Pros
There are many opportunities to gain experience, learn new skills, network with healthcare professionals, and build confidence within a medical setting. I was hired with zero prior experience as a medical assistant, which initially worried me. Even just on paper this position can be intimidating. At the time, I had a basic grasp on medical terminology, and had worked as a CNA for 3 years around 2011. However, orthopedics is an extremely dense specialty from an outsiders perspective. Fortunately, you can and will learn everything in the field, but it takes time. I did not feel confident until about 8 months in, and it wasn’t until I reached my 2 year mark that I felt completely sure that I was a strong MA. This job can be completed by most, but it is only dominated by those who strive to succeed. Many of the surgeons have more than one MA - sometimes multiple working in the same clinic, others alternating depending on the day or the office they are in. This can be tough. You can dedicate countless hours to diligent note taking and information entry only to have an employee with lesser work ethic impede your ability to run clinic smoothly. Most of the surgeons are extremely grateful to have someone who takes care in their work, but some will treat you more like an expendable resource.
Cons
It can be extremely challenging to maintain a healthy work/life balance. I often found myself working after hours and off the clock just to make sure the next morning went smoothly. I worked at almost every office within the company, and they were regularly understaffed. There were periods of time when the deficits could be filled easily, and others when they simply did not have enough employees to keep the ship afloat. The revolving door steadily gained speed toward the end of my career at MOS. Fast-paced and often high-stress work environment. Hourly wage does not align with workload and demands of position. I hope this has improved since my departure, but in my experience, expressing concerns to management resulted in zero action or effort to improve working conditions. I understand that payroll is audited for a reason, but there were many times when there was simply too much work to be done and upper management’s only concern was cutting down on over-time.