Alternative Healthcare Career Paths for CNAs Seeking a Change

What to consider as a CNA seeking a change?

Being a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is hard work, and many CNAs reach a point where they look for alternatives. If you’re currently a CNA, you may be asking yourself where you could go next in your career. Let’s take a look at a few options.


Interested in career alternatives that are a good fit with CNA experience? Request information and find out more about the programs.


Medical Assisting

  • Medical Assisting is a versatile field, and your experience as a CNA is sure to impress employers looking to hire medical assistants. Medical assistants can work in a variety of settings, such as directly with patients or in back and front office administrative roles. Medical assisting is a natural step up from CNA. A good medical assisting program prepares students for multiple certifications – medical assisting, phlebotomy, EKG and patient care tech – allowing you to choose the specialization that most interests you.

Surgical Technology

  • Looking for something a little more intense? Surgical Technology might be for you. Surgical techs are of vital importance in the OR where they help assist surgeons with instruments, maintain a sterile field, handle specimens and more. If you like working on your feet and don’t mind a bit (and sometimes a lot) of blood and guts, surgical technology can be a very rewarding field with significant potential for advancement. You’ll have the chance to join the team of surgeons and nurses who save lives through surgery.

Dialysis Technologist

  • Dialysis Technology is a field that requires significant interaction with the patient, so the patient-care experience that all CNAs have will really come in handy. Dialysis technicians use dialysis machines to filter the blood of patients with end-stage renal disease and are responsible for the patient’s safety and well-being during the process. A good dialysis technologist training program goes in depth in both practice and theory, preparing students for the industry standard BONENT exam, as well as certification in phlebotomy, a must-have for dialysis techs.

Find Out More

Curious about how you can contribute to healthcare through these careers that blend medical skills with patient compassion and care? Explore MCC’s programs and see how you can become a part of these impactful professions:
Medical Assisting
Surgical Technology
Dialysis Technology

Or click here to Request Information.

Katherine Lieber

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