possible to become a medical tech by getting CNA??

[libraryismyhome]

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I am thinking about working as a med assistant during my year off and was wondering whether it is possible to work as a med tech with CNA license.

 

[kcin]

You only get to wipe butts when you're a CNA.

 

[SoDakMLS]

A big, emphatic NO!

Laboratory Scientists and Technicians are certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP). To obtain certification, you must complete a clinical program (~6 months for technicians and ~12 months for Scientists in addition to an associate's or bachelor's degree, respectively) and pass a standardized comprehensive exam.

Being a lab tech is a real career, not just something to do for a summer!

 

[libraryismyhome]

A big, emphatic NO!

Laboratory Scientists and Technicians are certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP). To obtain certification, you must complete a clinical program (~6 months for technicians and ~12 months for Scientists in addition to an associate's or bachelor's degree, respectively) and pass a standardized comprehensive exam.

Being a lab tech is a real career, not just something to do for a summer!

I was talking about medical techs who work at private office and take vital signs. I am aware that med techs need to go through 1 year long schooling but I know a girl who did EMT and worked at a private office.

In addition, I am aware that CNA duties are menial, but they still teach bedside manner and dealing with the patients in the real world which cannot be found in an artificial volunteering world. Though I still don't want to wipe butts. 😀

 

[SoDakMLS]

My apologies for misunderstanding! There are some confusing and similar job titles out there!

Though I still don't want to wipe butts. 😀

Truer words have never been said! 🙂

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Being a lab tech is a real career, not just something to do for a summer!

Methinks I hear a non-premed CNA's head popping somewhere...

 

[apumic]

Methinks I hear a non-premed CNA's head popping somewhere...

I wouldn't worry too much. Almost no CNA wants to be a career CNA. Most are pre-nursing/nursing students. Many ED Techs are also nursing students. ED Techs, though, OP, are usually EMTs. This would be a much more interesting experience for you, I suspect...unless you really do like wiping 30-y/o crust off a 90-y/o butt. In which case, go CNA!

 

[libraryismyhome]

I wouldn't worry too much. Almost no CNA wants to be a career CNA. Most are pre-nursing/nursing students. Many ED Techs are also nursing students. ED Techs, though, OP, are usually EMTs. This would be a much more interesting experience for you, I suspect...unless you really do like wiping 30-y/o crust off a 90-y/o butt. In which case, go CNA!

Absolutely, but for EMTs, isn't it very difficult to get a job? I hear people saying that they go to fire school to get a job as an EMT.

 

[apumic]

Absolutely, but for EMTs, isn't it very difficult to get a job? I hear people saying that they go to fire school to get a job as an EMT.

EMT and CNA jobs are both entry-level and tend to be VERY oversaturated in most areas. It's unlikely you'd get anything in a hospital w/o doing some grunt-work (transport for the EMT, nursing home/assisted living) or volunteering first, regardless of the cert/license. EMTs have a MUCH wider scope of practice in most states, though, because we operate under a medical (not nursing) license. One nurse I worked with on an in-pt unit put it well: "The ED is the one place they let you guys do everything I would NEVER let a CNA or tech do to my patient for fear of losing my own license."

Really, your best bet as a premed is to get your EMT-B early on and do whatever sub-EMT-I upgrades are available in your state (e.g., IV, EKG, advanced airway mgmt). Then work as a volunteer for awhile (which will provide awesome clinical experience). Once you've done that for a good 6-12 mos, try applying for some ED Tech positions. For money, you might also get a transport job but do the volunteering as well because that will provide your legit clinical experience.

 

[willen101383]

My apologies for misunderstanding! There are some confusing and similar job titles out there!



Truer words have never been said! 🙂

As someone who spent many years in the clinical lab after college there is a huge difference. "lab techs"=clinical lab technologists. Medical technologists must have a bachelors+ASCP licensure and in some states state licensure in order to work....aka no way you can do this as a premed. Phleb yes...but actual technologist work no.

I know this isnt what the OP was talking about but I figured id throw that out there since it was my former career.

 

[SoDakMLS]

Methinks I hear a non-premed CNA's head popping somewhere...

