akhan36 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I am a Veterinary Technician in Florida. I have 10 years experience in this field and wanted to know if this was good enough experience. I am also doing PA shadowing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToppDog Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 It probably will not count as HCE for the schools that want HCE. However, it is great experience & it should help you out a lot once you get into school. More than likely you got vet tech as part of a degree program, so I would look at schools that favor education over HCE, & try getting CNA or something like that to at least get the minimum HCE on human patients. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BroncoPAS Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 It would depend on the particular program but here is the definition CASPA provides: "PATIENT CARE EXPERIENCE defined as experiences in which the applicant is directly responsible for a patient's care; for example: prescribing medication, performing procedures, directing a course of treatment, working on patients as an active EMT, etc." There is no mention of which species and as a vet tech you assisted a veterinarian physician so I believe your experience would qualify for many programs. Many vet techs get to do far more invasive procedures because they're working on animals than a paramedic would do. For instance, I was trained to do various amputations without the direct supervision of a vet which only MD's and DO's would do on their mammalian patients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 We have one in my program, and as the above post mentioned, she is great at procedures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginibean06 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I too am a 10 year vet tech in FL. On my CASPA, I listed my tech experience as HCE, and no one has questioned it, since the definition on CASPA does not specify species. I applied to several schools here in FL and had 2 interviews. I was not accepted to either of the schools I interviewed with. After inquiring how I could strengthen my application for the next cycle, I was told numerous times to get more "human" related HCE. I shadowed a DO and 2 PA's for a total of about 60 hours (on my app- still continuing shadowing). NOVA in Fort Lauderdale specifically said that they were still not convinced that I didn't want to go to vet school. I think the tech experience makes you stand apart from other applicants, but with only shadowing in the "human" medical field, they may find it difficult to believe that you aren't a vet school reject (not saying you are, just putting bluntly what many people probably also think about me and my experience :)) My advice (and my own plan) is to work in the "human" medical field as much as possible before the next application cycle starts. The quickest route I have found has to become certified as a phlebotomist, which should be cake if you've been a vet tech! I have already finished my BS degree and GRE, and did well; both are above average, but not necessarily stellar. If you've got a stellar GPA, they may overlook the lack of "human" experience, but from what I've gathered, most of the schools I've applied to here in Florida highly regard experience in addition to GPA. I'm not sure where you are on your journey, but I'd be happy to share my opinions and experience thus far if you have any more questions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akhan36 Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 Thanks everyone for all the input. I am currently finishing my B.S. in health sciences by the end of next spring. I am having a bit of trouble finding a way to get a PA to shadow. I am currently volunteering at the ER. Mainly nurses but having trouble finding a PA for shadowing is kind of an issue. Does anyone know any PA or place that I can shadow a Pa or how to get to that point. I am hoping to get not PA school with a combination of the requirements being different from the rest of the entering class. I am not sure about any of you but I am not a certified technician. (although I get paid as much as one). Hanks for all the responses, nice to know hat I am not alone in m situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyJ Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Check with the specific programs you want to apply. I was in veterinary medicine for 7 years prior to PA school. I looked at 3 schools that all required HCE. Two of the programs accepted my experience and the 3rd would not. I agree that vet experience exposes someone to a vast amount of medicine and hands on procedures that you just couldn't get in the human field without several different degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akhan36 Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 What schools did you apply to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginibean06 Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 What schools did you apply to? I applied to UF, and 3 of the 4 Nova Southeastern campuses- Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyJ Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 What schools did you apply to? I applied to University of Findlay and Kettering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akhan36 Posted January 21, 2013 Author Share Posted January 21, 2013 Thanks I was just curious, I spoke with the people of nova southeastern and was told that I would need to do some shadowing. The only problem is I have to connect with one and I do not know any personally. Any ideas of how you should it, also those who have had vet medicine experience,what kind was it and did you have any type of certification or license. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginibean06 Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 It can be very difficult to find a PA to shadow, especially if you don't know one personally. That's why I recommend trying to get your foot in the door of "human" medicine. For me, the best option was via phlebotomy certification, so I can get into the hospital setting and hopefully work with some PA's directly. I am not a certified vet tech, but have been a vet tech for almost 10 years. Most of my experience has been at an emergency vet hospital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akhan36 Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 Sounds like you were in the same position as I am, I did1year of emergency work and 5years of private small animal, and5years of shelter medicine. What made you decide that bet school wasn't for you andPA was? I will look into the phlebotomy cert. and hopefully everything will work out. Thanks for all of your insite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krusten Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 <------ Vet school reject. Not stopping me though. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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