mbarakzai Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Hello everyone! I just joined this forum and I must say that its soooo helpful!!!! I am a pre-PA student getting ready to apply to programs this summer. I currently work at Hoag Hospital (Irvine CA) as an admitting rep in the ER. I don't have very many hours of patient care experience under my belt so I decided to get my EMT certification in Dec '12. And now im stuck! There are no open positions for ER techs as of this month. Therefore, I have to decide whether or not i should quit my job at hoag and do EMT full-time OR keep this job and wait for a position to open up. I want to know what looks better on a PA application??? EMT-B or ER TECH???? Please helpppp. Thank you all in advance :)))) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FfIghter23 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Both are great. As an ER tech you will probably see a broader range of patients and procedures and that may be helpful if you haven't ever been exposed to the continuation of care (basically what happens AFTER the EMT and paramedic drop the patient off in the ER). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 As an ER tech, you are surrounded by people who are trained/educated far beyond the EMT level. This sets you up to learn in an "osmotic" environment. As an EMT working a rig, you will just have your partner to learn from, and each patient has a finite time with you. In the ER, you follow the patient much further and into potentially complex treatment regimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted February 23, 2012 Moderator Share Posted February 23, 2012 Having done both I would go with er tech if you could only pick one with the goal of gaining knowledge for pa school. what the ems jobs help with is thinking on your feet, making decisions under pressure and sticking with them, formatting a differential diagnosis and not freezing up when it's make or break time, also great qualities to have if you anticipate a future in an acute care environment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalPA Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I know that when you apply to Stanford as an EMT they do not allow you to count waiting hours towards your HCE. However, if you are an ER Tech you get to count each and every hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted February 24, 2012 Moderator Share Posted February 24, 2012 I know that when you apply to Stanford as an EMT they do not allow you to count waiting hours towards your HCE. However, if you are an ER Tech you get to count each and every hour. which is totally idiotic and only done by stanford. do nursing applicants have to list their time in birthday potlucks at work and separate that from hours working? when folks apply to stanford I tell them to list 100% of their hours...."we are busy all the time". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsquirrel Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Albany Med automatically cuts all EMT and paramedic hours from CASPA in half. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't heard it directly from a faculty member on the ad com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted February 24, 2012 Moderator Share Posted February 24, 2012 Albany Med automatically cuts all EMT and paramedic hours from CASPA in half. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't heard it directly from a faculty member on the ad com. ok, there is another program I won't be recommending any more.....terrible policy.....a nurse who works in a rural hospital seeing 5 pts/day gets credit for 100% of their hours but a nyc paramedic working nonstop every 12 hr shift gets credit for 1/2? WTF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneValgene Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 ok, there is another program I won't be recommending any more.....terrible policy.....a nurse who works in a rural hospital seeing 5 pts/day gets credit for 100% of their hours but a nyc paramedic working nonstop every 12 hr shift gets credit for 1/2? WTF wtf is right...that is lame another vote for ER tech...if i could do it all over again that would have been my choice for HCE prior to PA school. however, i guess it goes without saying that working as an EMT is better than waiting for a tech position that never opens up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randito Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 If you have the opportunity to work as an EMT with a medic on an ALS rig, then it would be worth it. Especially if you have the opportunity to pair up with a medic that doesn't mind debriefing and teaching after more acute calls. Otherwise wait for a job as a tech since you already have a good in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taotaox1 Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 It seems pretty apparent that both of those schools do not want medics in their programs. I saw that when looking at Stanford and laughed my *** off.. and then promptly skipped applying there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalPA Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I agree it is an idiotic policy. However, being in CA and not having a Bachelor's degree (even tho Ii am close I wont have it by app time) there are like 3 programs that I can apply to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwardcarter Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 ok, there is another program I won't be recommending any more.....terrible policy.....a nurse who works in a rural hospital seeing 5 pts/day gets credit for 100% of their hours but a nyc paramedic working nonstop every 12 hr shift gets credit for 1/2? WTF So I worked as amedic for NYC-EMS/FDNY for eight years and working an average of 60 hours a week but will only get credit for 4 years. That is deffinetly not cool at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwardcarter Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I would obtain my emt and work in the er as a tech. The more education the better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted February 25, 2012 Moderator Share Posted February 25, 2012 I agree it is an idiotic policy. However, being in CA and not having a Bachelor's degree (even tho Ii am close I wont have it by app time) there are like 3 programs that I can apply to. so apply to the other 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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