Nursing assistant versus EMT

[Krickle Bird]

Hello all!

I've been looking into getting some "hands on" experience and was considering becoming a certified nursing assistant or an EMT.
I would perhaps like to work an ER, but am open to almost anything.

I was wondering if anyone can talk about the pros and cons of each, and which would be a more rewarding and dynamic experience, one which you will learn many useful skills and knowledge for med school. I would also love to hear about your experience as a CNA or EMT too!

Thanks🙂
-Kbird

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[SpinEcho13]

From my experience and talking to people on various med school adcoms, none of the EMT/nursing/pharm jobs are really that beneficial to your app. I mean, they are better than nothing, but if you are interested in a position in a hospital somewhere, shadowing and clinical observation are a lot better uses of your time.

I think a lot of people assume that learning elementary procedures is the valuable part of clinical experience, when really adcoms know you will learn all that minute stuff in med school and are more interested in you proving that you know what a career in medicine is like and have been able to observe first hand how a physician interacts with patients.

 

[USArmyDoc]

From my experience and talking to people on various med school adcoms, none of the EMT/nursing/pharm jobs are really that beneficial to your app. I mean, they are better than nothing, but if you are interested in a position in a hospital somewhere, shadowing and clinical observation are a lot better uses of your time.

I think a lot of people assume that learning elementary procedures is the valuable part of clinical experience, when really adcoms know you will learn all that minute stuff in med school and are more interested in you proving that you know what a career in medicine is like and have been able to observe first hand how a physician interacts with patients.

I disagree with the above statement tremendously. It is not about the "minute procedures." Rather, it is about your exposure to medicine. It may turn you off or on to medicine.

Personally, I did both EMT and nursing assistant job. From experience, I think the EMT job will provide you with clinical experience that is different from a nursing assistant job. As the EMT or medical officer, you will be in charge of the situation. That means you run the show, within reason of course.

The nursing assistant job will be just that-an assistant. It can become tedious and annoying. I'll never forget the requests for bed pans or being asked to clean patients. It definitely gives you an idea of what it means to work from the bottom on up. It also depends on where you work. I worked in the ED so I saw and helped with everything including the traumas.

I also did a good amount of shadowing. If I could suggest anything, I would make sure to have all three on your application. That being said, I think the claim that they do not help your application is, at best, weak.

I will agree that none of this will blow the adcoms away, but it will show your dedication.

 

[DrBowtie]

Emt>cna

 

[Lindyhopper]

I'm an EMT & it is a really great experience. But I think before one gets involved it's a good idea to think through how many hours one will practice. My training was 120 hours. The training itself will only give you the opportunity to, subsequently, get clinical experience & some exposure to the life of a physician.
But it is good. In my area (Northern NJ) there are plenty of part time 911 volunteer opportunites & paid medical transport work. As the training is time consuming, you should only get involved if you're genuinely attracted to the work. Shadowing is a good complementary activity to give further insight into what medicine is all about.

 

[Wackie]

In my area, CNA jobs are more available than EMT positions. Ugh. 😡

 

[SpinEcho13]

I disagree with the above statement tremendously. It is not about the "minute procedures." Rather, it is about your exposure to medicine. It may turn you off or on to medicine.

Personally, I did both EMT and nursing assistant job. From experience, I think the EMT job will provide you with clinical experience that is different from a nursing assistant job. As the EMT or medical officer, you will be in charge of the situation. That means you run the show, within reason of course.

The nursing assistant job will be just that-an assistant. It can become tedious and annoying. I'll never forget the requests for bed pans or being asked to clean patients. It definitely gives you an idea of what it means to work from the bottom on up. It also depends on where you work. I worked in the ED so I saw and helped with everything including the traumas.

I also did a good amount of shadowing. If I could suggest anything, I would make sure to have all three on your application. That being said, I think the claim that they do not help your application is, at best, weak.

I will agree that none of this will blow the adcoms away, but it will show your dedication.

Yea, the thing is by sticking an IV in someone and driving them to the hospital you really aren't experiencing anything about medicine. Physicians are problem solvers, therefore very little of the absolute basic first aid type things EMT perform are applicable to the practice of clinical medicine. I'm not saying its not a decent thing to have on the application, just that for someone who has not already invested the time in training etc your time could best be spent elsewhere.

 

[Karl_Hungus]

Hello all!

