Cert Med Assistant.com - On Diploma Mills and Pitfalls

"After paying $9,000, I have nothing!". When Silvia Pascu laid out $9,000 to attend the Canadian Aesthetics Academy in 2007, she shared the aspirations of many new Canadians looking for a foothold in a promising career. The same is happening all over the USA, and online through phony cyber schools...

Career colleges are privately owned schools that deliver vocational programs. It is up to a school to apply for registration, and be issued a license, such as and/or Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and ABHES.

St. Augustine School Of Medical Assistance
According to the St.Augustine MA school website they are certified by The National Accreditation and Certification Board - you can just pay $200 to buy your certification; from an unrecognized private accreditation provider. Source: http://www.certmedassistant.com/bogus-certificates-and-degrees.html

We urge future medical assistants to do their research. It is up to each individual to decide which type of medical assistant program, whether on campus, or online best meets their needs.

This is not to discourage anybody; indeed, there are many excellent distance education programs offered online, including for the health care professionals. quote

Like any consumer, prospective medical assistant students must be careful and aware of gray-area, non-accredited programs, or diploma mills, especially online as defined by the U.S. Department of Education. These programs are not designed for those hoping to start a new career, but rather to move unsuspecting consumer's money from their pocket into their own for very little in exchange. Read more: Warning signs that an institution may be offering fraudulent or substandard degrees

Be Smart and Choose Wisely

Don't become one of those horror stories where students wind up with certificates, or diplomas that are completely worthless, and with job placement assistance that consists of nothing but a list of doctors copied from the local area's Yellow Pages (if that much!). Those looking for a medical assistant school must first understand the purpose AND value of a good medical assistant training with supervised skill practice in a clinical setting before signing up anywhere, and be aware that there are bogus schools, making false promises and false diplomas.

Unsatisfactory Outcome Hurts Everybody

Certain skills are best practiced and reinforced under the watchful eye of an instructor, and peers. They must also realize that when it comes to discussing and resolving certain concerns and issues, it's best to have direct access to real people in a real office. Otherwise it may lead to nothing but frustrations and unsatisfactory results such as in this example:

Ontario gets failing grade on bogus colleges

By Robert Cribb Staff Reporter

Toronto Star writes:

John Ratiu paid $6,500 in tuition to learn the skills required for a job in the aesthetics industry. Now, he's too afraid to actually treat people.

"I think I did laser (techniques) in the school for ... two or three minutes. The laser is very dangerous if you don't know how to use it. You could destroy somebody's face for life," said Ratiu.

The Star exposed two unlicensed career colleges — one for support workers, the other security guards — where undercover reporters were able to receive diplomas despite being untrained and unqualified for the jobs. (Sept. 19, 2009).

Is there Such a Thing as Worthless Diploma?

Many might not know that marketing fake diplomas, certificates, and degrees is a billion dollar industry—at least 800 million a year in the U.S. alone. So big is this market that various state offices, consumer protection agencies, and educational websites warn people to use caution when it comes to new schools and distance education programs.

Government Warns Consumers!
Accreditation doesn't automatically mean that learners will qualify for state or national certification upon completing the course. Be an informed consumer...
Bogus Certificates and Degrees
For a few hundred dollars even medical assistants can find gray area online medical assistant programs without any special pre-enrollment conditions.
Definition of a Mill
Diploma Mills: 9 Warning Signs
On Being a Smart Consumer
Being a smart consumer pays off when choosing vocational training programs especially online. Warning signs and 14 program quality check points...

Prospective Medical Assistant Student

Be Smart and Choose Wisely

Unsatisfactory Outcome Hurts Everybody

Ontario gets failing grade on bogus colleges

Is there Such a Thing as Worthless Diploma?