What was your health care experience for PA school? and another question

[sportygirl07]

I am trying to think of jobs/experience you can get for PA school. What did you guys do for the experience? So far, I can only think of CNA, EMT-B, and Patient Care Technician. Any other jobs that are useful?

 

Also, is it okay to be a CNA for one year, then an EMT-B for another year? I was thinking of having different jobs all throughout college. Is this a good or bad idea? I heard PA schools like "varied" experiences so is that considered varied?? What are your thoughts on this? thanks so much!

[sportygirl07]

I am trying to think of jobs/experience you can get for PA school. What did you guys do for the experience? So far, I can only think of CNA, EMT-B, and Patient Care Technician. Any other jobs that are useful?

 

Also, is it okay to be a CNA for one year, then an EMT-B for another year? I was thinking of having different jobs all throughout college. Is this a good or bad idea? I heard PA schools like "varied" experiences so is that considered varied?? What are your thoughts on this? thanks so much!

[EMEDPA]

1. er tech for 5 yrs/paramedic for 5 yrs

2. variety is good. solid experience in one field is ok too.

[EMEDPA]

1. er tech for 5 yrs/paramedic for 5 yrs

2. variety is good. solid experience in one field is ok too.

[Timon]

There's EKG Tech, Pacemaker Tech (really look into this one... Pay is really good / takes 5 months to get certified), mobile health examiner, medical assistant.. Just to name a few.

 

I'm currently an ER Tech. Got my EMT-B, 12 Lead EKG Tech, Phlebotomy plus all the AHA classes I could take. Took all those certs (3 months total) and applied every where.

[Timon]

There's EKG Tech, Pacemaker Tech (really look into this one... Pay is really good / takes 5 months to get certified), mobile health examiner, medical assistant.. Just to name a few.

 

I'm currently an ER Tech. Got my EMT-B, 12 Lead EKG Tech, Phlebotomy plus all the AHA classes I could take. Took all those certs (3 months total) and applied every where.

[EMEDPA]

I got my emt-1a(now called emt-basic) in 1987 then learned ekg, IVs, phlebotomy, IM injections, etc on the job as an er tech. got my emt-d (defib) in 1989.

worked all through college as a tech then went to paramedic school right out of college with all pa prereqs already done.

[EMEDPA]

I got my emt-1a(now called emt-basic) in 1987 then learned ekg, IVs, phlebotomy, IM injections, etc on the job as an er tech. got my emt-d (defib) in 1989.

worked all through college as a tech then went to paramedic school right out of college with all pa prereqs already done.

[Just Steve]

Navy Corpsman, surgical technologist, EMT basic then paramedic, some wilderness medicine (W-EMT)..22 years of experience prior to aaplyingv

[Just Steve]

Navy Corpsman, surgical technologist, EMT basic then paramedic, some wilderness medicine (W-EMT)..22 years of experience prior to aaplyingv

[beattie228]

US Army medic for 6 years, EMT for 1 year after the Army, then surgical MA for 3 years after that. I decided to let my EMT cert expire after I picked up a gig as a MA because recertification was a bigger headache than I had time for. I've never heard or read that PA schools are looking for variety. Programs that want hours want to see that you can work as a vital member of a healthcare team, and that you have some idea of what a PA is/does. There's a lot of previous threads on types of HCE preferred throughout this forum that may be of help to you.

[beattie228]

US Army medic for 6 years, EMT for 1 year after the Army, then surgical MA for 3 years after that. I decided to let my EMT cert expire after I picked up a gig as a MA because recertification was a bigger headache than I had time for. I've never heard or read that PA schools are looking for variety. Programs that want hours want to see that you can work as a vital member of a healthcare team, and that you have some idea of what a PA is/does. There's a lot of previous threads on types of HCE preferred throughout this forum that may be of help to you.

[balsam88]

medical technologist (including phlebotomy) for 2.5 years

[Guest]

ER Scribe for 1.5 years

ER tech fo 6 months

 

So far in didactic year scribing is helping the most

 

EMT-B and CNA are both good options. Maybe try focusing on one unless you want to see ER world vs. hospital world

[Will352ns]

Military medic for 20 years...during that time I have had an alphabet soup of position/training acronyms that I could put behind my name; I'll just leave it as medic.

 

Do this. Join any branch of the military as a medic/corpsman. Do a 4 year stint, honorably of course, and then apply to PA school. 4 years of some of the best HCE you can get, plus educational benefits that cannot be matched anywhere. For the win......