I've been looking into getting some "hands on" experience and was considering becoming a certified nursing assistant or an EMT.
I would perhaps like to work an ER, but am open to almost anything.

I was wondering if anyone can talk about the pros and cons of each, and which would be a more rewarding and dynamic experience, one which you will learn many useful skills and knowledge for med school. I would also love to hear about your experience as a CNA or EMT too!

Thanks🙂
-Kbird

Having taken both courses, and worked both as a CNA and EMT, I hope I can lend some insight. First, either position will give you very good experiences with hands-on care. Generally, these entry-level positions are what you make of them. If you show co-workers and superiors that you are motivated and interested in learning/doing more, you would be amazed at what you can see and do with this entry-level certification.
Your personality can help you make the decision also. If you are a person who enjoys close, interpersonal relationships, and prefer working in a controlled environment, the CNA route may be better for you.
If you are less of a nurturer, have a thicker skin and don't mind or thrive in chaotic conditions, you might look more towards the EMT thing.

As far as employment outlook, certainly there are EMT positions available, including 911 ambulance jobs, transport ambulance jobs, wheelchair van operator, ER tech and others.
However, virtually every hospital, nursing home, assisted living facility, etc. is always looking for good CNAs.

 

[Karl_Hungus]

From my experience and talking to people on various med school adcoms, none of the EMT/nursing/pharm jobs are really that beneficial to your app. I mean, they are better than nothing, but if you are interested in a position in a hospital somewhere, shadowing and clinical observation are a lot better uses of your time.

I think a lot of people assume that learning elementary procedures is the valuable part of clinical experience, when really adcoms know you will learn all that minute stuff in med school and are more interested in you proving that you know what a career in medicine is like and have been able to observe first hand how a physician interacts with patients.

To the OP: Please do not be discouraged by people who post statements like this.
I am a strong supporter of health care experience, for a number of reasons. It demonstrates a committment to health care. It can show a committment to education and gaining experience, albeit in a lesser capacity than physician. You certainly can use these kinds of positions to show critical thinking skills and building clinical judgement. Anyone can follow a physician around, but it takes a certain kind of person to be successful working in healthcare.

All the interviews I went through focused much more on my clinical experience than research or "shadowing." All interviewers wanted to know about what it was like working as a paramedic, and most seemed genuinely impressed with what I had to tell them. I was able to use my health care experiences to illustrate why I want to go on to medical school, and why I will be successful when there.

Finally, always beware of someone who professes to know what adcoms really want.

SpinEcho Your statements indicate a gross ignorance of prehospital care.

 

[USArmyDoc]

Yea, the thing is by sticking an IV in someone and driving them to the hospital you really aren't experiencing anything about medicine. Physicians are problem solvers, therefore very little of the absolute basic first aid type things EMT perform are applicable to the practice of clinical medicine. I'm not saying its not a decent thing to have on the application, just that for someone who has not already invested the time in training etc your time could best be spent elsewhere.

I agree with your points, but I do not think that is the OP's purpose. He wants clinical experience and either way you can't lose with his/her options.

 

[AWhitehair]

Hello all!

I've been looking into getting some "hands on" experience and was considering becoming a certified nursing assistant or an EMT.
I would perhaps like to work an ER, but am open to almost anything.

I was wondering if anyone can talk about the pros and cons of each, and which would be a more rewarding and dynamic experience, one which you will learn many useful skills and knowledge for med school. I would also love to hear about your experience as a CNA or EMT too!

Thanks🙂
-Kbird

I would recommend EMT for more medical hands on experience over CNA. Like a prev member posted, CNA's have the dirty tasks of cleaning bed pans etc, and are usually not able to do much more than that. I am an EMT, and I love it. However, it is what you make it. Some of my co-workers make fun of me because I will bring my clinicians pocketbook for medications and my stethoscope with me. I take every opportunity to learn as much as I can from each situation. Because of this, I think I will have an advantage over some of my medical school classmates, as far as patient care. Most students will still be in their awkward phase with patients where I believe I will be completely comfortable and ready to get my hands dirty.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure it is for good reason. Don't just do it to fluff up you app (med schools can usually see right through this!), because it would not be worth the effort. Good luck!

