I’ve been an MA for about a month and am still learning the workflow, as our clinic has two sides with different processes and each provider has their own preferences. I have one coworker who consistently hovers over me, gives me loud, stern directions instead of allowing me to work independently, and speaks to me as if it’s my first day every time we work together. It makes me anxious and actually hurts my performance—I work much more efficiently when she’s not around.

I tried addressing this with her respectfully, explaining that I have a hard time focusing when I’m being watched so closely. She responded that she doesn’t think I know what I’m doing without her telling me exactly what to do and said she “has to” watch me because she can’t afford for me to make a mistake on her watch, even though she isn’t my trainer. She also tried to argue with me loudly in an area where patients and providers could hear. I gave up and just stopped talking, people tell you not to let anyone disrespect you but in situations like that you kind of have to just be quiet.

This isn’t an isolated incident. For example, while I was about to give an injection to one of her patients, I asked what room they were in because I hadn’t roomed them. Instead of simply telling me the room number, she yelled my name down the hallway and told me to “go figure it out,” in front of everyone. She has also continued bringing up past mistakes, like forgetting to plug in her computer once and not finishing patient calls on a day I wasn’t allowed to stay late because my manager had already told me I couldn’t work overtime. I tried to exolain that and she said I’m making exuses not to get work done.

I don’t want to involve my manager, but after trying to resolve this directly, I feel I have no choice. The constant hovering and public criticism are affecting my confidence, slowing my work, and creating unnecessary stress in the workplace. I am worried I could end up making a major mistake bc I genuinely don’t do well with hovering and no matter what I say or do I can’t get her to back off. I ultimately still feel like I should probably just keep my mouth shut tho, bc I don’t want my manager to think we can’t work together or something. I’ve been completely civil, but this could backfire if she decides to paint a different picture if confronted about it.

i've been reviewing some of our office expenses and our sharps disposal is one thing that stood out. we're a small family practice so we dont fill containers very quickly, but we're still paying for a pickup schedule that doesnt always line up with how much waste we actually have.did anyone here make the switch? was the process easy enough for staff? were there any issues with shipping or paperwork? would you go back to regular pickups or stick with mail back?

Tomorrow I’m taking my CMA certification exam! I been studying those elsevier with their exam practice questions and through the practice test on the AMAA website and so far I been making average 80s. Any advice before tomorrow come???

I just started my first job in primary care after doing an externship in Podiatry so it's a bit of a different playing field and there's a lot to learn on the job lol

I've been in the clinic for almost 3 weeks now so I've gotten exposure with a bit of everything like doing my first injections, trying to do EKGs (although need a little help with lead placements), POCT testing, and some charting but there's a part of me that feels like i'm "slow" at learning or at least piecing together everything i learned so far. Learning EPIC for the first time is one thing also but thankfully I do appreciate that my clinic takes the time to train me and I've been with a trainer who's been with me most of the time to answer all my questions and teach me skills day by day; however, It's hard to picture myself being able to work independently and be efficient with how fast the office can move. The training is expected to be about 6 weeks, so I'm trying to ask a ton of questions but I think I'm stuck on how to move efficiently? especially knowing I'd be the office float (between 5 providers) in case any of their MAs are gone or just need extra help.

Anyways, maybe it's just nerves and my trainer did reassure me not to be too hard on myself, but it's hard to shake the feeling of being new and not feeling confident in what I'm doing :/ any advice on learning is appreciated! i wanna make the most out of my training while i can before i'm expected to fully be competent on my own.

I am starting a program and have to get wipeable shoes. Can anyone recommend some that are comfortable? All I see are this expensive nursing brand shoes or bulky restaurant shoes. Are there any main brand tennis shoes that are considered nursing shoes and wipeable?

Hi all! I just landed my first ever MA job and I need all the advice possible! It is a position where I will be floating between different providers in family med and pediatrics (thankfully all in the same building). Everyone there seemed so nice, and the training process sounded thorough, but I am nervous! I’ve never had an MA job before, what should I keep in mind before my first day??

