Introduction and a few questions

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Dan Lemon

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Hello, I am new to the forum and also new to the medical field. I am currently training to be a patient care technician and would like to expand my knowledge a little further than our text book. It helps when I visually see things, so Im looking for tutorial videos or helpful websites that describe the topic have pictures. The current subjects I am studying is phlebotomy, anatomy and ECG's. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

And I hope that one day I will have the knowledge to contribute some to this site! Have a nice day!

-Dan
 
Look at the top thread in this forum that lists a lot of good websites for medical students. That's the best place to start.
 
Saying your "training" for a PCT class is about on par with "practicing" your wave to be a walmart greeter.
 
I'm happy you're bettering yourself OP. We all started somewhere in this big circus they call life.

Saying your "training" for a PCT class is about on par with "practicing" your wave to be a walmart greeter.

🙄
 
Saying your "training" for a PCT class is about on par with "practicing" your wave to be a walmart greeter.

you wont be able to insult me. I take pride in doing what I am doing. It is a stepping stone and I hear nothing but good things about it.... except from non PCT's! I hear people are upset that PCT's are getting the same jobs as other med students in a shorter amount of time.
 
you wont be able to insult me. I take pride in doing what I am doing. It is a stepping stone and I hear nothing but good things about it.... except from non PCT's! I hear people are upset that PCT's are getting the same jobs as other med students in a shorter amount of time.

bless your heart Dan Lemon and keep doing what you are doing. Just ignore those who try to insult you. It is so sad that the field of medicine is polluted with persons of that ilk.
 
I hear people are upset that PCT's are getting the same jobs as other med students in a shorter amount of time.

Not sure if srs - PCT's can't be interns without first being med students.

Look bro I know what PCT's do - I've done it. It is a valuable experience because you will see some of workings of the monstrous US healthcare system. However, don't be surprised when you catch flak for representing yourself as a medical student, because you are a far cry from being one. That doesn't mean you should look down on yourself or anything, you just have to know your place - like everyone from attendings on down. In other words, don't think too highly of yourself - and don't let others think you think too highly of yourself, either.
 
you wont be able to insult me. I take pride in doing what I am doing. It is a stepping stone and I hear nothing but good things about it.... except from non PCT's! I hear people are upset that PCT's are getting the same jobs as other med students in a shorter amount of time.

And no one should be insulting you, but to avoid inevitable further criticism you may find on these boards, I think the misunderstanding is in the term "medical student". Many people reserve that term for students going to medical school, training to become physicians (MD/DOs).

However, that's no reason for you to be harassed for seeking resources! Hopefully those recommended links will help you.
 
I'm pretty sure there's an option for 'health student', which is what you would be.

I have yet to see a PCT make it up to being a doctor faster than a medical student. Please enlighten me as to how that happens.
 
What does a PCT do?

It's an alternative term for CNA. Like CNAs the legal limitations of their scope of practice is going to vary from state to state. Their responsibilites can also be further limited depending onthe enviornment they work in. In a sufficiently underserved enviornment they might work doing the kind of things you normally associate with nursing: vitals, Foleys, and NG tubes. Not sure if they can start IVs or do blood draws but I would guess at least one state out there allows it. I've rotated through a rural hospital where the nursing staff on each floor was an RN supervising a lot of CNAs. In a wealthy tertiary care center, however, PCTs/CNAs might be limited to delivering food trays, bathing patients, making beds, and cleaning up patients who pooped themselves.

I hear people are upset that PCT's are getting the same jobs as other med students in a shorter amount of time.

Just so you know 'medical student', in health care, refers to someone who is in medical school studying to be a doctor. That's also who this site is directed towards. You might actually get better advice for being a PCT/CNA at www.allnurses.com.
 
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