My friends and relatives ask me about my career decisions all the time: why did I choose a medical administration school? Why California? I’ve decided to post a blog about it, mostly so I can stop repeating myself but also to share my reasoning with people who might be curious about this career track.
Growing up, one of my cousins worked as a medical assistant. Of course, I was a young kid at the time, so I thought she was a nurse. But then, I learned that she was a medical assistant: she didn’t have as much responsibility as a Registered Nurse, but she got paid almost as much. I was curious about careers like hers, because I’ve always been interested in medicine, but I definitely didn’t want to be a doctor.
I actually didn’t know medical administrative assistants existed until I did a little research. I visited a few career training schools, including a medical administration school in California. From the minute I got there, I loved a lot of things about it.
First of all, I was attracted to the low-cost, high-quality education. I’ve never understood why people shell out tens (and often hundreds) of thousands of dollars for university degrees and then leave college with no job and no experience. I was having none of that – at my medical administration school, I paid a reasonable price for college, and when I left, job opportunities were waiting with open arms.
Secondly, I was attracted to the job security that comes with attending a medical administration school in California. When I was thinking about schools, I was concerned about my future job security. So I looked around, and I thought, “Which field is going to grow the most during my lifetime?” I looked at the healthcare industry – the statistics show that it’s growing at more than double the rate of average industries in the U.S. Exciting new technology is making healthcare more accessible and desirable for more people. Even within my lifetime, I’ve seen new hospitals and private medical practices pop up all over California. The field is visibly booming despite the financial crisis we just went through. That kind of strong industry is the best place to get a job and to keep it.
I also made sure to attend a medical administration school in California (and not some other state) because local schools connect you to local job opportunities. My medical administration school offered me guidance and connections after graduation that helped me find a job close to where I wanted to live. I love California, and I wouldn’t want to leave because of work. So I found a school that put me in touch with people who wanted to hire me right where I wanted to work.
After exploring the facilities and understanding more about medical administration school programs, I knew this was what I wanted to do. I decided I wanted to be an administrative assistant because I never have to take blood pressure or touch sick patients, but I still make a difference by ensuring that the office runs smoothly, greeting patients and keeping doctors’ schedules straight. My medical administration school catapulted me into a fulfilling career.