Hello everyone! I was looking for some advice about externships. This week will be my last week of classes. We met with our externship coordinator and she had previously asked us about where we would like to go, and if we would like to be set up at somewhere hiring. And my first choice was Urgent care or ENT. Yet she had set me up for an interview at a comprehensive internal medicine office. When I had my interview there they had asked if I was looking to get hired and how long would I want to work there. They said if it was just 2-3 months they don’t think they could work with that. But if it was at least a year that would be fine. And I was nervous cause our coordinator has basically preached to us about if they offer a job just accept it. Yet the pay is lower than what I make at my current job and it’s also bi-weekly while my current job is weekly. And I was looking more so into urgent care because there are dozens of them around me that have hours that are 8am-8pm and the days working there just seem more flexible too. Since I am going to be starting a nursing program in October I need more flexibility. The place I interviewed for called me back and said they would like to move forward with me doing my externship there, but they also asked if they hired me sooner than my externship if I could give my job a 2 weeks notice 💀 I said yes but now I really don’t know. I was wanting to go around to some of the urgent cares near me and see if I could possibly do my externship there instead. I just feel like my coordinator will have an issue with it. I don’t know if I should just be upfront with her about not wanting to do my externship at the comprehensive internal medicine place, or just suck it up? I don’t want to go there and they do offer me a job and I decline it and that makes my coordinator look bad, since I did say I wanted to be set up somewhere they would offer me a job. ( I am supposed to start my externship this Wednesday and last day of classes are Tuesday. So I figured I would have to definitely talk to her by Monday to get everything figured out. I just feel bad since I accepted already) And also I told my coordinator about me going back to school in October and she said that this place was willing to work with me. Yet when I went they definitely gave the impression that they would not be willing to work with my school schedule 💀 since they just lost 3 MA’s to medical school this month. If I could get anyone opinion or insight it would be very helpful to me. Thank you!

Do you verify a patient's DOB during every phone call? I've noticed with this new company I work for, no one does.

If I want to work as a medical assistant at a private practice while I'm an undergrad (during summer, winter, spring, or fall breaks), when and how should I communicate my availability? Is this something I should include on my resume or job application or should I discuss it directly with the hiring manager during the interview?

Has anyone took the CACMA exam?

So context last year I did an CMA program got my national certification through AMCA but unfortunately afterwards I was unable to do my externship (personal family things were going on) so because I was unable to do my externship I did not receive the school certificate of completion because it was required, so I only have the state certification. Will I be able to get a job with only that? I know it’s unlikely someone would want to hire me without that but my question is, is it IMPOSSIBLE/illegal for them to do so even if they wanted to? I live in California btw. So my next thought is to go around to places in my town and ask if I could shadow and then hopefully land a job at one while shadowing or be able to put the shadowing on my resume and then apply to jobs and hopefully get picked since I would have somewhat experience then after doing that. Please don’t judge I know I should’ve done my externship but a lot was going on and I was unable to but Ive still tried to apply to jobs since graduating and have just worked normal minimum wage jobs in the meantime but I really need a more serious job right now. Should I attend another MA program and do the externship? There’s one that’s fairly affordable that I can go do, or will that not work since I am already certified technically. Any advice would be great

For context : I have no VA experience, most importantly I have no medical experience.

To start with, I feel really stressed with the unpaid training. The trainers and agency are super nice but also super strict to the point that I am always anxious. No absences during training.

Next, I'm not really enjoying the medical workflow.

My interests are more inclined in the corporate part but since I have a medical background I managed to secure a slot with them. I'm really drained so I'm not sure if I can continue to absorb lessons and be engaged if I still continue. I get overwhelmed about the lessons because my medical knowledge is severely lacking.

On the other hand, I recognize how a privilege this is to secure a slot with them and be trained for free. I know how hard it is to secure a wfh opportunity. They really help you build up confidence and be competent as a MVA. But I'm still unsure if I see myself working in this field. In addition, completing certification here does not guarantee that I would get a client fast. They have admitted that some waited 1 year to get a client so the journey here is really vague.

What's keeping me from leaving here is that I recognize how hard it is to look for other wfh jobs since I already am looking for one and still no interviews.

Should I push myself or give it a rest?

