can blame them? How can anyone go through a
medical program for up to 9 months and get away with not knowing how to take a
blood pressure reading? But it happens. And the good students from these awful
schools get pushed in the background."

Lynn further writes: "This is NOT a field that is going to be gathering more respect as time goes by. There are too many programs popping up and that isn't a good sign. These are the schools that advertise on afternoon TV, during those (let's face it) trashy courtroom programs and they are trying to appeal to someone sitting around watching TV and eating out of a bag of chips (an actual commercial for medical assisting a few years ago).The only thing that is going to grow is this overabundance of MA programs and the large amount of ex-students looking for work who owe on loans. "


The way to remedy this situation is that future medical assistants make double sure they get into the right programs. For those who already are in the profession, I'd suggest certification to show the employer they are competent and serious about their career.

The resume of a medical assistant that is certified stands out from the rest. With so many medical assistants seeking jobs, they have do everything they can to get an edge over other applicants who also are looking.

I have always spoken out, and highly recommended that medical assistant students sign up only with schools that are ABHES and CAAHEP accredited, because only graduates of programs that are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) are eligible to take medical assistant certification/registration exams.

One program that's offered online, and ranks high in the Google Search Engine is St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants which is a total waste of money. Their text on the website looks good, and I am sure people are tempted to sign up but I have always warned of them... if you know what I mean.


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CHEA has issued the following warning:
http://www.chea.org/pdf/fact_sheet_6_diploma_mills.pdf

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Office of Occupational gives these statistics:
Medical Assistant/Healthcare Jobs

CareerBuilder.com lists the following Medical Assistant jobs:
Medical Assistant/Healthcare Jobs