Pre-PA Professions

[chung2509]

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I am currently interested and probably will apply for PA schools this fall but I have a question. What are some jobs that I can do that will prepare me for PA school and that I can also put on applications? Would it be something like a medical assistant? Any other ideas, please feel free to respond, thanks.

 

[deleted6669]

EMT/ER TECH
RESP. THERAPIST
LPN/LVN
MEDICAL ASST.
PARAMEDIC
P.T. ASST.
RN
CNA
ortho tech
surg tech

The above are the most common.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

I am currently interested and probably will apply for PA schools this fall but I have a question. What are some jobs that I can do that will prepare me for PA school and that I can also put on applications? Would it be something like a medical assistant? Any other ideas, please feel free to respond, thanks.

phleb, CNA, MA, LPN, RN, EMT, EMTI, EMTP, OTA, PTA, RT, PT, OT, MLT, MT, AT, other T's

just playing with acronyms 😀 see the above guy's advice. he's like the PA guru around here.

 

[chung2509]

thanks, what about anything that doesnt require a license or certification to practice?

 

[ArkansasRanger]

thanks, what about anything that doesnt require a license or certification to practice?

ER clerk / tech? patient transport although they don't do much except push beds, fetch paperwork, and sweep up.

orderly? do those still exist?

outside that you're probably SOL since it's not good practice to have unregulated individuals engaged in healthcare

CNA and phlebotomy is rather short and easy to pick up. EMT could be done in a relatively short time as could "potentially" MA. The rest of the things on my list would take anywhere from a year to six years or more.

dental assistant maybe lol

 

[foreverLaur]

CNA only takes 2 weeks. Schools prefer or required direct patient care experience. You can't really get direct hands on patient care experience without having some sort of certification anymore.

 

[microbiofan]

I completed both the MA and CNA. I reccomend a community college for both. I paid 5000.00 for an MA certificate through a private college. It's also hard to land a job, but possible.

 

[foreverLaur]

As a CNA you perform vitals, bed baths, weeling out patients and changing lenins( I didn't work as one).

While that is true, that isn't all we do. At the hospital I am switching to, my job duties are as follows:

-vitals q4
-EKGs
-blood draws
-folleys
-wound dressing changes
-straight cath
-linen changes
-baths
-ambulate
-patient safety

Also, you should spell check your postings before you post them.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

While that is true, that isn't all we do. At the hospital I am switching to, my job duties are as follows:

-vitals q4
-EKGs
-blood draws
-folleys
-wound dressing changes
-straight cath
-linen changes
-baths
-ambulate
-patient safety

Also, you should spell check your postings before you post them.

Around here CNAs do not perform blood draws, do not insert folley catheters, and are not apt to even attached EKG leads. Mostly they're janitors that take blood pressure.

 

[foreverLaur]

Around here CNAs do not perform blood draws, do not insert folley catheters, and are not apt to even attached EKG leads. Mostly they're janitors that take blood pressure.

Maybe in a nursing home. Most the STNAs I have ran into in a nursing home are skilled lifters and severs. Not much real health care going on.

In hospitals, most all CNAs perform EKGs. I've yet to run into a hospital tech that doesn't do EKGs. It isn't remotely difficult. They took 5 mins out of the day to teach me how to perform an EKG. Inserting a folley requires some sort of training. Removing them is a piece of cake.

At the hospital I am currently at, we don't do blood draws, dressing changes, or folleys because we had issues in the past with nurses letting the techs do all of it and never actually going in to look at the patients wounds at all. We also created an entire new dept that does blood draws for the entire hospital.

I'm switching hospitals because I want to do more. If you find a hospital that won't even let you perform an EKG, look elsewhere.

 

[microbiofan]

While that is true, that isn't all we do. At the hospital I am switching to, my job duties are as follows:

-vitals q4
-EKGs
-blood draws
-folleys
-wound dressing changes
-straight cath
-linen changes
-baths
-ambulate
-patient safety

Also, you should spell check your postings before you post them.

Sorry! I got no time for spell check. Could you do that for me. I was just trying to give some quick info. I'm actually on my break, and people talking to me when I check the website. Got to go!!!!
Don't forget to spell check for me since you obviously don't have a life. Just look at the pic. you have on your username. That should say it all.

 

[bgm]

I noticed somone listed p.t assistant; would a physical therapist tech work as well? I know a lot of places do on the job training for that.

 

[deleted6669]

I noticed somone listed p.t assistant; would a physical therapist tech work as well? I know a lot of places do on the job training for that.

yup, that would be fine as long as there is direct patient care going on. if all you do is fetch ice packs that doesn't count.

 

[foreverLaur]

Sorry! I got no time for spell check. Could you do that for me. I was just trying to give some quick info. I'm actually on my break, and people talking to me when I check the website. Got to go!!!!
Don't forget to spell check for me since you obviously don't have a life. Just look at the pic. you have on your username. That should say it all.

That... I have nice legs? Thanks for the compliment. Guess those 17 years of gymnastics paid off.

I understand that spelling and grammar can be difficult at times. It was just a suggestion. People tend to better listen to your posts when they have correct spelling and use of grammar.

I apologize for correcting your incorrect information. I'll allow you to post false information next time.

Oh and web browsers have spell check built in, so it really isn't any extra work or time... I work four 12s a week at the hospital, teach at a University, and go to school so I'm quite busy myself, but thanks for the offer.

 

[Miss Mab]

I apologize for correcting your incorrect information. I'll allow you to post false information next time.

.

I, for one, can't imagine any more fitting example of the whole "Pay It Forward" concept than that right there.

Feel like Tom Cruise in Taps.
It's beautiful, Man!