Has anyone found good opportunities for patient contact outside of the normal 9-5 routine? Back in grad school I volunteered on some weekday mornings, but that's not a possibility anymore. I'm going to get in touch with the local hospital but I'm curious if anyone has some ideas.
Clinical experience while working?
- Thread starter jschu121
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Try the ER.....24x7. That's what I did.
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I volunteer at our local hospital on Sunday mornings.
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Where do you live?
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I'm going to keep pounding the phlebotomy drum here.
Phlebotomy has (one of)the lowest barriers of entry into healthcare as far as cost and time in class. You'll also get to go all over the hospital and work with all kinds of people, from docs to patients. It's also shift work, with larger hospitals having 24 hour coverage. While I was in school to become an x-ray tech I worked a shift from 4am to 7am, and was paid pretty well for my time.
I like to volunteer at a few places too, but there is a little different flavor to the work if you are responsible for stuff, instead of just helping out. I know of at least two people who decided health care wasn't for them after a few weeks of working as a phleb. For me, it really solidified my desire to sink my teeth into this business and take it as far as I can.
Research a few local programs and your local job market and see if it might work for you.
Phlebotomy has (one of)the lowest barriers of entry into healthcare as far as cost and time in class. You'll also get to go all over the hospital and work with all kinds of people, from docs to patients. It's also shift work, with larger hospitals having 24 hour coverage. While I was in school to become an x-ray tech I worked a shift from 4am to 7am, and was paid pretty well for my time.
I like to volunteer at a few places too, but there is a little different flavor to the work if you are responsible for stuff, instead of just helping out. I know of at least two people who decided health care wasn't for them after a few weeks of working as a phleb. For me, it really solidified my desire to sink my teeth into this business and take it as far as I can.
Research a few local programs and your local job market and see if it might work for you.
Hi,
I'm an international med graduate. So I'm not certifed as anything in the US (yet). What would it take for me to work as a phlebotomist?
Hi everyone, listen, I'm a non-trad just like most of you, 25 yrs old, graduated with BS in bio sci/minor biochem with 3.45gpa; haven't taken the MCAT yet but planning too sometime in 2011! I have done a lot of community volunteering with the JDRF (6 years now) and with the ALA (2 years now) and ADA (2 years now) along with voluntering with my county medical reserve corp!
my problem is, I've got a lot of community volunteer experience but have little to no clinical experience which I desperately need! the problem I have, which most people don't is, I have a L5-S1 spinal fusion with some continued right leg/foot radiculopathy so I can not do any kind of volunteer work or even a healthcare job that requires lifting of patients (ie transport, PCA, paramedic, etc); I am having trouble with my local county hospital (not a trauma or children center) about getting patient contact experience because of my limitations! running the information desk and gift shop, or office work does not give me any kind of patient experience so I declined the volunteering jobs they offered!
ER work would be great, but does anyone know of any kind of job or volunteer work in the ER that does not require physically helping patients to go have tests, or be discharged, etc? I'm basically looking for brainstorming ideas so that when I go to look or ask volunteer coordinators I can be really specific with them as to what kind of jobs I can specifically do.
I am in desperate need of help, for any of you who could recommend patient contact experience where you don't have to be expected to physically help lift patients! I can lift a arm or leg no problem, just not there whole body obviously! I was thinking maybe a clinic, or children's hospital; I'm looking for more volunteer work like maybe playing therapeutic music for patients, or talking with ones who have had no visitors, reading to children, etc but I'm just having trouble finding them close to where I live? any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
or by the way, I wouldn't be applying to med school or PA school for at least another 2-3 years so I have time to accumulate clinical experience hours!
my problem is, I've got a lot of community volunteer experience but have little to no clinical experience which I desperately need! the problem I have, which most people don't is, I have a L5-S1 spinal fusion with some continued right leg/foot radiculopathy so I can not do any kind of volunteer work or even a healthcare job that requires lifting of patients (ie transport, PCA, paramedic, etc); I am having trouble with my local county hospital (not a trauma or children center) about getting patient contact experience because of my limitations! running the information desk and gift shop, or office work does not give me any kind of patient experience so I declined the volunteering jobs they offered!
ER work would be great, but does anyone know of any kind of job or volunteer work in the ER that does not require physically helping patients to go have tests, or be discharged, etc? I'm basically looking for brainstorming ideas so that when I go to look or ask volunteer coordinators I can be really specific with them as to what kind of jobs I can specifically do.
I am in desperate need of help, for any of you who could recommend patient contact experience where you don't have to be expected to physically help lift patients! I can lift a arm or leg no problem, just not there whole body obviously! I was thinking maybe a clinic, or children's hospital; I'm looking for more volunteer work like maybe playing therapeutic music for patients, or talking with ones who have had no visitors, reading to children, etc but I'm just having trouble finding them close to where I live? any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
or by the way, I wouldn't be applying to med school or PA school for at least another 2-3 years so I have time to accumulate clinical experience hours!
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You'd have to check with each institution. Most want a license and some experience.
