Best Pre-Med job (Not including scribe)?

[Celtic Fan]

Hi, I have a gap year and I need clinical experience, but I don't have any certifications. I have already taken EMT class through my university but it might take me awhile to get certified, licensed, and finally hired (live in CA). I say not scribe because I have applied numerous times and never been accepted, and at this point don't want to give a two year commitment which is what most hospitals require.

So in the interest of saving time and keeping my options open, what are some other jobs that give good clinical experience?

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[RocuROMANium]

Most paid clinical positions require some form of certification. CNA is an option. The program I did only took 4 weeks and was $800. If you want to work in a hospital you will need a CNA unless you just want to be a transporter or sitter. You can use your CNA to work in the Emergency Department as a tech, the OR, or other specialty floors in inpatient. There are also research assistants, medical assistants, phlebotomists, etc.

What you could do is first decide where you want to work. Which healthcare system, hospital, doctor's office, surgical center, company, whatever. Then look at position openings for that place. For example, I really wanted to work at a specific hospital so I look up all of the openings they had and what kind of certifications I would need to apply.

 

[Celtic Fan]

I don't really have a preference what the setting is but I want to get a job where you get to learn a lot. I looked up hospital job postings and it as you said most require a certification.

 

[RocuROMANium]

I don't really have a preference what the setting is but I want to get a job where you get to learn a lot. I looked up hospital job postings and it as you said most require a certification.

If you just have one year to get as much clinical exposure as you can while learning as much as you can, then I recommend looking into working as an ED tech. You need either an EMT cert or CNA cert. As an ED tech I perform many skills like phlebotomy, splint application, EKG's (too many), vitals, cardiac telemetry monitoring, and a million other things. Your'e kind of like the handy man of the emergency department. I have learned a lot, so much so, that my head spins to think about how much I don't know, which is how it should be for a pre-medical ED tech that wants to become a physician one day. Furthermore, I am able to access patient lab results and scans which provides me the ability to see how (with the help of a nurse or doctor of course) diagnoses are made. You see every kind of patient and disease out there and for us adrenaline junkies there is the trauma bay to get your fix in.

 

[RealAlexJones]

I used to work as a scribe. Do not worry about the two-year commitment as most people do not complete the whole two years. I think I was the only one who honored it throughout all of the new hires we had over 2 years. If an opportunity for scribing comes your way I would take it (at least if it is in a hospital). Even throughout my first block of year 1 the experience I had as a scribe helped out a lot. If scribing doesn't work I agree with the above and get your CNA, even though you're not as up close with the attendings as you would be if you were a scribe, you do get a lot more hands-on work and get a lot more patient interaction than you would as a scribe.

 

[RocuROMANium]

@RealAlexJones hit it right on the head. CNA's have more in-depth patient interaction and skill development but you have a greater chance to form relationships with physicians as a scribe. In my experience, a bonus of being an ED tech as opposed to a tech in inpatient is the interaction with physicians. In inpatient I NEVER interacted with a doctor but in the ED I constantly collaborate with EM docs for a variety of reasons but still not to the degree at which scribes do.

 

[Celtic Fan]

Thanks for all the great advice guys, I will try to get my CNA shortly after EMT license. How much of the ED tech is on the job training? I don't have a lot of the skills you mentioned. As for scribe, I was too honest in my recent interview, the interviewer asked me when I would likely apply and I said the year after in May, and they told me they needed someone who would commit for two years.

 

[Medic741]

I don't really have a preference what the setting is but I want to get a job where you get to learn a lot. I looked up hospital job postings and it as you said most require a certification.

Paramedic, look up courses at your local CC

 

[RNtoMD87]

I like mine. It’s nice not to stress about the financial side, easily clear 80k, and up to 115k when not playing check boxes

 

[Boola Boy]

Planes2Doc's Ultimate Guide to Final Fantasy 7, Medical School Purgatory, & Typical Pre-Med Missteps

TL;DR Get a job that will pay your bills in case you don't get into medical school

You can get sufficient clinical experience via volunteering

 

[Planes2Doc]

Planes2Doc's Ultimate Guide to Final Fantasy 7, Medical School Purgatory, & Typical Pre-Med Missteps

TL;DR Get a job that will pay your bills in case you don't get into medical school

You can get sufficient clinical experience via volunteering

Thanks for bringing that up! Volunteering all the way.