 

[MollyMalone]

Yea, the thing is by sticking an IV in someone and driving them to the hospital you really aren't experiencing anything about medicine. Physicians are problem solvers, therefore very little of the absolute basic first aid type things EMT perform are applicable to the practice of clinical medicine. I'm not saying its not a decent thing to have on the application, just that for someone who has not already invested the time in training etc your time could best be spent elsewhere.

You are most certainly experiencing something at the heart of medicine -- interaction with patients. If you don't think that's an important part of clinical practice, then you've got a philosophy that differs greatly from mine.

 

[deleted6669]

You are most certainly experiencing something at the heart of medicine -- interaction with patients. If you don't think that's an important part of clinical practice, then you've got a philosophy that differs greatly from mine.

agree- seeing pts in their home situation and how they present in the field BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE E.D. nicely cleaned up with an iv, pain controlled and not covered in vomit is a great way to get introduced to medicine.
a lot of real medicine happens in the field. there ARE complex medical cases that are stabilized in the field by medics before transport to a hospital....real medicine does happen outside of hospitals too......
glad to know that the last time I managed a seizing, hypotensive, diabetic tricyclic overdose in the field I wasn't learning anything about medicine during the time I intubated the pt, gave him multiple lifesaving meds and successfully defibrillated him.....all without ever speaking to a physician......
ps he walked out of the icu 2 days later with no deficits....

 

[heaterfeater]

The thing is, if you think all emts do is stick needles in them and drive them to the hospital then you are the one in great need of healthcare experience. Both Emts and CNAs have their moments just like a physician when they need to make quick livesaving decisions. The training and experience these people have is valuable, excellent preparation and character building. I hope that you can see these people as just as important as a doctor in what they do, if not you're going to run into a lot of trouble.

 

[SpinEcho13]

Of course EMT's/nurses/pharmacists are important parts of the healthcare system, I know firsthand what a difference a good EMT or RN can make in the treatment of a patient, but they are all DIFFERENT parts of that system. There is a reason we don't just have 20,000 physicians or nurses or EMTs without any of the others. Everyone does a slightly different job with different goals and responsibilities.

All I am saying is keep in mind what position you are going for by applying to med school, and participate in experiences that most parallel the responsibilities and actions associated with that job. Being an EMT might be great if you are specifically interested in being an ER doc, but I doubt many cardiologists, immunologists, or radiologists consciously think much about the specifics of how their patient was brought to the hospital, assuming no gross errors were made along the way.

Judging from the fact that pretty much all the responses to my posts are from EMT's, I must have struck a nerve and you guys feel personally attacked, so let me put it in a little less personally offensive way:

If you were an Electrical Engineer applying for jobs in the communications/networking industry which do you think would be a better experience, interning with an established engineering firm and working on research or product development with an EE MS or PhD or taking all the classes to be certified as a union electrician or cable installer and run wires/set up people's cable modems?

 

[shnjb]

So if you have no intention of becoming an ER doctor and you just want to have some good hands-on experience, EMT is a waste of time?

 

[SpinEcho13]

So if you have no intention of becoming an ER doctor and you just want to have some good hands-on experience, EMT is a waste of time?

Are you asking seriously or trying to polarize my arguement? It's not a waste of time necessarily, clearly you'll learn valuable skills and will probably enjoy yourself, but as a preMED there are probably things that would be a better use of your time if you're looking for the strongest app possible.

 

[DrBowtie]

Are you asking seriously or trying to polarize my arguement? It's not a waste of time necessarily, clearly you'll learn valuable skills and will probably enjoy yourself, but as a preMED there are probably things that would be a better use of your time if you're looking for the strongest app possible.

Part of the plus of EMT/CNA is responsibility. When you shadow, you do nothing. You observe but in the end you don't have any responsibility and you don't make a difference. If anything, you slow down the doc.

When you work as an EMT/CNA you have the responsibility albeit less than an MD, it is still some. You have to show up on time or the whole system has to pick up your slack.

 

[star22]

Emt>cna

Depends on your goals.... where I live, I think (although I am not positive) that as a CNA you would be paid better, there are more jobs available and the training time is shorter (so if you are trying to get as much clinical experience in the field as possible in a year or so, you'd probably get better mileage with a CNA). I think almost every department of the hospital has CNAs so you could have a lot of options. But, on the other hand, since there is more training for an EMT, you would get a wider variety of skills and working on an ambulance could be really exciting.

 

[star22]

So if you have no intention of becoming an ER doctor and you just want to have some good hands-on experience, EMT is a waste of time?

