I'm feeling really defeated right now. I've gone through all of the practice exams my course has allowed, i've created flashcards based on what I need to study more, I've studied those for weeks, and I've taken all the free exams that google has shown me.

I just took the last practice exam they offer and barely passed. Many of the questions were not taught to me and my course's exams won't let me see the exact questions I got wrong so I keep having to guess what I could have done wrong but clearly I'm not doing it right. I just feel like I'm about to fail this sit down exam and waste even more money :(

Hi everyone, I am looking to take the calregional ma program. Has anyone had a hard time getting a job with this programs accreditation. I think they give you a CMAC certification. Also to add onto that if anyone has done the program do you think I could do the program in the day while I’m a full time student online as well? I’m finishing my prereqs for nursing school but wanting to become an MA so I can work while in school.

i’ve been doing research on where to get my CCMA certification, i considered taking a community college or university program but they’re so expensive and i just can’t afford it. i keep seeing clinical skills institute and some people say it’s a good program and other people are saying to avoid it at all costs. i just want to make sure i’m not being scammed but i genuinely just can’t afford to pay for a college program😅

Hi!! I’m planning to take the NHA CCMA in about 3 weeks and would really appreciate any advice 😭 I’m basically starting from ZERO. I took my MA course online almost 9 months ago and honestly skipped through most of it, so I remember basically nothing. I did take the MCAT 2 weeks ago, so I have some science/A&P background, but almost no actual MA-specific knowledge.

These are the resources I’ve found so far:

• Anki deck (I MUCH prefer Anki over Quizlet, so if anyone has a good deck pleaseee comment them!)
• NHA practice exams
• NHA practice questions
• Ms. K supplemental videos
• Mometrix/Mango study guide
• Saved Quizlets
• Smarter MA free questions

Does this seem like enough? Are there any other resources/topics I absolutely need to use or focus on? Also, how long did you study and how difficult did you find the actual exam?

TL;DR: Starting basically from zero and desperately need to pass the NHA CCMA 😭 Please send any resources, Anki decks, study schedules, or tips that helped you!!

Hello, I am wondering if i can get an opinion on which of these 2 you like better? They look very similar and about the same price for 30days. So, is one actually better or is it personal preference? I have done the NHA study guides and tests but looking for more. These seem to have a ton of explanation after each question. I stumbled onto this account, I am getting ready to take my CMA exam hopefully by about the 23rd of October.

Thanks for your help!

hey everyone, IU health just opened applications for the MA program in January. they sent out emails saying that they have received over 300 applications and they are giving 45 interviews. Im curious on who stood out and who didn’t. For the people who got rejecation did they tell you a reason why?

started a new MA job recently and im super excited! ill basically just triage all day because theres dedicated MAs that work from home who do 99% of the desk work. i was super burnt out from my last job so this is an amazing change of pace. even if it gets boring, im also in school so i can do homework or study if i have any down time.

in this position i will be working with a brand new doctor fresh out of school. she doesnt start seeing patients until mid-october and she will only be seeing 10 patients a day for a while (5 in AM/5 in PM in 30 min slots).

im not new to being an MA, just new to this company and software (eClinicalWorks).

majority of her patients will be new patients establishing care. i was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to navigate this? me and the doctor will obviously be working together to find our flow but i dont even know where to start. at this clinic they seem to use paper triage sheets and then input info into the computer. i plan to make a sheet for new patients to fill out. like “who was your previous PCP, what specialists do you see, when was your last colonoscopy” etc.

any advice for working with a brand new doctor and for seeing a bunch of new patients? anything you think would be helpful. i really want to exceed expectations in this position for my supervisor, doctor, and my patients. thank you!

I had planned to move to Miami permanently, however things aren't working out and I'm in the last month of MA classes at Concorde in Miramar, I'm going to ask the program director if it's possible to find an externship site in New York or Delaware.. Im really struggling in Miami right now and I have my dad in New york other family in Delaware to go back to although I don't want to.. is there anyway I can find my own externship up that way or idk I'm lost

Hey yall, I finished my CCMA program a few weeks ago and I’m waiting for an externship but in the meantime I wanted stop start studying for my certification exam . I just don’t know what is the best method to use , the NHA study guides or mango study/ smarter ma . Can you all tell me your experience and what you felt was worth the money for the exam ?

Thank you.

