Rosa Said:

how much math is involved in becoming a medical assistant?

We Answered:

very little = just the basics!!!

Edward Said:

I am a certified Medical Assistant, but I am interested in going back to school to become a LVN.?

We Answered:

Most people get student loans. Some courses are up to ten thousand dollars. The Pell Grant might pay for you if you have not used it. You can still use it I believe. Try the Pell Grant. You need to check the tuition in your area. Sometimes the Hospitals will train you. The Pell Grant is $5,350. something like that.

Maurice Said:

What is the difference between a Medical assistant or certified Nurse assistant?

We Answered:

A Medical Assistant (certified or not) is trained to work in a physician's office or clinic setting. The main duties are bringing the patient back from the waiting room, getting vital signs, finding out what they are seeing the doctor for (chief complaint) and then getting any lab work (blood draws, etc) or assisting with tests (EKG's, etc) the doctor orders. You can be trained to be a Medical Assistant in a program that lasts about 9 months to 1 year.

A CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) is trained to take vital signs, assist with baths, feeding, and toileting needs of residents in a nursing home. The course takes about 4-6 weeks.

I would suggest you look into another career choice. There is an overabundance of Medical Assistants out there, given the relative ease and short time of training......Medical Assistants RARELY make over $12 an hour.

A CNA does the "grunt" work of cleaning up patients and doing what the licensed staff doesn't want to do. The pay is worse than a Medical Assistant.

Try looking into a community college for some Allied Health careers such as Respiratory Therapy, Radiologic Tech (X-ray), Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (ultrasound tech), etc. All of those careers start off at OVER $20 an hour and most require the minimum of an Associate Degree...although you can earn a Bachelors in each of those areas.

Patricia Said:

CMA (Certified Medical Assistant Degree) Is this worth pursuing?

We Answered:

CMA's arent really worth it anymore. They are becoming more obsolete. Most CMA's from my experience work in the nursing homes.

If your looking into the medical field. Its a wonderful field to pursue. I would start with the basic CNA/HHA to see how it is at the bottom of the barrel and work my way up. LPN is a good one though. Especially if you want to work in a nursing home.

Marsha Said:

I'm deciding whether to become a Certified Medical Assistant or a LPN?

We Answered:

Between Medical Assistant or LPN....LPN!!!! There is no potential for advancement for a Medical Assistant. With being an LPN, you can easily return for another year of school to earn an Associates in Nursing and become an RN.

However, between nursing or Rad Tech/Med Imaging/Nuclear Med...I would pick the latter or go with another Allied Health career such as Respiratory Therapy.

I'm sorry if I misinterpreted your question...I regard "potential for advancement" as meaning that the career you choose is directly linked to advancement...such as LPN to RN, EMT to Paramedic, RRT to PA...that sort of thing. A Medical Assistant job "ends" as a Medical Assistant (Clinical or otherwise). It's good that the other poster's friend plans on getting a Bachelors in a field appropriate for applying to Medical School, but being an MA is in no way, shape, or form, required for any other career other than being an MA.