ishmaej Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Any Medical technologist or Paramedics who have transitioned to PA school? Did you feel more prepared? I have degrees and experience in both fields. Please leave your thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcdavis Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Any Medical technologist or Paramedics who have transitioned to PA school? Did you feel more prepared? I have degrees and experience in both fields. Please leave your thoughts? Many guys here meet these criteria.. Emedpa, devil dog, medic25 all come to mind. From a PA hire/fire and performance evaluator, I can tell you it certainly is beneficial to have these experiences and capabilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ishmaej Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 Thats good to know our ACLS/PALS generally part of the coursework Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 I suggest you spend a few days reading this website, http://www.physicianassistantforum.com You will be amazed at the information gathered here over the past 15 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingram Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Well from the Medical Technologist standpoint I can say yes it has definitely helped (I'm in my first year, btw). To echo rcdavis, the experience was probably the single most helpful thing. Although the Med Tech (now properly called Clinical Laboratory Scientist) coursework is a close second. I worked almost exclusively stem cell transplant, apheresis (strange role for a med tech I know), and hematology for 4-5 years prior to PA school. Already knowing what all is in a CBC/CMP, what diseases you are looking for, knowing the sources of error for testing, and in general how things work/get run on a day to day schedule are some of the major points. This not only applies to the lab but also up on the floor. I had a few years of experience divided between floor work as an orderly and shadowing a physician in his clinic that also helped guide the knowledge once I was in med tech school. I'll give you a for instance. We just finished our hematology module and there was not a single disease that the instructor brought up that we hadn't covered in my med tech studies (and med tech actually covered more diseases and more in depth for the most part with a few exceptions such as when it came to chemo treatment). Now this isn't entirely the norm as I was one clueless joker during the neuro and HEENT module. So, it doesn't cover everything, but I do feel it gave me a "leg up" now and again. There are two other CLS guys in my class and they feel the same way I do. Sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't. Definitely won't hurt though and you will feel comfortable with any of the lab testing they bring up during your case studies! Some may disagree, this is simply my opinion. Hope it helps in some small way. Sincerely, Ingram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCEMPA Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 http://www.PhysicianAssistantForum.Com/forums/showthread.php/37977-To-all-you-paramedics-out-there?highlight= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ishmaej Posted March 8, 2013 Author Share Posted March 8, 2013 thanks to all of you for your insight it has certainely helped Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinntsp Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 My med tech background has been invaluable to me in PA school. Aside from all of the labs and disease processes that you'll be familiar with, you will understand how to think clinically. A paramedic background will do the same thing but in different areas. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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