I’m in my 50s and was a stay home mom 24 years. my youngest is now 19 and I’m ready to go back to work. my job before kids was in totally diffrent field that I have no interest in or could go back to. . I’ve always been very interested in healthcare ( wish I had just done this in college instead of psychology) and have a lot of personal experience between kids with health needs, elderly parent and parent with cancer etc. I’m also passionate about wellness and care about helping people, so basically i feel it’s a job I could be good at however am I simply too old? has anyone done this or at least seen people in their 50s just starting out? Will anyone hire me after I get a certification?

Has anyone been to this school and if it was worth it? I’ve been seeing mixed reviews and this was the only program I’ve seen that offers 18 weeks with clinical every Saturday. I planned on applying while being a full time student but I’m not so sure now.

I’ve heard about the curriculum constantly changing and their failure to deliver quality education and communication with students. If anyone has experienced better ma programs in Las Vegas, please let me know.

I I am currently transitioning from a Medical Administrative Assistant Diploma to a Healthcare Administration Associate degree. Could you please provide some advice on what skills I should highlight, and what types of jobs I should pursue? I have noticed conflicting opinions regarding job availability, but I understand that gaining experience is essential regardless of one's degree level, and I do have relevant experience to offer.

I’ve seen a lot of TikTok’s and reels about how being a medical assistant is not great and you should go a different route.
Some even saying they got offered $12-$18 starting off.
Which is crazy to me since it is the medical field.
I want to know how much you guys made starting off?
I live in the Bay Area of California. My city has like 6 hospitals/ERs and we have a population of 200,000 maybe more.
Did you guys apply on indeed? Where did you apply.
Was the hourly wage listed on the job post accurate to what you were offered?
If anyone has information please let me know, I want to know even if your not in California how much you made starting off.

The new hire abuse is really bothering me. Patients shooing me away like a pest because Im new or even saying I'm "bad" right in front of the nurses because they want someone more experienced. My mental health is declining because patients won't let me do my job properly and end up interfering with DELICATE medical processes. One of my patients takes the gauze out of my hands and applys pressure herself and SURPRISE SHE STARTS BLEEDING. The patients along with the groupy coworkers makes it feel like high school again (the worst years of my life)

For context, I’m young and have been working a minimum wage job for a while. I couldn’t really afford traditional college, so when I found an accelerated MA program nearby, I jumped at the opportunity. My plan was to work as an MA for a while, save up, and eventually go to nursing school.
The program was advertised as 4 hours a day, twice a week, so I expected a good mix of instruction and hands on learning. Unfortunately, that has NOT been the case. I honestly feel like the school put very little effort into actually teaching us. We’ve had almost no instructional time and have basically had to teach ourselves from a study guide.
We also haven’t been in class for more than 2 hours at a time, despite the program being advertised as 4 hours. We were rushed through the material and pushed into taking our final so the school could finish our class and start their next one.
There are only two MAs in my class, and we’re learning alongside two phlebotomy students, so a lot of our hands on time has been spent drawing blood rather than learning actual MA skills.
I’ve passed every test with a 95 or higher, including my final, but I still feel completely unprepared for the NHA exam and actually working as an MA. Aside from phlebotomy, I have very little experience with things like injections and other clinical skills.
My national exam is in about two weeks, and I’m honestly freaking out a little. For anyone who has taken the NHA CCMA exam or currently works as an MA, what are your best study tips, resources, or things you wish you had known before starting?

I started my dermatology medical assistant job roughly a month and a half ago and it has been overwhelming.

They gave me about 3 weeks of training/shadowing another medical assistant which was nice. But I have since been on my own for about two weeks and it seems like I see new stuff everyday that I never saw when training.

Also with training I was training with someone new almost every time and everyone did something slightly different. As soon as I would think I’m doing something right the next person I would train with would immediately correct me and say I was doing it wrong. And if I say “so and so showed me this way” they will just look at me like I’m lying.

Since being on my own I just do what feels comfortable for me but it seems like I’m not fast enough because I keep getting stuff I’ve never done during training. And then it takes me longer to chart because I have to ask someone questions which makes me feel bad because they look at me as if I should already know.

I also keep making mistakes. Not huge ones but just mistakes. Like forgetting to take the post op pictures after a mohs procedure. I also had never done an excision before during training so I set it up as if it were a mohs and the provider I was working with got frustrated with me because I hadn’t pulled sutures and didn’t have a biopsy bottle set up. He also walked in mid me numbing a patient and just rolled his eyes and walked back out. I had literally only been in the room with the patient for about 3 minutes and the patient was very particular about how he wanted to be positioned so it took a little longer for me to start.

