Anyone here a PCT?

[75969]

I have been looking into various tech degrees as a means of gaining more valuable experience~ Who in here works as a PCT? Any info. regarding the job, (difficulty of) training, time before you were able to obtain a position following completion of program, good/bad aspects of the job, etc... would be greatly appreciated!

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[-Goose-]

I assume you mean Patient Care Technician, and, if so, I worked as a PCT in a large outpatient surgical center in a major city this summer with no "certification" or formal education. I did have my EMT license, but that didn't mean squat in an OR. Overall, I'd say that while the job is by no means glamorous, it was a great experience because it let me see hundreds of hours of surgery, have direct patient contact (post-operatively, of course), and work closely with all types of surgeons, anesthiologists, and other health care professionals.
I would reccomend looking for one of these jobs in your area and even calling an outpatient surgical center (they tend to be more laid back and you'll probably see a larger variety of cases than with a hospital-based OR). My center was HCA-affiliated, if that gives you any starting point.
Good Luck!

 

[75969]

I assume you mean Patient Care Technician, and, if so, I worked as a PCT in a large outpatient surgical center in a major city this summer with no "certification" or formal education. I did have my EMT license, but that didn't mean squat in an OR. Overall, I'd say that while the job is by no means glamorous, it was a great experience because it let me see hundreds of hours of surgery, have direct patient contact (post-operatively, of course), and work closely with all types of surgeons, anesthiologists, and other health care professionals.
I would reccomend looking for one of these jobs in your area and even calling an outpatient surgical center (they tend to be more laid back and you'll probably see a larger variety of cases than with a hospital-based OR). My center was HCA-affiliated, if that gives you any starting point.
Good Luck!

***Yes, a patient care technician 😛

 

[-Goose-]

😛

?

 

[BooMed]

Hey Daisy, when I was looking for a job at the hospital I interviewed for a PCT position in the emergency room. I would have taken the job if I hadn't been offered another position in respiratory which paid a little more and had daytime hours rather than 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. I'm a student right now also, and I couldn't stomach the thought of getting off of work and heading straight to school. (Yeah, I know I'm a wimp!)

The PCT's obviously got amazing clinical exposure and great experience, although a large part of the job where I interviewed involves cleaning up body fluids and wiping people and stuff. I thought that my job as an RCT (Respiratory Care Tech) would really limit my exposure, but luckily that's not the case at all. The Respiratory Therapists go to every area of the hospital, so in just a couple of days I've seen a huge variety or patients and conditions. 🙂

 

[obgyny]

what sort of qualifications (certifications, programs, experience, etc.) do you need to apply for a PCT or RCT job? I'm kind of on the young side, so I'm having a hard time looking for clinical experience opportunities.

 

[BooMed]

The RCT job only requires a high school degree at my hospital. However, you are supposed to be enrolled in respiratory therapy school. As for the PCT position, I'm not sure what they require... but it is sort of the "bottom rung" position so probably nothing special.

Since you are younger, are you sure you want a job in the hospital? What about volunteering? You can still get great experience, it looks good on your resume and it will make it easier to get a medical job in the future, but you don't have the stress or the awful schedule you might have in a job. Don't forget also that medical jobs don't let you off for vacations and stuff--I'll probably have to work on all of the holidays this year, so I won't be able to go home for Christmas or anything. 🙁

 

[75969]

The RCT job only requires a high school degree at my hospital. However, you are supposed to be enrolled in respiratory therapy school. As for the PCT position, I'm not sure what they require... but it is sort of the "bottom rung" position so probably nothing special.

Since you are younger, are you sure you want a job in the hospital? What about volunteering? You can still get great experience, it looks good on your resume and it will make it easier to get a medical job in the future, but you don't have the stress or the awful schedule you might have in a job. Don't forget also that medical jobs don't let you off for vacations and stuff--I'll probably have to work on all of the holidays this year, so I won't be able to go home for Christmas or anything. 🙁

I am younger too....but am giving up on volunteering allowing any type of patient contact---I was told by a nurse that if I want any patient contact, it would be better to find an entry level job instead of looking for volunteer work. I have found this to be true in my volunteer work at 2 hospitals...

 

[BooMed]

Yeah, how much patient contact they allow you really seems to depend on where you are in the country. Like, when I shadowed in Alabama I went everywhere the docs went, but in Oregon they had crazy rules and I spent most of the time in the hall (woo hoo! 😎 )

If you've already been volunteering I bet you can get an entry level job. Also, have you thought about doing a medical mission? If you like traveling and have the money, that's a great way to somewhere and actually get to HELP people. 😛

 

[obgyny]

Yeah, how much patient contact they allow you really seems to depend on where you are in the country. Like, when I shadowed in Alabama I went everywhere the docs went, but in Oregon they had crazy rules and I spent most of the time in the hall (woo hoo! 😎 )

If you've already been volunteering I bet you can get an entry level job. Also, have you thought about doing a medical mission? If you like traveling and have the money, that's a great way to somewhere and actually get to HELP people. 😛

What kind of things do you do in a medical mission? I don't really have the money though.

Well I have kind of a weird situation. In 9th grade, I volunteered at a hospital in CA before I wanted to be a doctor. I liked the volunteering part, but the volunteer coordinator was so mean and strict. We weren't allowed to do much. Then I moved to FL and decided I wanted to be a doc, so I volunteered again. The hospital in FL was pretty laid back, so I was able to do a lot more. But for complicated reasons, I moved back to CA (same city and everything), and the only hospital in this town is the same hospital I volunteered for in 9th grade. I would really like to volunteer or something similar again, but I don't know about volunteering at that same hospital. They kept putting me in Medical Records 🙁 .

Not to mention, I really need a job. And I'd rather work in the medical field and get some experience than at work at Mcdonald's 😉

 

[BooMed]

Medical missions are often conducted through religious organizations, but have varying levels of "religiousness." Many churches send teams of doctors/volunteers to third world countries and disaster areas to give basic medical care, immunizations, OB/GYN care, etc., depending on who they have to help. Often they will bring a lot of supplies and clothing to donate while they are there.

The expensive part is generally the plane ticket, but I bet that if you found a group that you really wanted to go with, you might be able to raise the money.