I am not sure if this was meant as a rhetorical question, but I would definitely say an EMT would be great experience regardless of the field you want to go into.

 

[star22]

Are you asking seriously or trying to polarize my arguement? It's not a waste of time necessarily, clearly you'll learn valuable skills and will probably enjoy yourself, but as a preMED there are probably things that would be a better use of your time if you're looking for the strongest app possible.

I am curious what you think would be better for the application than paid clinical experience with some autonomous clinical decision making (more for EMTs than CNAs). When EMTs/Paramedics arrive at a scene they have to decide what they are going to do to stablize the patient.... what could be closer to being a doctor than that?

 

[shnjb]

It was a serious question as I'm seriously considering taking EMT classes.

However I'm not sure how I would work as an EMT because I'd have school and there'd be little time left to work as an EMT.

 

[heaterfeater]

Based on your two choices and your time frame I would choose CNA because the training is quick, straight forward and there is a huge need for CNAs in a ton of different settings that you would have a better chance of finding somewhere that would work with your schedule. If you can prove yourself and show that you're a hard worker a lot of times they work even better with you and let it slide if you have to take time off for an exam or something like that.

Good luck!

 

[igcgnerd]

Yea, the thing is by sticking an IV in someone and driving them to the hospital you really aren't experiencing anything about medicine. Physicians are problem solvers, therefore very little of the absolute basic first aid type things EMT perform are applicable to the practice of clinical medicine.

This is one of the most ignorant posts I have seen. Unlike shadowing experience, you make the patient care decisions. Its not just sticking and IV and drivig someone to the hospital. Todays ambulances are mobile ER's. Everything, almost, a EM doc does we can do in the field. It is ignorance like your showing that causes the negative views towards EMS professionals when they are specialists that are highly trained in their profession of street medicine.

 

[MollyMalone]

Of course EMT's/nurses/pharmacists are important parts of the healthcare system, I know firsthand what a difference a good EMT or RN can make in the treatment of a patient, but they are all DIFFERENT parts of that system. There is a reason we don't just have 20,000 physicians or nurses or EMTs without any of the others. Everyone does a slightly different job with different goals and responsibilities.

All I am saying is keep in mind what position you are going for by applying to med school, and participate in experiences that most parallel the responsibilities and actions associated with that job. Being an EMT might be great if you are specifically interested in being an ER doc, but I doubt many cardiologists, immunologists, or radiologists consciously think much about the specifics of how their patient was brought to the hospital, assuming no gross errors were made along the way.

Judging from the fact that pretty much all the responses to my posts are from EMT's, I must have struck a nerve and you guys feel personally attacked, so let me put it in a little less personally offensive way:

If you were an Electrical Engineer applying for jobs in the communications/networking industry which do you think would be a better experience, interning with an established engineering firm and working on research or product development with an EE MS or PhD or taking all the classes to be certified as a union electrician or cable installer and run wires/set up people's cable modems?

I'm curious as to what has led you to form the opinions you've put forth in this thread.

 

[AWhitehair]

This is one of the most ignorant posts I have seen. Unlike shadowing experience, you make the patient care decisions. Its not just sticking and IV and drivig someone to the hospital. Todays ambulances are mobile ER's. Everything, almost, a EM doc does we can do in the field. It is ignorance like your showing that causes the negative views towards EMS professionals when they are specialists that are highly trained in their profession of street medicine.

 

[AWhitehair]

It was a serious question as I'm seriously considering taking EMT classes.

However I'm not sure how I would work as an EMT because I'd have school and there'd be little time left to work as an EMT.

If you get the cert. you should try and do something with it...even if it is just volunteering once a week on your local rescue unit.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

EMS professionals when they are specialists that are highly trained in their profession of street medicine.

There's a difference between highly trained, properly educated and technically competent. A fair percentage of EMS providers are the former, a small minority are the middle one, and most are simply the latter. This is coming from a former EMS supervisor and EMS educator.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

even if it is just volunteering once a week on your local rescue unit.

Please, for the love of Christ- not to mention the benefit of those at your mercy if you do become certified- volunteer more often than this. If you only volunteer once a week, you might get lucky to run more than two or three calls in that day. That is not enough to keep your skills up. The only more grave sin in EMS than not doing ANYTHING with your cert, is doing so little that you become counterproductive.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

EMT vs. CNA

It all comes down to whether you prefer to kiss asses or wipe them.....

 

[AWhitehair]

Please, for the love of Christ- not to mention the benefit of those at your mercy if you do become certified- volunteer more often than this. If you only volunteer once a week, you might get lucky to run more than two or three calls in that day. That is not enough to keep your skills up. The only more grave sin in EMS than not doing ANYTHING with your cert, is doing so little that you become counterproductive.

I was trying to make the point that if you are not going to use the cert, don't bother getting. Medical schools will usually discount it as a simple means to pad your app (which for some it is). I do agree that he/she should do more than a day...but, it was made clear that the poster was having diff. finding the time to work for pay, much less volunteer more than that. I think volunteering once a week is sufficient for medical school. There are many people who volunteer less than that for the rescue unit in Jax and do just fine (of course with supervision).

 

[QuikClot]

I'm surprised no one has specifically pointed out, for the OP's benifit, the vast difference between the EMT-B and the EMT-P.

The EMT-P is usually far too expensive and time-consuming to do simply to build your app. People like DropKick and I got into EMS as a career and moved into medicine. It is neither useful nor particularly helpful to get the certification (usually a two-year degree) simply to pave the way to medical school.

The EMT-B is more doable, but you have to be very aware of the kind of opportunities that exist for EMT-Bs in your area. More and more they are being pushed out of 911 in favor of EMT-Is and dual-paramedic systems. At their best, they are not starting IVs, pushing med.s and planning pt. care, although the more rural the enviroment, the better your chances. You should also remember that short-timers with no previous experience are in a poor position to compete for good jobs against other EMT-Bs (and there are a lot of those, because of the large number of would-be firefighters who get it for that).

I would say neither the EMT-B nor the CNA is going to get you a lot of good pt. care experience, and the CNA is going to be more lucrative and give you more exposure to the physician's typical practice enviroment.

As to the opinions expressed by Echo, I have to jump on the pile; Paramedics meet, take history, assess, plan and intervene. They run their scene, write the chart, and have to take responsibility for their diagnosis and their treatment. They perform 12-leads, intubate, crich, do IOs, select and push dozens of medications including morphine, Versed, epi, atropine, mag. sulfate, and dopamine.

Other than PAs and NPs, I don't know any other allied health professional whose work is so similiar to the work of a physician. Does anyone?

 

[AWhitehair]

I'm surprised no one has specifically pointed out, for the OP's benifit, the vast difference between the EMT-B and the EMT-P.

The EMT-P is usually far too expensive and time-consuming to do simply to build your app. People like DropKick and I got into EMS as a career and moved into medicine. It is neither useful nor particularly helpful to get the certification (usually a two-year degree) simply to pave the way to medical school.

The EMT-B is more doable, but you have to be very aware of the kind of opportunities that exist for EMT-Bs in your area. More and more they are being pushed out of 911 in favor of EMT-Is and dual-paramedic systems. At their best, they are not starting IVs, pushing med.s and planning pt. care, although the more rural the enviroment, the better your chances. You should also remember that short-timers with no previous experience are in a poor position to compete for good jobs against other EMT-Bs (and there are a lot of those, because of the large number of would-be firefighters who get it for that).

I would say neither the EMT-B nor the CNA is going to get you a lot of good pt. care experience, and the CNA is going to be more lucrative and give you more exposure to the physician's typical practice enviroment.

As to the opinions expressed by Echo, I have to jump on the pile; Paramedics meet, take history, assess, plan and intervene. They run their scene, write the chart, and have to take responsibility for their diagnosis and their treatment. They perform 12-leads, intubate, crich, do IOs, select and push dozens of medications including morphine, Versed, epi, atropine, mag. sulfate, and dopamine.

Other than PAs and NPs, I don't know any other allied health professional whose work is so similiar to the work of a physician. Does anyone?

This is the key factor. CNA jobs around here are not by any means considered a lucrative postion. I must point out that while I agree with most of what quikclot has stated above, I strongly disagree that EMT-B's do not get a lot of pt care exp. Look up the word "care" (def: the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something), and you will find the heart of EMS. Seriously, as corny as that may sound...you can't say EMT-B's do not care for patients. Patient care in the medical sense usually does not start with a pill and diagnosis. It starts with empathy and a desire to help someone. Listening to them and "attending" to them as needed. :steps off soapbox:

 

[shnjb]

It sounds like EMT would not be something worth doing for someone in my situation.
So let me get this straight.

