HCE hours without Certification

[nataliejo]

I am at a loss for how to rack up the HCE hours for my PA application without a certification.  I have heard many people say that it is just worth it to get certified, but if I don't have the money to spend how can I? I am looking for suggestions on how to enter the medical care world and interact with patients without obtaining a certification (i.e. EMT, CNA, etc. are out!).  I am open to trying anything! 

 

Thank you

[samstelmack]

I was stuck in the same situation. I ended up lucking out and getting a job in a therapy facility as a rehabilitation aide. This allowed me to gain Healthcare hours without having to take extra classes to get certified. Look up jobs such as physical therapy aide/rehab technician etc. Check with your schools to make sure this is acceptable hours though! Also look into medical scribe! I know my hospital takes on students both full and part time for up to two years.

[inspired]

I second what samstelmack said!  I have been working as a physical therapy tech at a practice owned by a DPT since August and the schools I applied to do accept it as HCE.  It does not require any certification and I was trained on the job by an experienced tech.  Based on how my job is set up, it's a great way to get one-on-one experience with patients.  I also have other responsibilities such as contacting insurance companies and other clerical work.  

[jlumsden]

Working with adults with developmental disabilities can count for some programs, and I know agencies managing such care are desperate for people.  

 

Why are you opposed to obtaining some sort of certification?

[paforward]

Working with adults with developmental disabilities can count for some programs, and I know agencies managing such care are desperate for people.  

 

Why are you opposed to obtaining some sort of certification?

 

Maybe not opposed...but certifications cost around $900-$1000. That's a lot of money for someone who's trying to pay their undergraduate loans, other bills, and retake comm college courses at the same time. (I'm in the same boat at least, so I understand what nataliejo is asking).

[ilovelost]

Maybe scribe?

 

Try to find something without a certification and/or volunteering WHILE also obtaining a certification - CNA, EMT, phlebotomy, etc. There are a lot of convenient options now... many have flexible hours or online classes. I think it's worth it in the long run. 

[cop to pa]

In Maryland, you can volunteer at the fire department (some stations, at least) and they will provide you with training and certification for free (such as EMT-B). If I remember right, it was 2-3 nights a week for about six months. So, there's free certification, HCE hours on the ambulance, and maybe volunteer hours working bingo, teaching fire prevention, etc.

 

Check where you are and see if something similar exists.

[Nonlegit]

Two sides to this coin, and I'm sure this is a strongly location dependent thing. My first job was made available to me by doing a 2 week CNA course. I came from absolutely zero medical background, and still couldnt reliably take a blood pressure after that class. However, it got me my first job in that area.

 

In the current location I am in, no licenses are required at all for local jobs; they all train. If I had looked a little harder, it was actually the same in about 50% of the hospitals in my home area. Of course, its harder to get hired on with no experience, but it does happen.

 

I guess what I am saying is that depending on where you are, you might try local spots you had ruled out before.

 

Things I have seen before:

-EMT/CNA/STNA requirements for employement: false, just for show or outdated info. HR might reject you, but a call to unit management might put you through.

-Licensure required within a year: self-explanatory.

-Blah license experience required: explain why you could do the job well, they can BS your experience into something hirable, as license requirment is actually not policy.

 

The most important things to management when we hire are usually punctuality, hard work, ability to do job without drawing complaints, etc. We hire on experienced medics all the time that end up being garbage because they fail one of those tenets. We hire on inexperienced people occasionally, and if they work hard, are trainable, and have a willingness to learn, they can be excellent employees. I train most new hires, and I can tell you that I don't mind inexperience, but laziness kills me. FWIW, we are a massive tertiary care center with a busy level 1 ED.

 

Hope that helps.

 

ETA: I know for a fact that PCAs upstairs are commonly hired on with no experience, just a desire to work in the medical field. They get a 2 week training course on phlebo and BPs and basic stuff like that, along with BLS. We are a university associated hospital, so education and furthering yourself is heavily promoted here. An interest in becoming a physician assistant would be a big plus to HR at this hospital.