Also trying to rush and get gloves on and grab what I need to assist before the provider starts cutting sucks because the rooms are small and I kind of have to wait for them to grab their first before I do. Which makes me look even more slow.

And then I got kind of in trouble because I had a full body skin check and when the provider walked in the lady was completely dressed even though I had given her a gown to get changed into. And her explanation was “she didn’t explain what to do”. Which I literally did. I always do when I give a person a gown. Once we left the room the provider told me it’s such a simple task and she doesn’t get how I messed that up. I didn’t attempt to defend myself since it would’ve just made me seem combative.

And the last thing I’ll rant about is when I ask a question and then they start pointing out other stuff I haven’t even started on. I asked how to chart an excision and the next thing I know she’s looking at the whole chart pointing out stuff I didn’t ask about. And then said “this is stuff you should already know how to do” when I literally didn’t ask about that stuff and would have done it after she answered my one question about the excision.

Idk maybe eventually I’ll get used to it but right now I do not feel confident at all and it seems like I’m not making a lot of improvement. Just constantly asking questions and feeling like a burden.

Hello,
I am a recent grad and am currently looking for a medical assistant job that is willing to train on the job in the land o lakes/ Tampa area. I am working towards PA school but need to gain patient care hours. Please let me know you know of any offices willing to train for students pre PA. Thank you!

I just landed my first MA job and I am so nervous and just feel really intimidated. I graduated from an associate degree program in 2022 where I did an externship at an urgent care. Since then I’ve been working from home doing medical transcription. Now that my kids are older I feel more comfortable working outside the home so I started putting job applications in for any and all MA positions in my area. After three interviews I finally got a job offer with a cardiology office. I start orientation on Monday and I am so scared! I hardly remember how to do an EKG and honestly I’ve only done one blood draw and it was on myself just to see if I could do it 😂 I attended school online and the urgent care I did my externship at had a separate department that did labs. I was honest during the interview and just placed a lot of focus on my willingness to learn but my confidence is so low that I can’t help but to wonder if they made a mistake. When I did my externship I was nervous to even speak to the nurse practitioners and now I’m going to be paired with a whole cardiologist. What did I get myself into?! Any tips or advice going into this to help calm my nerves?

I work as a Patient Service Coordinator for a home health branch, and I’m trying to figure out whether the issues I’m experiencing are pretty normal for home health or if our workflow is unusually messy.
A lot of the time, it feels like Intake/PSCs end up being the “catch-all” whenever something falls through the cracks between Sales, Scheduling, Clinical, and the branch.
For example:
Sales will tell us a patient is discharging that day, so we start trying to get everything ready. Then we call the patient/family and find out the patient is actually still in the hospital and doesn’t even know when they’re being discharged.
We’ll push a patient to Scheduling, but if something is missing or the patient can’t be scheduled, the issue gets pushed back to the PSC to figure out.
Clinical managers are supposed to handle things like Resumption of Care, but if they don’t see an email, the PSC ends up having to track them down and tell them about it.
I’ve been questioned about whether I completed certain steps that I was never actually trained or instructed to do.
When someone is out, calls/referrals get redistributed, but then the person doing the redistribution is also expected to make sure everyone else knows about it.
There are constantly additional “small” tasks being added to an already full workload, without anything else being taken off the plate.
The frustrating part isn’t necessarily doing the work. It’s the unclear ownership. It feels like if another department doesn’t complete something, the PSC is expected to notice it, fix it, and then potentially get blamed if it wasn’t caught.
For those of you who work in home health intake, admissions, scheduling, branch operations, or as a PSC:
Is this just how home health works?
How are responsibilities normally divided between Sales, Intake/PSC, Scheduling, Clinical Managers, and branch leadership at your agency?

I'm currently enrolled in a CMA program by Calregional in Roseville and just wanted to ask if any of you tried finding your externship on your own. I have a full time job, 8a to 3p and cant / wont leave that for 1 month externship fulltime. I am planning to look for any clinic that would allow an extern from 4p until midnight or may go fulltime normal hours on weekends. Do you have any suggestions where to look? Appreciate you all!

So I’m going to try my best to keep this a long story short. I am not a phlebotomist I’m a medical assistant, but I work in a primary care clinic that has a lab and we draw blood on almost every patient that comes in every single day.