If I get an EMT certification and I'm not looking to get paid, it will still be difficult to volunteer once a week in an ambulance?

 

[AWhitehair]

It sounds like EMT would not be something worth doing for someone in my situation.
So let me get this straight.

If I get an EMT certification and I'm not looking to get paid, it will still be difficult to volunteer once a week in an ambulance?

Not necessarily, it really depends on the volunteer criteria of your local ambulance service. Some require you to volunteer more than others.

 

[QuikClot]

This is the key factor. CNA jobs around here are not by any means considered a lucrative postion. I must point out that while I agree with most of what quikclot has stated above, I strongly disagree that EMT-B's do not get a lot of pt care exp. Look up the word "care" (def: the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something), and you will find the heart of EMS. Seriously, as corny as that may sound...you can't say EMT-B's do not care for patients. Patient care in the medical sense usually does not start with a pill and diagnosis. It starts with empathy and a desire to help someone. Listening to them and "attending" to them as needed. :steps off soapbox:

Understand, I worked as an EMT-B full time for several years. I know what it entails. And you have to look not only at the certification but at how the OP plans to use it, getting it quickly and working part-time. The likeihood of getting employment in a 911 system, a volunteer fire job, or even medical transport, are not great. Most likely, he'll be driving a wheelchair van, if he can find a job at all.

The CNA, though it does not pay well, pays better, at least in my area. CNAs are is constant demand, so it is easier to find work, and to choose an enviroment with maximal patient contact.

Certainally, many EMT-B employees do a lot of patient care and, constrained as they are, they still have more independance and autonomy than CNAs. I just don't think those are the type of jobs the OP is likely to get.

 

[QuikClot]

It sounds like EMT would not be something worth doing for someone in my situation.
So let me get this straight.

If I get an EMT certification and I'm not looking to get paid, it will still be difficult to volunteer once a week in an ambulance?

Depends on your area, but yes, it will. Working on an ambulance is not like working is fast food -- although it pays that way. Inquire in your area, but in Oregon, for example, neither Clackamas, Washington, nor Multnomah county even have EMS volunteers. The only way it might happen is in a rural area volunteering for a fire department, but that would require fire academy and a serious time commitment. In Washington (Clark county) there is a rural service, North Country EMS, that runs with EMT-B volunteers, but it is insanely competitive. Half the basics in a hundred-mile radius have tried to get in there.

Bottom line on the EMT-B; call your local providers. Take nothing for granted. I worked in the field five years and got my medic before the first time I was screaming down the road with lights and sirens. Ambulance work is high skill, high stakes, and (considered by many to be) high adventure. Competition is fierce, and often EMT-Bs are completely excluded from the type of work you are thinking of.

 

[shnjb]

Why is it that EMT cert appears to be so complicated to attain and the jobs competitive when the pay is so low?

I mean for god's sake, a high school grad might as well work at a restaurant.

Well, but then I think everyone in the health field is underpaid, but then I'm a bit biased.

 

[Nasrudin]

O.P.:

I wanted to echo what some have said about area specificity and to give you my case hx: I went straight from Emt-B certification night school to work as an E.R. tech in an emergency department for several reasons. The saturation of Emt-B's in my area due to heavy competition for fire department jobs drove down the wages and availability of jobs, because my city ranks among the most expensive in the world to live in lower wages of the less confining world of pre-hospital care steered my away from it, and the scheduling is weird--12 or 24 hour shifts--making classes harder to fit in. Full benefits for loved ones and higher wages favor the hospital employment in my experience. Note: your driver's license has to be immaculate in areas with high emt saturation as well.

I actually agree with the dude who was referring to the lack of specifically related skills involved and how they matter next to none in one's clinical development. However, what that poster fails to recognize in my opinion is that healthcare is an environment with unique pressures and up-close and personal interactions that happen at high speed from all directions, and it behooves anyone to acclimate themselves to this environment to make sure its a good fit for them--something not achievable by shadowing. You need to know how your going to handle yourself when the smell of somebod's crotch makes you want to puke or how your gonna deal with some battle axe of a nurse who wants to eat your first born child, these situations give you your main skill in healthcare no matter where you are in it--how to roll with the punches and keep your cool.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Hello all!

