This is a good way to gain experience for med school? Or would they question why I was going for med school and not nursing?
Any information would be great! Thanks!
Any information would be great! Thanks!
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Cna?
Started by DrHoneyBee
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Is this...not this is 🙂
Go for it! I think being a CNA is the single best way to "get your foot in the door." Furthermore, when I'm seeking help or assistance from a nurse and I sneak in the fact that I was a CNA...all of a sudden, several of the nurses are treating me like a VIP. I think they like the fact that I've been, somewhat, in their shoes. Aside from that perk, being a CNA will allow you to appreciate an area of healthcare not understood well by most docs.
Anyhow, just my opinion.
Anyhow, just my opinion.
Definitely go for the CNA.
I was a CNA on a telemetry unit for 3 years and loved every second of it. Not only do you do a lot of direct patient care, but it's also a great opportunity to network, meet physicians, interact with nurses, and get to know how a hospital works from the inside out, especially if your duties include putting orders in the computer (because doing so forces you to interact with practically every department in the hospital, and it gives you a chance to see how things progress from the physician writing the order to the CNA transcribing the order and putting it in the computer, to the RNs carrying them out, to getting the X-ray or whatever procedure done. It was invaluable.
I met a lot of physicians and was able to get a clearer idea of what kind of physician I wanted to be, and what kind I did NOT want to be. I shadowed a few, and it was great.
Go for it.
I was a CNA on a telemetry unit for 3 years and loved every second of it. Not only do you do a lot of direct patient care, but it's also a great opportunity to network, meet physicians, interact with nurses, and get to know how a hospital works from the inside out, especially if your duties include putting orders in the computer (because doing so forces you to interact with practically every department in the hospital, and it gives you a chance to see how things progress from the physician writing the order to the CNA transcribing the order and putting it in the computer, to the RNs carrying them out, to getting the X-ray or whatever procedure done. It was invaluable.
I met a lot of physicians and was able to get a clearer idea of what kind of physician I wanted to be, and what kind I did NOT want to be. I shadowed a few, and it was great.
Go for it.
Thanks for the information. I will look into both.
Where I live, CNA classes are about $1000, and EMT is consideribly more. It used to be that they were free. (At least the CNA classes were.) I don't know why it changed. I simply can't afford that. I have a job at a 16 bed facility for mentally/physically ill people right now, and we recieve very similar training, except it goes a bit more into the mental health side. I'm not "certified" and the pay is ****, but the experience has been interesting. Wiping the butts of old people is one thing, but wiping the butts of old people who think they're Jesus or Napolean is something else.
DrHoneyBee said:
jason3278 said:
EMT courses are free if you take them through a volunteer EMS agency. These are found surrounding any metropolitan area.
They will pay for your course at a community college or provide one to you for free if you agree to volunteer with them, which will be good on your transcript anyway. Typical volunteer requirements are a minimum of 24 hours a month, which you can do in 1 shift.
OSUdoc08 said:
I looked at my local volunteer EMS agency and they said that you have to take the class at a community college and they don't pay you back 🙁
Too bad. I'm not giving up, I'll try another bigger city around me.
DrHoneyBee said:
Another idea is to take it for non-credit, because the non-community college courses are often cheaper. I took mine at a fire department. Contact a local EMS agency for locations of places that offer courses. You can compare prices and see which one is cheapest.
Working/volunteering in EMS is the MOST VALUABLE experience prior to med school, and you will be light years ahead when clinicals start.
DrHoneyBee said:
Why not save yourself LOTS of time and aggravation and go to PA school or NP school. I'm serious. You get to do almost all of the same work, your debt load will be less, and you get to work sooner and not do 4 years of med school plus at least 3 of residency.
Don't get me wrong. Being a doctor is cool but, not always practical in a lot of cases.
LovelyRita said:Why not save yourself LOTS of time and aggravation and go to PA school or NP school. I'm serious. You get to do almost all of the same work, your debt load will be less, and you get to work sooner and not do 4 years of med school plus at least 3 of residency.
Don't get me wrong. Being a doctor is cool but, not always practical in a lot of cases.
My wanting to go to med school has nothing to do with being "cool" and I'm not sure why you would even suggest this. I don't want to save myself time and aggravation by going to PA or NP school, I would be aggravated if I did because that is not what I want to do.
Do you reply this way to every person posting in the "Pre-Osteopathic" board? It seems like a waste of time, people are posting in here because they want to be doctors. My question was to gain experience for med school, not to become a PA or NP. Thanks anyways...
LovelyRita said:Why not save yourself LOTS of time and aggravation and go to PA school or NP school. I'm serious. You get to do almost all of the same work, your debt load will be less, and you get to work sooner and not do 4 years of med school plus at least 3 of residency.
Don't get me wrong. Being a doctor is cool but, not always practical in a lot of cases.
This is a poor argument, since you rarely make 6 figures as a PA/NP. As a physician massive loans can be paid off relatively quickly, especially as a specialist.
OSUdoc08 said:
Maybe it depends where you live. Where I'm from we used to have tons of nursing homes that did free CNA training, and then magically one day no one offered it. And when I would ask people, I'd get the same stupid mystified look that I get when I ask about shadowing. As far as EMT...I would do it if I was younger, maybe take a summer or a fall semester off and then come back, but being 26 and sort of "non-trad", I do feel the pressure to finish my undergrad. My job isn't a bad experience though. My GF (DoctorBean on SDN) is applying this year, and she has the same job, so I guess we'll see how the schools look at our type of job.
jason3278 said:
I really think EMT's are in demand everywhere, since it is such a high burnout profession, and a desperately needed service.
I'd be interested to see where there is a "surplus" of EMS professionals, so I can refer them to areas of Texas and Oklahoma that are in dire need of EMT's.
DrHoneyBee said:
whoa whoa whoa simma down.
go be a doctor.
LovelyRita said:
Looks like you took a page out of my book entitled, "Hey, go STFU"
CNA all the way! I was a CNA at State Psychiatric Hospital and they paid for my training. I didn't wipe butts or clean linens. I actually had patient interaction, charted, checked vitals, and monitored patients. This isn't for the faint hearted. Don't do anything just to "look good" for apps. 👎 . Do it because you want to and will enjoy it. 👍
OSUdoc08 said:
Jacksonville, FL 🙂 There are SO many EMTs here that its ridiculous and there's a huge shortage of CNAs. And the EMTs here don't really get any experience, they just drive the ambulances (my husband and best friend are EMTs and I'm a CNA.)
OSUdoc08 said:
No, we wipe their asses all day long. Geez, get it right. Besides, if you go for your EMT you will leave no room for medical school since you will think you know everything already. 😛. Having both my CNA and EMT helped during the interviews. I think the CNA helped more because not everyone had that experience and I had the certification longer than my EMT. Both are good however.
Also, it must be different in each state because my state paid for my CNA certification but not my EMT. I think the best reason to go CNA over EMT is the appreciation one gains from working with nurses. Too often people just ignore them and if you knew half the **** they did, you wouldn't. Eh, it is a tough choice but I think, if could go back and do it differently, I would forget about the EMT and just go CNA.
Jamers said:
Jamers, thanks for your help!
DrHoneyBee said:
I think becoming a CNA is a great way to go. I was a CNA off and on for the last 10 years. It is definitely a humbling job that allows you to show compasion to people who need to be cared for. If you can do this job, and do it well, you are light years ahead of others on the journey to become a physician. EMT is also a good route as well, but it is often hard to find a job in this field and you get caught up in all that first responder macho BS. Not that they arent good, but as an ED nurse I have met more than a few who thought their job was to instruct the docs in the ED.
snowkhat said:
