EMT vs Medical assistant

[ris11]

Hello,

I am deciding between either pursuing being an EMT or medical assistant. Which one is more valuable for medical school? Also, is it likely that they only accept working in the summer because I think I can only work in the summer due to my schedule.

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[gyngyn]

I vote for medical assistant!

 

[superstress]

well medical assistant gives you more clinical exposure in an office setting but i feel like emt gives you a lot more to talk about and helps you develop some life skills too. emts are in high paced stressful environments often working with underserved individuals and it really teaches you a lot on the job. you learn a lot from being a medical assistant too so i think that both are a great option. but in terms of training, you can be an uncertified MA and get the job while you have to take a 6 month (or shorter depends on how intensive you want it to be) course with a practical and written exam at the end given by the state, so MA is def a little easier in that sense. MA is def more of a summer job than EMT tho bc of the schooling

 

[Serendipitykitcat]

I think it depends on what you enjoy doing most. EMT is a more hands on experience, while MA will provide you with a shadowing compenent at a more advanced clinical setting. MA work and hours are more predictable than EMT, but EMT will provide you with a lot of opportunities to deal with people from all walks of life under duress, somethig that would come handy in medical school. You can't go wrong with either. Just a matter of personal preference.
Keep in mind that MAs have different responsibilities in different offices. If you go that route, make sure that your experience is more direceted toward patient care than clerical work.
An added plus for EMT is that you can set your schedule and can always take more shifts when you have extra free time!