I need some advice!

[Karleigh]

 I'm currently a year out from graduating with a clinical physiology degree with a 3.7 gpa. I'm kinda on the fence about how I should go forward with clinical experience. 

I'm currently volunteering with the fire department and I spent a year working as a scribe in the ED. However I only accrued approximately 800 hours. I'm kind of stuck because as of right now I can pay additionally to become CNA certified, or wait till next January and have my department pay for me to get EMT certified. However if i wait to become an EMT, i may not make the cut off for PA admissions in September and would have to wait another year. 

I'm a navy veteran and I am a bit older than my other peers, and I'm equally as enthusiastic about being both a CNA or an EMT. However being 27 I don't want to wait forever for my dream career to begin. So ideas! Input! Anything helps. Thanks!

[PA-SGuy]

Can you just take a month long summer EMT course at community college, pay for it yourself, then have your dept reimburse you later? Other options, depending where you live: some hospitals don't require certification to work as a CNA, they're often called patient care techs.

[Anachronist]

If you have 800 hours at the time of application you are in a good place, then you should be able to get 1,000+ more between application and the deadlines. Either jump in for being a CNA or go back to scribing. You could also consider medical assistant or phlebotomy depending on where you are. Put in your application once CASPA opens up again in April/May and list your current hours + what you intend to do by the fall. Even if you don't get in the first time, everything in CASPA stays in and makes round 2 easier, plus if you get a couple interviews, more practice there too. Chin up, be aggressive pursuing what you need to get in.