Difference Between ER Tech and CNA? Which is better for a premed student?

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muffeoniv

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What do they do specifically?

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What Does a CNA Do?
 
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I work as an ER tech and a CC tech, but on days I work in the ER, some of the things I do include, blood sugars, ecg, dressing changes, brace and splints, tackling and controlling crazy drugies and restraining them, ......
 
whats a CC tech? Is this good for medical school?
 
Difference Between ER Tech and CNA? Which is better for a premed student?
 
In another thread, you said that you volunteer in an ER. Rather than continue with your flurry of threads with lame questions, allow me to suggest you try talking to people you find working in the ER. All of your questions will be answered, and more.

If you have questions about medical school, why, you might even find a doctor in the ER to talk to. Many of them have been to medical school.
 
whats a CC tech? Is this good for medical school?

Critical Care tech, you get extra training after emt/er tech like disrythmia classes and such and you can work in units like ICU, CCU, SICU,... for med school you have to get clinical experience which you can do in sooo many ways, but yes the experience I have gained has been amazing!
 
Difference Between ER Tech and CNA? Which is better for a premed student?

neither, most med students don't have/need these certifications, just focus on school and other experiences
 
Critical Care tech, you get extra training after emt/er tech like disrythmia classes and such and you can work in units like ICU, CCU, SICU,... for med school you have to get clinical experience which you can do in sooo many ways, but yes the experience I have gained has been amazing!
how much do you get paid and how long does training for the job take?
 
Either is a good work experience for an applicant. I've already interviewed one CNA this season!

It seems to me that the two jobs are both related to medicine: ER Techs are short term and intense in their involvement with each patient somewhat like a surgical subspecialist might be whereas CNAs have long term relationships, particularly in nursing homes, and might be considered more like the relationships that primary care providers and those who care for patients with chronic illnesses have with their patients.
 
As an ER tech, my job breakdown was about 60% mindless and boring (providing 1-1 observation on "suicidal" patients for a 12 hour shift, sitting in the Psych ER all night while all the Pt's slept) and 40% everything else, from the mundane normal tasks of accuchecks and BP's to some crazy excitement observing trauma alerts and codes. During the course of a shift I would draw blood, take vitals, do EKG's, clean rooms/stretchers, stock linen closets, take patients back to their rooms, transport Pt's to their rooms, etc etc etc. Oh, and generally get treated like you are lower than the dirt on the shoes of the nurses. (The ER at which I worked wasn't too fond of techs.)

The training was mostly OTJ- the hospital required a CNA certification just to have all the techs certified in something, and I used about 10% of the skillset taught in the CNA class. The pay was awful, $9.17/hr. I worked night shift to boost it up to $10.70/hr.

Overall, it's a great way to get your feet wet in a hospital setting and learn alot watching the medical team in action (registration, techs, nurses, docs.)
 
An applicant told me it was, "really starting at the bottom" by which she meant the bottom rung of the the ladder but I was thinking of bottom as a euphemism for (_l_). It is the ultimate clinical experience if terms of my sig line.
 
Hey OP,

Stop starting threads about things you heard look good on your medical school application. You need to stop trying to be a cookie-cutter pre-med and start doing things that actually interest you.
 
is a paying job in a hospital necessary for med school? as a volunteer, i am getting decent patient contact and clinical experience.
 
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