Nurse's Aide help in getting accepted?

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sistermike

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Ok I know that the process of med schools and accepting people is a mystery but does anyone think that getting a Nurse's Aide Certifaction will help in getting accepted? I can easily get a Nurse's Aide Certification and was wondering if that could help me get accepted to a med school.

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•••quote:•••Originally posted by sistermike:
•does anyone think that getting a Nurse's Aide Certifaction will help in getting accepted? to a med school.•••••sistermike,

I don't think the certificate by itself will be any significant help.

What's gonna help you is your work experience as a nurse's aid. I really believe medical schools really look highly of applicant with quality patient contact experience such as working as a nurse's aide. Not only would the experience confirm your desire to be a physician, but it would also give you a realistic view of what physicians actually do and make you comfortable interacting with patients.

So, definitely get certified and make sure you get some work experience as a nurse's aide, especially at a hospital or clinic setting.

-2NT
 
You should get certified if you really want to do the job not just for the purpose of getting into medical school. Any type of clinical experience will help but to get certified just for the sake of checking another box (not that this is your case) will probably not do much for the application process just my honest opinion..
 
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•••quote:•••Originally posted by 2NT:

I don't think the certificate by itself will be any significant help.

What's gonna help you is your work experience as a nurse's aid. I really believe medical schools really look highly of applicant with quality patient contact experience such as working as a nurse's aide. Not only would the experience confirm your desire to be a physician, but it would also give you a realistic view of what physicians actually do and make you comfortable interacting with patients.

-2NT[/QB]••••I agree 2NT, it isn't so much the type of work that you do.... volunteering, clinic assistant, EMT, etc etc... there are a million different opportunities to work in several different roles, what is most important is the patient contact and becoming familiar with a clinical setting (it shows that you are compassionate -by helping others, since that is what docs are supposed to do.. right?- and that you know what you are getting yourself into... you may think that you know what it would be like to practice as a physician and work with sick, injured, or dying people... but thinking you know and actually being exposed to it are entirely different worlds.) If you like doing the NA thing, then go for it, but don't do it just for the sake of having something that you think will look good on your app, or you may not enjoy the experience.

Good luck!
 
i agree with the above posters about actually WANTING to do the work since you can get clinical experience in a variety of ways. that said, i was a CNA for a while and during my interviews that was a major topic of the conversation. it gives you a lot to talk about as far as how you have tested your motivation for the health field.
 
Just an echo here...only do it if you are truly interested in the work and will be able to give it some time before applications. Medical schools aren't generally impressed by a certain job per se, just that you find it interesting and that it helps you gain perspective into the field of medicine.
 
I was a nurse's aide in a psych hospital and I must say it was a pretty unique experience. I think it helped me stand out a bit because my stats aren't stellar. But definitely do it only if you're interested.
 
I think that the experience is what really counts. Try and see as much as you can and ask questions. Try to learn the lingo of the hospital. . .Besides, being a CNA will keep you motivated to get where you want to go.
 
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