[morgancrandall]

I had very little experience (~300 hrs) as an EMT-B since I'm going right from college to PA school. I even stated in my interview that I did not enjoy being an EMT (driving a huge ambulance was not my thing) and would switch to become CNA certified because I wanted more patient contact and wanted to develop relationships with patients. Of course it depends on the school. My particular PA program must put a higher weight on GPA and volunteer experience (I've volunteered in Haiti for more hours than actual patient care hours) so it really just depends on where you apply. If you explain the switch, I do not think most programs care.

[djdanx]

I have noticed a disparity in applicants with Psych experience. I worked for 3 years on an overnight shift at a Psychiatric and Detox facility as a Mental Health Counselor/Psych Tech. I did everything but give meds! Seclusions and restraints, auditing of patient charts, facilitated patient group sessions, vital signs checks, and around the clock suicide checks. During my interviews(I had 5) many of the faculty were very intrigued and impressed that I had experience that was very different from most other candidates. Just some food for thought......

[djdanx]

I have noticed a disparity in applicants with Psych experience. I worked for 3 years on an overnight shift at a Psychiatric and Detox facility as a Mental Health Counselor/Psych Tech. I did everything but give meds! Seclusions and restraints, auditing of patient charts, facilitated patient group sessions, vital signs checks, and around the clock suicide checks. During my interviews(I had 5) many of the faculty were very intrigued and impressed that I had experience that was very different from most other candidates. Just some food for thought......

[whoRyou]

I have noticed a disparity in applicants with Psych experience. I worked for 3 years on an overnight shift at a Psychiatric and Detox facility as a Mental Health Counselor/Psych Tech. I did everything but give meds! Seclusions and restraints, auditing of patient charts, facilitated patient group sessions, vital signs checks, and around the clock suicide checks. During my interviews(I had 5) many of the faculty were very intrigued and impressed that I had experience that was very different from most other candidates. Just some food for thought......

I have done similar work as you, but from reading here I got the impression that was NOT considered HCE. If you find out differently let me know, djdanx. BTW I just noticed that you are a PA-S did you use this type of experience in your app for PA(s) schools?

[whoRyou]

I have noticed a disparity in applicants with Psych experience. I worked for 3 years on an overnight shift at a Psychiatric and Detox facility as a Mental Health Counselor/Psych Tech. I did everything but give meds! Seclusions and restraints, auditing of patient charts, facilitated patient group sessions, vital signs checks, and around the clock suicide checks. During my interviews(I had 5) many of the faculty were very intrigued and impressed that I had experience that was very different from most other candidates. Just some food for thought......

I have done similar work as you, but from reading here I got the impression that was NOT considered HCE. If you find out differently let me know, djdanx. BTW I just noticed that you are a PA-S did you use this type of experience in your app for PA(s) schools?

[djdanx]

It is most definitely HCE. In addition to what I listed above, I also did most things the C.N.A.'s did. For example, bathing patients, monitoring vitals, performing skin/contraband checks......the list goes on. I did use this as my HCE and every single school I applied to accepted this, no questions asked. It's important for any candidate to discuss fully during the interview, what their job duties were so that the adcom can verify that it was truly "hands on" patient care. Good luck!

[djdanx]

It is most definitely HCE. In addition to what I listed above, I also did most things the C.N.A.'s did. For example, bathing patients, monitoring vitals, performing skin/contraband checks......the list goes on. I did use this as my HCE and every single school I applied to accepted this, no questions asked. It's important for any candidate to discuss fully during the interview, what their job duties were so that the adcom can verify that it was truly "hands on" patient care. Good luck!

[sportygirl07]

So do you guys recommend "varied" health care experiences? Like having different jobs throughout college?

[EMEDPA]

So do you guys recommend "varied" health care experiences? Like having different jobs throughout college?

quality is important as well as quantity. lots of high quality hrs would be better than some high quality hrs and some mediocre hrs.

your best bet is to get some kind of cert(emt, cna, ma, lpn, etc) and work with that for a few thousand hrs before you apply.

[SoCal_PA]

I accumulated my HCE by working as a PT Aide. At the time of application, I had just about 2k hours of it. I was offered 3 interviews at great programs, but ended up only going to one because it was my #1 choice and they accepted me shortly after the interview.