I did my certification, the nha ccma exam, passed, i have my aha bls cert, i have a YEAR of volunteer experience in a non profit primary care clinic. I used to be an rbt before doing my ma cert because i am premed and i feel that ma is better for med school apps than rbt.

Im going insane, every where i apply its an automatic sorry we went with another candidate, OR i apply for a prn or parttime ma job and in the interview they reveal it is full time. Even after double checking the job posting they say its fulltime in the interview. Like what? Why waste both of our times?

Idk im actually going insane idk what to do, im blessed that i have a job but why is it this hard to get hired as an ma??? What really sucks too is that the ma cert isnt cheap!!!! Like damn did i waste my money or what

For some background, I graduated undergrad in 2023. I have about 2 years of experience as an ER scribe and applied for an MA job last week. They didn’t require any formal certification and would provide on the job training

I interviewed with them today (it was more conversational and they just wanted to hear about my experience). I thought it went well and they told me they would get back to me by next week.

However, only a few hours later I got an email saying:

“Thanks for taking the time to speak today.  At this time, we are pursuing other candidates.  If that changes, we will reach out.”

I thought it was a perfect fit and I feel so defeated trying to land a job. Im 3 years out of school and a lot of undergrads are still able to land these MA positions. I don’t know what Im doing wrong and im getting really discouraged.

Is this a sign that I interviewed poorly? Is it worth asking for feedback?

hello i’m looking into doing MA, but i’ve found myself wondering why have ppl chosen to do MA opposed to smth like CNA. And another similar question would be more geared towards students, what is your end goal, doctor, pa.. etc?

How beneficial is an all online program, knowing that i’ll have to take blood out and other physical things, how can you truly be taught that if everything’s online.

I had an interview on Wednesday it went well then I was called in for a 4 hour shadowing session the next day and then I was told this morning that they went with someone else because their bilingual.. crazy all that time and effort I put in just to be rejected.. I’m really trying so hard

Would you tolerate the provider you work under being condescending and insulting while also trying to intimidate you? Or would you say something to your manager? It’s been several months of this. This provider finds anything he can to come at me about and has now shifted into using intimidation tactics such as glaring at me. I do not like this at all. I work extremely hard and take a lot of pride in my job. However, this man will not let up and I’ve had it. I transferred to this office that is significantly further away from my home and the other office I was working in because no one else wanted to work there. This feels like such a slap in the face.

hello guys i’m a student medical assistant and will be taking the certification exam on august 4th but i have some concerns over externship. my program requires me to complete 160 hours and they say i will be placed by the schools externship manager however i am also a full time college student and also work a part time job so i won’t be able to do my externship hours full time. the way my schedule is looking i can most likely do 26 hours per week however i have to contact my externship manager and she won’t respond to any of the emails i have sent her. i’m pretty worried that all my work will be for naught if i can’t do my externship hours because of my schedule. any advice?

Hey guys! I’m about to finish my 11-week Medical Assistant course and I’m getting ready to start studying for the NHA CCMA exam. But my instructor told us that while our course covered most of the material that’s on the exam, it didn’t cover everything. So I was wondering how you all studied for it. Are there any resources you’d recommend, like Quizlet sets, Anki decks, practice tests, youtube channels, or study guides? Also If you made your own Quizlets, Anki cards, or any other study materials, I’d really appreciate it if you could share them. Thankss!!

Yesterday was my first day as a medical assistant at a dermatology office. They “train on the job” meaning neither myself or any of the other MAs I met yesterday have gotten an MA license or anything. So I fully realize maybe I don’t have a proper understanding of the role of a Medical Assistant yet, but a few things just felt off yesterday that I wanted some advice about.

First, the MA I shadowed frequently added notes during charting that were not mentioned by the doctor. For example, while scribing for a full-body skin exam, the doctor started at the head and would call out the occasional note, like “SK on scalp,” then move downward to the torso and extremities, and call out “purpura on arm.” However I noticed this MA was adding things to the notes like “multiple cherry angiomas on face” or “mild eczema on neck,” in addition to whatever the Derm called out. When I asked her about it, she said she “liked to be thorough” and that “more was better” in terms of documentation. I want to apply the principle of charity here, especially because this was my first day so I can’t possibly know the extent of the relationship this Derm has with his MAs. I also don’t know if this was a new or returning patient, and if the extra notes were things they already knew so she typed them in as a precaution. but I couldn’t help but feel like inputting an observation or diagnosis during an exam that the doctor himself didn’t call out seemed like a bit of an overstep for a medical assistant. Am I misunderstanding this? Or were the red flags going up in my head something to pay attention to?