I've been looking into getting some "hands on" experience and was considering becoming a certified nursing assistant or an EMT.
I would perhaps like to work an ER, but am open to almost anything.

I was wondering if anyone can talk about the pros and cons of each, and which would be a more rewarding and dynamic experience, one which you will learn many useful skills and knowledge for med school. I would also love to hear about your experience as a CNA or EMT too!

Thanks🙂
-Kbird

Most ER's don't take CNA's unless they are at podunk hospitals.

If you want to have some "hands on" experience bathing old people and changing their diapers, then become a CNA.

If you want to save critical medical and trauma patients, become an EMT.

If you decide to work in the hospital, many train EMT's to start IV's. I would advise to work on the ambulance, because you get to do alot more, depending on your medic.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I'm surprised no one has specifically pointed out, for the OP's benifit, the vast difference between the EMT-B and the EMT-P.

The EMT-P is usually far too expensive and time-consuming to do simply to build your app. People like DropKick and I got into EMS as a career and moved into medicine. It is neither useful nor particularly helpful to get the certification (usually a two-year degree) simply to pave the way to medical school.

The EMT-B is more doable, but you have to be very aware of the kind of opportunities that exist for EMT-Bs in your area. More and more they are being pushed out of 911 in favor of EMT-Is and dual-paramedic systems. At their best, they are not starting IVs, pushing med.s and planning pt. care, although the more rural the enviroment, the better your chances. You should also remember that short-timers with no previous experience are in a poor position to compete for good jobs against other EMT-Bs (and there are a lot of those, because of the large number of would-be firefighters who get it for that).

I would say neither the EMT-B nor the CNA is going to get you a lot of good pt. care experience, and the CNA is going to be more lucrative and give you more exposure to the physician's typical practice enviroment.

As to the opinions expressed by Echo, I have to jump on the pile; Paramedics meet, take history, assess, plan and intervene. They run their scene, write the chart, and have to take responsibility for their diagnosis and their treatment. They perform 12-leads, intubate, crich, do IOs, select and push dozens of medications including morphine, Versed, epi, atropine, mag. sulfate, and dopamine.

Other than PAs and NPs, I don't know any other allied health professional whose work is so similiar to the work of a physician. Does anyone?

Incorrect. I went to paramedic school for free, since my volunteer service paid for it. It was only 2 nights a week for 8 months, and I was able to do pre-med full time during this time.

I also strongly disagree about the CNA being more "lucrative" and giving you more "exposure." As an EMT on the ambulance you will get GREAT exposure to medical and trauma patients. Being a CNA will get you exposure to dirty sheets.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Why is it that EMT cert appears to be so complicated to attain and the jobs competitive when the pay is so low?

I mean for god's sake, a high school grad might as well work at a restaurant.

Well, but then I think everyone in the health field is underpaid, but then I'm a bit biased.

EMT cert. is easy to attain. I got it in a month.

I don't think you should get paid very much for having a high school diploma + a one-month certificate.

 

[MollyMalone]

Stepping up again to debunk the myth that the only thing you can do with a CNA is wipe people's bottoms:

EMT work is great clinical experience but you can do interesting things as a CNA, too. When I was a CNA I worked in outpatient care (clinic), long-term care (nursing home), and acute care (hospital). This gave me a very broad perspective on our health care system. Emergencies are sexy, but you get a lot of very useful knowledge about the long term sequelae of those emergent events working in long term care/rehab. It's pretty cool to take care of the guy who wipes out on his motorcycle and comes in with a big head injury and road rash everywhere... but you'll wind up with a lot more in depth understanding of neurology when you see exactly what he can and can't do a year down the road. Similarly, it's very exciting to take care of someone presenting with an acute MI, but if you're a CNA in the CCU, you get to see what happens next. Yes, as a CNA you will wipe people's butts. You'll feed them and toilet them and help them get dressed and check their vital signs. You can, if you work in a hospital, do CPR, observe bedside procedures, be trained in a variety of tasks from glucose monitoring to telemetry to Foley catheterization, follow a patient's course of care from start to finish, and, if you play nice with others and the nurses like you, you can wind up seeing pretty much any variety of surgery you want to watch.

The experiences you get will be different, but that doesn't make one necessarily superior to the other.

What you do as a CNA depends greatly on where you work. If you don't like geriatrics, get a job at a children's hospital if there's one in your area or on an OB floor.

