Clinical Experience- EMT vs CNA vs Phlebotomist

[ToppDog]

Even if you were lucky enough to get a job as a phlebotomist where you did get to learn a ton in a lab environment, that still would not be considered great HCE. Yeah, it may be useful, but it's focus is still too narrow. As Timon said, it's good to do in addition to something else to make you more knowledgeable & more well rounded, as well as more marketable. But, on it's own? You'll be limited on what you can absorb about medicine, which translates into being limited by the schools that will accept your app.

 

BTW, don't overlook MA as an option, OP. It may be longer than all the others you mentioned, but a lot of schools look more favorably on MA HCE than all the others you asked about.

[Gmhamilton]

I think they're all great choices, but make sure you think it through before moving forward with the certs. I am a cert phlebotomist who started working in VA. However I am now having a hard time getting a job as a phlebotomist. An unexpected military relocation moved us to Florida and with the little experience I have, I have not been able to get a job as a phlebotomist and I see most jobs would like me to have at least a year of experience or have a medical assistant cert. Due to this I suggest you be an EMT or a CNA.