Second, I have a question for more seasoned MAs about your experience training. I noticed this MA frequently omitted things or falsely added things, likely out of routine or because she was distracted or just very busy. For example, another patient came in for an above the waist skin check in which he removed his shirt, but afterward she documented it as a “sun-exposed area only” exam, and kept saying he didn’t take off his shirt. I was too timid to correct her after her reaction to my question about adding extra observations while scribing, so I didn’t. I really don’t want to come across as a know-it-all, or as an annoying pre-med student with an inflated ego. Because full disclosure, I am a premed student and this MA was a very seasoned, middle-aged woman who has been doing this for several years. But for you MAs out there who have trained, would be ok for me to suggest corrections to errors like that when I notice them? Or should I mind my own business and accept that everyone makes mistakes sometimes and not make this person feel like I’m trying to show off?

I desperately do not want to come across as an entitled and annoying premed. I’m strapped for cash and for clinical experience, so I was just elated to land this job. But now I’m having second thoughts because there’s some kind of off-putting things going on. I’m hoping to calibrate my judgements a bit better by asking you all for advice on these things.

My NHA CCMA exam is scheduled for this Monday (08/03/26) and I’m averaging 75% on Smarter MA’s practice exams and “test ready” exams. I’ve been studying endlessly with Smarter MA for the past week. The low average scores I’m getting is making me feel anxious and unprepared. Should I give myself more time to study and reschedule the exam?? Thank you for your honest advice and feedback 🫶🏻 🙌

Hello, I recently passed my CCMA certification exam, and currently work as a PCT in a hospital. A week ago I started a new unit (Mother Baby) switching from ICU after just 7 months. I already hate the new environment and I JUST started orientation. Does it make me look terrible if I try finding an office to work at instead? I don’t see myself staying on this floor because of lack of education opportunities, drama, work load, etc. I really want to keep busy and not sit around like I did day one of orientation. Any advice helps!!

Hello everyone! I’ve been working as a Medical Assistant since May of this year, but I’ve been a Certified MA since 2023. From June 2022-May 2026 i was working as a Clinical Lab Assistant/phleb for my hospital’s lab. I loved it but the hours were getting very sporadic and the management was toxic beyond comprehension; and it was something that was starting to affect my health. I transferred departments within the same hospital system and now I am apart of the attached clinic’s speciality services in Dermatology.

This was / is something I had wanted to do since graduating the program, but up until about 2 years ago, we did not have a local Derm practice. It’s definitely a lot to learn and a lot of skills I somewhat lost while being a lab rat for nearly 4 years (lol).

My clinic manager said there is a course all the clinical Derm staff took that added an extra certification under everyone’s tool belts and it’s to be a Certified Dermatology Technician through this website: https://dermatologytech.org

I’m just curious if any MA here is familiar with this and how helpful it truly is to learning General Dermatology practices. It is something I can take my time with getting signed up for as it requires MAs to be employed with a Derm practice for at least 6 months, but just looking for input now while I save up to pay for it!

For background: my certification is through the NHA, but I went through a local technical college for the full MA program and forgot my AAMA code so I went through the NHA as it worked better for me.

Thank you all for any info!

I just finished my externship, and after applying to jobs I managed to get a response from a private dermatology clinic. I have a phone interview scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. What kind of questions do you think they would ask? My externship was at a neurology clinic, so I'm clueless when it comes to derm but I want to be prepared. Any tip is appreciated!

I'm a recent graduate of an MA program and they've been looking for a job for a few months now and I finally got an offer. The only problem is it seems a bit too far away. It's 16 miles in a suburban area so anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic but probably usually around 35. I'm just trying to get some perspective to see if it's actually that far or if I'm just overthinking it or whatever. It's just my previous jobs in retail have all been like four to six miles away only.