dndandrea Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 After the end of this semester i'll have my associate of science degree. It's just a general degree, no programs or certificates. Is there any clinical jobs I can do or does everything pretty much require at least a 1-year type of program? I only need to take 2 classes next semester before I transfer so I wanted to use my associate of science degree to my advantage to get some type of medical/clinical working experience during that time. I figured once i start working on my bachelors and going full time it'll be very hard for me to work & go to school. I'm full time student right now taking genetics, biochemistry II, medical terminology, and a history course and i feel like it'd be impossible if i was working with all these classes going on. Pretty much my main concern is this: Will I be able to find a temporary clinical job with my associates degree or is it pretty much nothing next to my name? Also do most people go straight from high school to associate degree to bachelors degree to masters degree to PA or does pretty much everyone go out of there way to get a degree/certificate in a different speciality and work there for several years before meeting the requirements to apply to a PA program? Either way i'm going to be shadowing a lot of PA's next semester since i'll finally have the time and i'd really like to get some clinical experience ASAP but i don't want to sign up for some full blown RN which takes years just to get into the program here. THANKS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tompkbr Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 How much experience are you planning to obtain before working on your bachelors? Are you planning on continuing this experience after graduating with a 4 yr degree? I only ask, because it doesn't seem like you're giving yourself much time to gain direct patient care experience (I'm making the assumption that you will start your bachelors program next fall, and therefore are looking at working during the upcoming spring & summer semesters, or about 6 - 7 months). There are certification/licence options that do not require 1 year of training, and can provide you with good experience: EMT-B, CNA, MA, phlebo. You could get your EMT-B in 4 months or less and start working with an ambulance company, and/or as an ER Tech. I really enjoyed being an ER Tech, and not only learned quite a bit, but it provided very good networking opportunities with the EM PAs. You stated that you do not want to work while working on your bachelors, but I think you'll either need to work PRN somewhere, take a year or so from school in order to gain valuable pt. care hrs. Just my 2 cents. Anyways, best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dndandrea Posted October 17, 2012 Author Share Posted October 17, 2012 Thanks i'm open to advice from people who have went through this experience. My plan is to work full time starting at the beginning of 2013 while im going to school part time next semester. Then continue working full time until the fall semester begins. Depending on what classes i plan to take & how i feel about my current job maybe i'll continue working full time and go to school part time. Or something along those lines. I don't plan on just working for 6-7 months if that makes sense, but those 6-7 months will be guaranteed full time working with patients if possible. My first concern is finding a job that i'm eligible for. Would you insist on taking a separate program for potential job that will give me good clinical experience or find something that i'm eligible for right now and work with what I got? And thanks, i'll look into those jobs you listed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tompkbr Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 My first concern is finding a job that i'm eligible for. Would you insist on taking a separate program for potential job that will give me good clinical experience or find something that i'm eligible for right now and work with what I got?. Without any certification/licensure, it might be very difficult to find something. I've heard that some offices will train one to basically be an MA (without the cert.), and I've heard that some hospitals will train you do basically be a CNA on the floors (without the cert.), but I would imagine that these would be difficult positions to find. I would recommend looking into formal training, but perhaps someone else reading this thread has experience on getting a position that does not require a cert./licensure. Again, best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dndandrea Posted October 17, 2012 Author Share Posted October 17, 2012 If it's going to be that difficult maybe it'd be a safer bet to look into formal training like you said while i'm also taking those two courses. I'll keep looking into it and hopefully get a chance to talk to a counselor soon. If anyone else has any other recommended jobs that I should look into i'd appreciate if you let me know. Thanks again tompkbr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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