Same ol' story

[jc812]

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Hi everyone. A bit long, but please read on.

I'm sure that these are FAQ but I desperately need your valued help!

I am still in school at the moment and am obtaining my bachelor's in Bio. I have thought and stressed over my options in a career pathway, as I work as an optometric tech. I really do enjoy interactions with patients and love that I can tell them everything I know when they ask questions. I've thought about a career in becoming a PA and realize that there are certain experiences that schools will require before even considering my application: patient contact of around 4000 hours (amongst many others)

the few examples: hospital/ED technician, nursing assistant/aide, EMT/Paramedic, OR technicians, PT assistant, respiratory therapy aide, etc.

I was searching for jobs online and have found that even these jobs require certification of some type.

Mind you, I'm still in school.. and have zero certification. How am I supposed to get the patient contact hours if I won't even be considered for the job?

 

[deleted6669]

1. GET A CERT. ( EMT, MEDICAL ASST., ETC)-takes less than 6 months of part time classes. there are even accelerated classes that can be done in a month or less.
2. GET A JOB, ANY JOB, USING THAT CERT AND/OR VOLUNTEER USING THE CERT
3. GET EXPERIENCE
4. GET A BETTER JOB

for pa general info see www.aapa.org
for a pa specific forum see www.physicianassistant.net
for optional pa residencies in a variety of fields see www.appap.org

 

[DropkickMurphy]

respiratory therapy aide

Just FYI It's respiratory therapist (except for a very few podunk hospitals that hire RT student to fill spots and they can't call them RT's yet so they call them something like "respiratory therapy assistant"). It requires an associate's degree to become an RT now, in addition to passing at least one and preferably (if you want decent job opportunities) three exams.

 

[jc812]

1. GET A CERT. ( EMT, MEDICAL ASST., ETC)-

I saw online they cost about 300-600 dollars?

With school and a part time job, is this something i need to wait until summer to do? i'll even be taking summer classes.. maybe.

 

[deleted6669]

I saw online they cost about 300-600 dollars?

With school and a part time job, is this something i need to wait until summer to do? i'll even be taking summer classes.. maybe.

if you do the online versions of these courses you will still have to do a few days at the training ctr to go over and be tested on practical/procedural skills. the sooner you get a cert, the sooner you can use it and the more hrs you can accrue.

 

[jc812]

i've been searching online, and it's hard finding a school that offers a cna program. Does anyone know any georgia cna programs?

 

[mycathatesyou]

Look in the local classifieds. Lots of times, local hospitals/nursing homes will offer to train CNA's for free (as long as you work for them for x amt of time).

Before I started school, I worked as a CNA for a year. The job isn't as bad as people make it out to be - just be prepared to do lots of manual labor...


And smell bad.

 

[AAhopeful]

sounds fun

 

[Febrifuge]

I earned my EMT-B cert in summer school, while doing my 45-hour-a-week job and doing my "volunteer one night a week in the ED" thing. It cost about 800 bucks, but in tax season I was able to take a deduction for it, because the rules said the Hope deduction (or maybe it was the continuing education one) applies to anything that leads to a certificate. The amount came right off my taxable income.

 

[jc812]

also, does the school you attend have any impact on who hires you after you graduate?