What was your PCE or HCE experience?

[Jones4466]

I have recently graduated from college with my bachelors. I am not worried about my grades or GPA when applying to PA school however, I am worried about if I am doing the right Patient Care Experience or Health Care Experience. I am currently working 40 hours a week as a Physical Therapy Technician and that counts as PCE at most PA schools however, I am not interacting with the patients and learning as much. I mostly do laundry, clean up tables, and sometimes show patients exercises. I am thinking of becoming a medical scribe with Proscibe but, only working 24 to 30 hours a week. I am going to become a CNA during the fall and work part time with one job and a CNA job however, I am not sure I sure stay as a Physical Therapy Tech or become a Medical Scribe. I plan to apply to a PA program in April of 2020. 

Edited August 14, 2019 by Jones4466

[Guest thePAway]

Scribing is not usually considered PCE. if you want to diversify your hours you can get your CNA and keep your PT tech job until you finish the certification! I have half my hours from being a rehab aide which is essentially the same thing however i would say i spend 90% of my time with patients doing exercises and such and I like the job!

[anhthung25]

How does caspa verify the hours I work for PCE?  How do you guys verify your working hours that you collected before apply to PA schools? 

[DomRRTtoPA]

I have been a respiratory therapist for the past 15 years. Dont worry about the quality of your PCE you will get plenty of exposure once you get in to PA school.

When I was in the Army , I completed some of the most grueling training known to man. When I finally got to my permanent duty station I was set to work cleaning toilets. When my commanding officers saw how well of a job I did with cleaning toilets they eventually trusted me to do more meaningful tasks. I guess what I am saying is that its your attitude about your experience that matters the most. Take care and good luck.

[Endeavor]

I'd keep the scribe job and be a CNA/PTaide. Honestly, there's so much to learn in PA school, but I realize those in my class with higher quality PCE hours (nursing, Medics, EKG technicians, MAs, scribes) had more time to focus on actual "medicine". Where as those of us (including myself) with lower PCE hours were struggling with a lot of the medical jargon, basic labs, imaging etc.

Sure you don't interact with a patient as scribe but you're getting to see how the mindset of a clinician works, what steps they take to come up with a diagnosis, how to work up a patient, as well as the medical jargon and much more. Along with my CNA experience,  I wish I would've scribed part time as well.

[anhthung25]

On 8/19/2019 at 7:20 AM, DomRRTtoPA said:

I have been a respiratory therapist for the past 15 years. Dont worry about the quality of your PCE you will get plenty of exposure once you get in to PA school.

When I was in the Army , I completed some of the most grueling training known to man. When I finally got to my permanent duty station I was set to work cleaning toilets. When my commanding officers saw how well of a job I did with cleaning toilets they eventually trusted me to do more meaningful tasks. I guess what I am saying is that its your attitude about your experience that matters the most. Take care and good luck.

Hi!! Thank you !!

my low overall GPA from associate degree make me not a good candidate but my prerequisites itself is 3.5-3.64. So I have to focus on other areas like PCE, HCE ,volunteers and shadowing. Any devices ? I am taking upper sciences but notice it takes a lot more to bring up low GPA