Im 21 have an Associates in Medical assisting. But now i have realized that MA get paid too little.?

Question

I spent 25 grand on college. And dont know if I should work as an MA and go back later to college or go back to college now? Im totally confused. I dont know what to go to college for either. :(

Answer 1

$25,000 was a LOT to spend on a degree in medical assisting. You could have gotten that degree from your local community college for, at most, $8,000. I'm sorry.

Now you need a job, to support you so you can pay back those loans. Ouch. You can work in medical assisting, and although the pay may be low at first, with time, you can advance, and you often also get benefits, which is a big deal. In fact, you can look into what you can do at a hospital near you, rather than in a doctor's office. The benefits are often better, and there's more room for advancement.

After you've been working for a while, and you've paid down some debt, you can go back to school, if you'd like. By then, you'll have an idea of if medical assisting is the right career for you, and if not, you'll have been exposed to other fields, and may have a better idea of what you should study. Maybe you'll be able to find a way to combine that medical experience with business (for example, a BA in business, then working for a medical device company). Or maybe you'll go full into medicine (get your BS/RN, and become a nurse). Lots of options, but give yourself some time to discover them.

I wouldn't have you jump into another degree program right now. Not until you have a better idea of what you might like to do for a career - and that knowledge may well come after you've worked for a couple of years.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Since it won't help you to spend more money on a career in a field you don't know enough about and aren't sure you want to be in, it's probably best to work for a bit until you figure it out. Don't just focus on the job you got your degree in, though: look at other listings or volunteer opportunities and see if anything jumps out at you. You might also want to consider visiting a career counseling center and exploring some of your options and interests with the people there.