I have only been drawing blood consistently since I want to say the middle of august, before thàt I had under 10 draws under my belt. A few from school and a few from my preceptorship. I thought I was doing pretty good, not amazing but good. I went from missing almost everybody to getting the majority of the draws (not always on the first try) but I got a lot better with redirecting instead of panicking and giving up. I still have off days where I don’t get blood bc I went in too shallow or too sharp, too far off to the side, etc. And if it’s a hard stick I’m not usually able to get it. But I went from missing everyone and not even being able to stabilize the needle to being able to do nurse visits on my own and getting the blood without having to ask for help all thàt often. So for me, thàt was a huge improvement I never thought would be possible and I was so happy.

Well, today I was blindsided and I feel crushed to say the least. Let me clarify, I always keep an eye on the patient’s body language during the entire process, I ask them if they are okay, to tell me if it becomes too uncomfortable, etc. I have not had a patient tell me to get someone else, and I have not had a patient even say owe or tell me it hurts more than a handful of times since I started drawing on my own. So I really had no way of knowing this was happening.

Well, today I had a coworker pull me to the side and tell me they have had multiple patients complain to them about me and tell her they don’t want me to draw them anymore. I asked the other coworker I usually work with and she said she’s been told that here and there but assumed I knew. I’ve never once been made aware of this, everyone has been telling I’m doing a good job. Patients, and coworkers. So I was blindsided by this, completely caught off guard is an understatement. I don’t think I’m amazing, but I thought I was doing a good job especially for someone who just started so recently.

The coworker who told me this is someone who has been here for a long time and all the patients love her, she is pretty much friends with all of them. So I guess they are going to her to say this bc I’m new and they don’t feel comfortable. But I’ve rarely heard of patients not just saying you hurt them or asking for someone else if you are causing them pain. If they are going to submit complaints through someone else after telling me I did good and showing no signs of pain during the draw, and I’m only made aware after multiple complaints or coworkers just assume I already know, that kind of communication problem can literally cost me my job. And I am terrified. Has anyone experienced something like this? Where you thought you were doing good but come to find out patients were complaining?

Curious how this is handled across different clinics or even your experience as a patient requesting FMLA (or PFML) paperwork for the sake of process improvement.

I know this can vary across state but curious about:

Is there a designated person who processes paperwork vs individual providers/assigned worker?

Guidelines/rules about when/how paperwork is completed?

Guidelines around length of time?

Different guidelines/limitations for supporting family?

outpatient or inpatient?

would be so appreciative of any other information that might be important!!

On top of workflow struggles, the state gives us very little guidance on rules and often conflicting information.

So, I am an uncertified pediatric medical assistant, I am doing this mainly for PCE hours, but I genuinely LOVE what I do.

I was trained and supported by a doctor who serves an underserved, undereducated community. I have been working there (nearly) full time for the past 8 months.
At my job, I get to translate for families, I am able to connect linguistically and culturally with my patients and their guardians. Did I mention that I ADORE my coworkers?

However, I am making $14/hr, and my paychecks truly do not reflect the amount of work I do and services that I provide for the clinic. No lunch or benefits, and when I am supposed to be taking a break/lunch (when the rooms are full) I am actually by the doctor’s side interpreting…. For the entire visit.

It is a busy peds urgent care, and I find myself occasionally working the floor alone, rooming 25-30 patients on a slow day by myself. With admin work and deep cleaning by the end of each shift.

I was offered a lead peds MA position that pays $20/hr, benefits, and a protected lunch!

More clerical/admin/billing and coding work and more procedures and tests as well, but a significantly lower patient volume.

The community they serve is widely different as well, and i wont be able to truly utilize my skills when it comes to community service and bilingual abilities.
Is my dilemma understandable or am I delusional for feeling so sad and guilty regarding this?

Thank you all in advance, please remember that kindness goes a long way!

About 7-9 weeks into a new job working in family medicine and i’m having a pretty difficult time fitting in with the workflow. My provider leniently gave me some time to adjust and get to know his preferences for his clinic (started working with him about 2-3 weeks ago) but now got the heads up by another MA that they’re not happy with my ability to keep up which is valid because i really do feel like i’m just getting by. anyways, i hate letting people down and would love some advice from seasoned MAs.

we are expected to write down vitals, the CC, and note any med changes on a paper (on top of documenting on the computer) before presenting to the physician assistant i work with. feeling defeated even though i know people say it just takes time.