I was hoping I could get some advice/insight on some things. I’m currently a Certified Medical Assistant and a Certified Pharmacy Technician. I do not have a degree of any level, including an associates… However, I’ve finally decided I want to further my education and go back to school. I’m kind of at a bind with what I should do. I definitely know that I need to try to achieve my degree online, or at least mostly online.
With that being said… I’m interested in Medical Social Work and though it’s completely different, I’m also interested in Public Relations. I’ve read that a Masters is typically required for a Medical Social Worker… I’m wondering if this is true? In addition, I’m wondering which degree would be best for me… Business Administration or Sociology? I’ve read that both can be degrees with the potential to obtaining either of these careers. I’m really interested in these careers, but would also like to know which degree offers the most employment potential for ANY career. I’m open to new ideas/considerations.
Lastly, if anyone has any advice of a online school that offers either of these degrees that would be great.
Thanks in advance!
Best employment potential for any career = Business Administration.
How much work experience do you have as a CMA and CPT? Which aspects of the work that you have done are the most interesting for you? That will help you know if a general degree program like sociology or a more focused program such as business is the better place to start.
Where did you complete your CMA and CPT training? Did you do those on the job, at a community college, or somewhere else? My suggestion would be that you stop by the admissions office at your local community college, and have a chat with one of the counselors there about re-starting your academic life. They will be able to help you identify some online options in your state that are likely to be affordable.
Thanks for the detailed response and giving me some questions to ask myself! I do prefer my Medical Assistant work a bit more than my CPhT work, but did enjoy learning about medications and their duties. – I’ll set up an appointment with someone soon and see if they can help me out. Thanks again!
Yes, it is. The entry-level degree for social work is an MSW (master’s in social work). You’d have to get a bachelor’s first (in any field, although social sciences or social work are best) and then go get a master’s afterwards.)
There really isn’t such a thing. I know lots of students like the idea of a magic degree that leaves all possible career doors open, but that doesn’t really exist. As an extreme example, simply choosing not to study engineering, accounting, or nursing - for example - closes those doors to you. A business administration degree is not going to make getting a job as a mechanical engineer more possible than a sociology degree, for example. You need to be OK with the idea of closing some doors. Really, everybody does it. It doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind or change careers later, but in order to go further down some pathways you have to choose not to enter others.
There are some careers that a business administration degree will be better for and some careers that a sociology degree will be better for. As a non-traditional student who’s looking for more direct career application, and who intends to attend an online college, I’m betting that business administration would be the better bet if you’re unsure what you really want to do, but you just want a job. But if you, for example, knew that you wanted to be a social worker, then the sociology degree would be better.