How can I obtain healthcare experience hours while in college?!

[Mfon]

Hello everyone! I'm currently a rising sophomore student at Emory in Atlanta and my dream job is to become a PA. Ideally, I would like to start PA school after I finish my undergrad, but I am having a hard time finding a way to obtain paid healthcare experience/hours. I would want to become a CNA or phlebotomist and work during my undergrad, but its hard to get and pay for certification for those jobs while I'm in college.

 

So for those who got into PA school straight from undergrad, how were you able to get sufficient healthcare experience hours? Does anyone know of any short healthcare programs in the Atlanta/Decatur/Emory area that are covered by HOPE Scholarship?

 

 

 

 

[melmer5]

Hello Mfon!

 

I am in working on my undergrad. I have been a phlebotomist for 5 years now. I am also a pharmacy technician at the pharmacy in Walgreens. I've worked at Walgreens from 2007-2012, and this year the pharmacy manager had asked me if I could join the company again. So, I am back working as a pharmacy technician. During summers, I work full time and while in school I have worked part time. I have decided for this fall, I will be working once or twice a week.

 

 

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[melmer5]

I am currently* working

 

 

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[Mfon]

Hello Mfon!

 

I am in working on my undergrad. I have been a phlebotomist for 5 years now. I am also a pharmacy technician at the pharmacy in Walgreens. I've worked at Walgreens from 2007-2012, and this year the pharmacy manager had asked me if I could join the company again. So, I am back working as a pharmacy technician. During summers, I work full time and while in school I have worked part time. I have decided for this fall, I will be working once or twice a week.

 

 

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That's pretty cool! Did you get trained on the job for phlebotomy, or did you do a certificate program?

[melmer5]

That's pretty cool! Did you get trained on the job for phlebotomy, or did you do a certificate program?

American Red Cross has a phlebotomy and EKG program.

 

 

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[DiggySRNA]

Try private practice clinics or underserved free clinics for a MA position. They at often times do on the job training...or at least offer a volunteer position.

 

I know, I was trained on the job as a MA in an urgent care clinic.

[dcal2010]

I would recommend becoming a medical scribe in the ED with ScribeAmerica. It is such an incredible experience and learning opportunity. Great way to get your hours. Check it out!

[keikoblue2]

Edit: wrong account

[Jigglytofu]

I also went to Emory for undergrad and decided to stay in Atlanta upon graduation. I got my CNA license from Covenant CNA (located in downtown Atlanta) and am currently working at Emory University Hospital, as do several of my classmates. You can work as a PRN employee ("pro re nata = as needed") or part time, and most supervisors will accommodate your school schedule. As a PRN you can pick up shifts according to your availability and reject them if you are not free. Several of the nursing students here work as PRN nurse techs while going to school. My program is a month long, 5-10pm on weekdays and two months long if you're going to class on the weekends, and class will be 10am-8pm. If you have more questions about my program, feel free to PM me.

Also, you should start looking at schools and their requirements to see if they will accept your healthcare experience as direct patient care. Some schools don't count scribing as HCE, but others like Duke and Emory, do.
 

I would also recommend looking at Emory's EMS program. It's a semester long and $1000, but you can get a lot of direct volunteer experience that way while going to class. Two of my friends did it as freshmen and worked as EMT up until their graduation. Check out this link:
http://campserv.emory.edu/public-safety/eems/education/emt-course.html

[Glorious_Ignoramus]

Work evenings/weekends as an MA/ER tech/EMT/CNA/LPN/PCT/ABCDEFG.

[jmgordon]

I was lucky enough to get a job as an MA for 2 years, during college, which allowed me to obtain a lot of hours. However, most people at my university have gone the CNA route. This is because of the fact that you can take a weekend course then take the exam and be certified quickly. Then they get jobs at retirement homes, rehabs and hospitals! Best of luck 

[karebear12892]

I would recommend becoming a medical scribe in the ED with ScribeAmerica. It is such an incredible experience and learning opportunity. Great way to get your hours. Check it out!

 

 

I second this advice. I was a medical scribe for two years before applying to PA school and it was because of the experiences from this job, as well as the professional network I was able to build, that I was accepted to PA school the first time I applied, even with a low GPA. It is truly incredible how much medicine you can learn from scribing. Don't listen to anyone who says it isn't as valuable as a job where you have your "hands on patients." Medical scribing is one of the few pre-health jobs out there where you can follow a patient's treatment course from start to finish and gain direct insight into the provider's medical decision making. PM me if you have questions. Good luck! 

[1231nal]

Hi Mfon, I am a Junior in college now majoring in biology and am hoping to get into a PA program after I graduate. I am currently a ER-Tech at a small 16 bed local ED. I was in an EMT program my first semester of my Freshman year of college while also taking a full 15 college credits. (15 credits + EMT program = hell) but it was worth it. I love working in the ER and it is great experience for my future. Lots of learning opportunities and its fun. I genuinely want to go to work because of how much I love it.

 

It is possible to work and go to school at the same time, you just have to put a lot of time and effort into getting that first bit of healthcare education, which may mean you need to take a semester off and take an EMT or CNA class to be able to get some healthcare exp for PA programs. You can always become a scribe as well in the ED. That's another great learning opportunity.

 

It wont be easy, but its possible. It is all worth it in the end.

 

Edit: I am only 20 years old. I have taken no time off of school to get my healthcare education or experience. 

[WINO]

I ended up getting my EMT certification during summer break, found a 4 week class for $900. I got a job with an ambulance company and worked one night shift every week while I was in undergrad. 

 

Although I strongly advise to focus on maintaining a good GPA throughout undergrad and only try to accumulate hours if you can handle it, don't sacrifice your GPA for experience. Taking a gap year after graduation to accumulate hours has proven to be beneficial, less stress and an opportunity to save prior to matriculation :).