That comment wasn't a slight on CNA's. I was sticking up for clinical lab staff. It's a somewhat common occurrence that a nurse/patient/random person asks "So did you go to college for that?"

I saw the phrase "med tech" (which is sometimes how you might abbreviate the term Medical Technologist) in the OP and was afraid someone else was making that same mistake.

And that's the lasso of truth! 🙂

 

[docjlud]

Here in South Florida--

EMTs are overabundant and jobs as an ED Tech (at least at the hospital where I work) are nearly impossible to find and working as an EMT for Medics or AMR or similar ambulance transport companies doesn't seem like great clinical experience (at least from the ones ive seen)

CNA license is much easier to get, much less expensive, and takes a lot less time than EMT (which is why i did it).....just take a week-long class and challenge the CNA clinical exam....ALSO, Hospital CNA jobs are not too difficult to find (we are currently hiring quite a few at my hospital)

Contrary to the general vibe on this thread, CNA work is not as dull as it sounds.....I've worked as a CNA on a busy orthopedics floor for the past 1.5 years...I spend 95% of my time with my patients and while i do some grunt work (and--gasp--even wipe a few butts) most of my work is like that of a physical therapy assistant--helping patients walk to the bathroom, getting them in and out of bed, setting up CPM machines and bucks tractions, etc... Bottom line, it has been GREAT clinical experience......it helps you develop your bedside manner, and you work with all of the same people you will be working with as a doctor--Nurses, PTs, PAs, docs, etc.. so you get to see close up and personal what your future hospital patients go through during the other 23 hours and 55 minutes of the day when you are not visiting them..

My experiences also gave me great conversational pieces for my medical school interviews.....

 

[Doctor246853]

I am thinking about working as a med tech during my year off and was wondering whether it is possible to work as a med tech with CNA license.

You shouldnt have said med tech..I think you meant to say medical assistant.

 

[willen101383]

That comment wasn't a slight on CNA's. I was sticking up for clinical lab staff. It's a somewhat common occurrence that a nurse/patient/random person asks "So did you go to college for that?"

I saw the phrase "med tech" (which is sometimes how you might abbreviate the term Medical Technologist) in the OP and was afraid someone else was making that same mistake.

And that's the lasso of truth! 🙂

YUP. Nurse-"I think I know whats up I did go to nursing school, did you even go to college?"
Me- "Um, yeah and if you are an LPN I went for 6 times longer than you! Hangs up."

It has happened many a time in various permutations.

Youre an MLS? I am an old school MT! haha albeit the same thing

 

[libraryismyhome]

You shouldnt have said med tech..I think you meant to say medical assistant.

yeah my bad... sorry folks. I meant medical assistant

 

[wholeheartedly]

yeah my bad... sorry folks. I meant medical assistant

That's alright, it's a common issue. Heck looking for jobs as a medical lab scientist can suck because HR will list Medical Technologist in two places and in one it will be medical assistant job and the other will be the lab scientist job and you can't tell until you open up the listing and see the job description😛
That was why the new designation went to Medical Laboratory Scientist, except you don't see it widely in use so you still have to search for medical technologist to see most of the jobs.

and yeah, the did you go to college for that questions get old fast...

 

[willen101383]

Good to see lots of MT/CLS people here. It is a HUGEEEEEE help in medical school 🙂

 

[Morzh]

The ER I work at ONLY hires CNAs as ER techs, not EMTs. They used to hire EMTs but management decided CNAs make better ER techs. They don't get to push meds, but they do a lot more than wipe butts and take vitals, especially when traumas role in.

[edit] Ah... should have read the rest of the thread before posting. I thought by "med tech" you were just referring to general hospital techs.

 

[clinicallabguy]

YUP. Nurse-"I think I know whats up I did go to nursing school, did you even go to college?"
Me- "Um, yeah and if you are an LPN I went for 6 times longer than you! Hangs up."

It has happened many a time in various permutations.

Youre an MLS? I am an old school MT! haha albeit the same thing

My favorite is running chemistries and a sample has <2 mg/dL Ca, and >14 mmol/L K. When you tell the nurse that you know s/he poured blood from an EDTA tube into an SST, s/he looks at you like "how the #$%@ did you know?"

I know I'm a nerd but I always get excited when I meet CLS people on SDN.