Advisor says I need to become a CNA?

[lightblueelephant]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi all,
I am unsure what to do for more clinical experience. So far I have 480 volunteer hours at our local children's hospital spread out over 6 years however, I need to find out the number of hours I can use for my application because 3 of these years was during high school. 80 hours volunteering in a local adult level I ED and 90+ hours shadowing specialties including orthopedic surgery, vascular surgery, emergency medicine, oncology, and cardiology. The majority of the shadowing hours were at the children's hospital as that is where I am currently working as a research intern with 500 hours-- hopefully a publication soon.

My advisors say this is not good enough and that I need hands on clinical experience and that I should either become an EMT-B or CNA. I know some adcoms say that EMT-Bs are basically glorified cab drivers so that leaves me with CNA. My big goal right now is GPA repair. I plan to take 30 credits of hard science next year as well so I feel like I don't have time to add in a CNA class too. Thoughts?

 

[deleted407021]

You appear to have planty of clinical experience. I would advise against wasting time and money on a CNA or EMT course. Please, focus on your grades and do what volunteering you reasonably can. Your advisor very likely doesn't know what they're talking about.

 

[thatwouldbeanarchy]

How much of your volunteering was done in HS will make a difference since you shouldn't include that on AMCAS. But in general, no, I don't think you need to become a CNA. Med schools want to see patient contact but they're not expecting you to have done anything hands-on (like taking vitals or anything). You could get patient contact simply by talking to patients.

 

[c12H22O11]

I do not think so either. I mean, if you want to spend the time doing it, then by all means. But it will not hinder you from gaining admissions to medical school. CNA is a hard job..It is very physically demanding. I work as a PCT ( aka CNA ) in ICU and it has been rough!

 

[baratheonfire]

Hi all,
I am unsure what to do for more clinical experience. So far I have 480 volunteer hours at our local children's hospital spread out over 6 years however, I need to find out the number of hours I can use for my application because 3 of these years was during high school. 80 hours volunteering in a local adult level I ED and 90+ hours shadowing specialties including orthopedic surgery, vascular surgery, emergency medicine, oncology, and cardiology. The majority of the shadowing hours were at the children's hospital as that is where I am currently working as a research intern with 500 hours-- hopefully a publication soon.

My advisors say this is not good enough and that I need hands on clinical experience and that I should either become an EMT-B or CNA. I know some adcoms say that EMT-Bs are basically glorified cab drivers so that leaves me with CNA. My big goal right now is GPA repair. I plan to take 30 credits of hard science next year as well so I feel like I don't have time to add in a CNA class too. Thoughts?

Why should you specify that 3 I those years were in high school? I doubt that even on the rare occasion that adcoms called the hospital that they'd find out that only 3 of those years were in college.

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

 

[Goro]

Agree 100%. OP, your adviser is an idiot.

You appear to have planty of clinical experience. I would advise against wasting time and money on a CNA or EMT course. Please, focus on your grades and do what volunteering you reasonably can. Your advisor very likely doesn't know what they're talking about.

 

[Mad Jack]

Your advisor should become a CNA. Maybe they'd actually be good at it, unlike their current career.

 

[lightblueelephant]

Thanks everyone for your very quick responses. This makes me feel so much better-- it's not that I wasn't willing to become a CNA its that I am so focused on my GPA and volunteering and my research that I feel like these areas would suffer.

 

[Glazedonutlove]

Why should you specify that 3 I those years were in high school? I doubt that even on the rare occasion that adcoms called the hospital that they'd find out that only 3 of those years were in college.

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

You do need to specify dates of your activities

 

[baratheonfire]

You do need to specify dates of your activities

If you just wrote dates starting from college but listed your total hours, who would notice or even care

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

 

[PugsAndHugs]

How much of your volunteering was done in HS will make a difference since you shouldn't include that on AMCAS.

I know that the general consesus on SDN is don't include stuff you did in high school, but I also had an extensive clinial experience that I started in highschool and continued in college, and I included it in my application, and so far it's going well.

Starting it in high school was a significant part of my decision to become a physician, it almost feels like I was lieing to myself by not including it on my application. There is no explicit rule that says not to include hours/activities done during before college/during high school.

 

[DokterMom]

I know that the general consesus on SDN is don't include stuff you did in high school, but I also had an extensive clinial experience that I started in highschool and continued in college, and I included it in my application, and so far it's going well.

Starting it in high school was a significant part of my decision to become a physician, it almost feels like I was lieing to myself by not including it on my application. There is no explicit rule that says not to include hours/activities done during before college/during high school.

I've heard it said several times that activities begun pre-college and continued through college can be reasonably be included on your application.

 

[Doctor Dream]

Your advisor should become a CNA. Maybe they'd actually be good at it, unlike their current career.

 

[prehealthadvisor55]

Definitely focus on GPA building at this point. You've got some good experience...I would only recommend the CNA route to someone in a gap year or is severely lacking in clinical experience. You're not in that boat at this point.

We're not all bad

 

[Nerdeka]

.

 

[AsianPersuasion]

If I get 50 cents for the **** my advisor told me to do...I can pay off all my primaries.

 

[IlDestriero]

I second that motion . All in favor signify by saying "Aye"

You're out of line! Point of order!...
Nah, your advisor is an idiot.
Grades and MCAT>>>everything else.
You're fine.

 

[lightblueelephant]

Okay so I can use my full 450+ hours of volunteering at the Children's hospital even though it was spread evenly through high school and college? Ethically that's okay?

 

[benjamin94559]

I had around 150 hours of volunteer experience in an ER + maybe 50 hours of medical interpreting and some other misc clinical experience and was lucky enough to get 8+ interviews at some great schools so I think you'll be fine as long as you weren't a drone and don't have any critical reflections on what you did. Tldr: your raw number of hours seems fine

 

[njtrimed]

The dean of admissions at the school I'm attending said nothing makes him cringe more than when applicants talk to him about the number of clinical hours. He said all that he's interested in hearing is how the experience impacted the applicant. (Though obviously AMCAS requires the number, and clearly 10 would not be enough to make an impact!)

 

[Howlin_Radio]

Hi all,
I am unsure what to do for more clinical experience. So far I have 480 volunteer hours at our local children's hospital spread out over 6 years however, I need to find out the number of hours I can use for my application because 3 of these years was during high school. 80 hours volunteering in a local adult level I ED and 90+ hours shadowing specialties including orthopedic surgery, vascular surgery, emergency medicine, oncology, and cardiology. The majority of the shadowing hours were at the children's hospital as that is where I am currently working as a research intern with 500 hours-- hopefully a publication soon.

My advisors say this is not good enough and that I need hands on clinical experience and that I should either become an EMT-B or CNA. I know some adcoms say that EMT-Bs are basically glorified cab drivers so that leaves me with CNA. My big goal right now is GPA repair. I plan to take 30 credits of hard science next year as well so I feel like I don't have time to add in a CNA class too. Thoughts?

Lol, you'll be doing much more as an EMT-B in regards to saving lives and performing medical skills. But in regards to medical school acceptance, it won't matter which. Being a CNA will be much less stressful.

 

[dreee]

I considered being a CNA. My moms an RN, she told me don't do it. I argued with her for a good few weeks. I was convinced being a CNA would help my app. After researching into it I realized I didn't want to be a CNA. I got a job working with thousands of patients, families, and medical records and I love it. Also pays $10+/hr more than a CNA.

You don't have to be a CNA. There are other rewarding experiences besides CNA.