It also depends on the effort you put in. If you want to coast along doing as little as possible, sure, you're not going to get much out of the experience. If you actively show interest in learning, you can do much more. It is an excellent way to get your foot in the door at a facility which will facilitate shadowing and other experiences.

Also, and this is again a repeat, but it is not true everywhere that you must be an EMT to work in a decent-sized ED.

There's no one right way to get clinical experience. EMT is great for some people, especially those who can afford to not get paid. CNA is good for others. Some people like working as scrub techs or in medical imaging. Since it is true that the actual skills you learn on the job will be of little to benefit in medical school (anything you need to know will be taught to you there!), what really matters is that you have interaction with patients and with the various aspects of the health care system. And you get that in any of these positions.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

I've asked advisors and some adcoms about becoming an EMT or a CNA on the side (mainly to make some money, as post bacc is draining my funds badly, and to get some real clinical experience), and they always tell me that it's a waste of time to do at this point if you are committed to going to medical school. You are much better off volunteering your time where you can, even if it's not "trained" involvement, and concentrating on your academics. If you were an EMT or CNA before you decided to goto medical school, then that's great! But don't become one just so you can pad your medical school application is all.

 

[star22]

Most ER's don't take CNA's unless they are at podunk hospitals.
If you want to have some "hands on" experience bathing old people and changing their diapers, then become a CNA.

If you want to save critical medical and trauma patients, become an EMT.

If you decide to work in the hospital, many train EMT's to start IV's. I would advise to work on the ambulance, because you get to do alot more, depending on your medic.

Probably depends on where you are. I have volunteered in an ER (level 1 in Oregon) that had many CNAs. They took all of the initial vital signs, transported patients (to get xrays, etc), and other basic stuff.... not the most exciting, but its still paid clinical experience.

 

[md mayhem]

EMT cert. is easy to attain. I got it in a month.

I don't think you should get paid very much for having a high school diploma + a one-month certificate.

a month? I would tell the OP to check out the classes in his state, it took me a whole semester with an 8 credit course. The certification tests were very spread out timewise as well, I had to wait 3 months after I finished my class to take the written, I'd say together it took me 7 months to get certified, and by then I couldnt find the time to pick up a part time job as an EMT, or many volunteer opps since they are limited in big cities.

at least I got to do some ride-alongs for my certification.

 

[igcgnerd]

It was said earlier by someone that emt's are getting pushed out?

Over here in california, all counties are going 1 to 1 (1 emt to one paramedic).
Only the big cities have bls to handle transport, but all the smaller comunities only have als with an emt and paramedic. 80% of calls only require bls care meaning that an emt and medic could take turns driving. There is ample oprutunity for patient care where the emt makes the decisions. The amount of experience also depends on who you work with. You may have a medic partner that is very territorial about patients or one that gives you more autonomy.
EMT would be a more favorable experience because like i said earlier you actually make decisions also you are able to see what the medical field is like unlike the other such and such aplicants who have never been care providers that might go on to realize they hate sick people in their second year.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Probably depends on where you are. I have volunteered in an ER (level 1 in Oregon) that had many CNAs. They took all of the initial vital signs, transported patients (to get xrays, etc), and other basic stuff.... not the most exciting, but its still paid clinical experience.

Perhaps, but EMT's do more in the field.

 

[Tanner82]

I wouldn't trade my CNA experience for anything. How can ADCOM's not like the fact that you attend to patients on a daily basis. I've interacted with doctors (albeit not as much as nurses). I've been involved in codes, held ones hand as they died... But the daily care you give can't be matched in any entry level position. And the experience is unparallel. If you are interested in the emergency medicine, and can afford to undergoe the EMT training, by all means go for it. But the idiots who are saying it is completely irrelavent to a doctors daily work are somewhat right. However, NONE OF US ARE DOCTORS SEEING THIS IS A PRE-MD FORUM! We are all trying to get into med-school.... what better way to show your commitment compassion and commitment to patient-care... oh yeah a little $$ doesn't hurt either.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

But the idiots who are saying it is completely irrelavent to a doctors daily work are somewhat right. However, NONE OF US ARE DOCTORS SEEING THIS IS A PRE-MD FORUM! We are all trying to get into med-school.... what better way to show your commitment compassion and commitment to patient-care...

Fine then, someone PM LizzyM and ask her for the ADCOM perspective.