MA or CNA?
What’s the difference between a Medical Assistant and a Nursing Assistant?
There are a lot of positions in the healthcare field, so it’s easy to get them confused. One thing’s for sure—a Medical Assistant does NOT do the same job as a Certified Nursing Assistant, or CNA.
While both help out with the daily tasks related to patient care in healthcare facilities, Medical Assistants perform clinical and administrative tasks, and often have more responsibility.
Medical Assistants are able to do things like administer injections, assist with medications and record patient health information. They work closely with doctors and nurses, and can perform a wide variety of jobs.
CNAs take on daily maintenance tasks like assisting patients with basic hygiene, helping them eat, and assisting them with getting in and out of bed. Often, they work in facilities where patients need long-term care, like nursing homes.
Clinical Medical Assisting at IBMC College
Through your training at IBMC, you’ll gain the confidence and skills needed to start working in the medical field. It’s as simple as that. Much of what you’ll do as a Medical Assistant will require a lot of practice to perfect, so your hands-on class time will be essential as you hone your skills in blood draws, injections, checking for vital signs and more.
You’ll also gain practical knowledge in subjects like anatomy, medical terminology and pharmacology that will be crucial as you work with doctors and patients every day.
The Perfect Stepping Stone
If you’re looking at Medical Assisting as a stepping stone toward a different medical career, you’ll get a great foundation through your required coursework:
- 47 credit hours (14 classes)
- 10-month program*
- Train Monday-Thursday, about 4 hours a day
- Flexible class schedules
- Externship opportunities
- Hands-on career training
- Train at the Fort Collins, Greeley or Longmont campus
Learn more about our Medical Assisting program or Request Info today!
Have questions? Give us a call! 800-495-2669
Is Career Training Right For You?
Take the IBMC College Career Readiness Quiz.
Identify goals, personal strengths and important facts about your potential career path so you can make an informed decision about your future. It just takes a few minutes!