Those with healthcare jobs! What do you do?

[Alpha13]

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I have a light load next semester and want to fill the void by training for something to get a decent job for the next couple years. I see there are several types of jobs that pay decent and the training is less than 1 semester so I have many options. Here are a few I'm considering


EMT - probably my 1st choice because a EMT friend's always telling me how cool it is. pay is less than others though at around $12/hr

Monitor tech - Some people said it ok and the pay is decent (~$15) but hard to find a job.

Phlebotomist - Don't know much about this one except pay is decent ~$14


Any comments on the above jobs or anything else? Doesn't even have to be healthcare actually. I'm looking for anything that requires no more than a semester training, pays relatively good and preferably is interesting to do. 👍

 

[DropkickMurphy]

I'd go with phlebotomy. The hours are decent, the work is easy, and if you are good your patients will love you.

I recommend against going into EMS for the supposed "cool" factor....that's like becoming a premed because a gunner tells you how competitive it is.

 

[Sophie]

Do you have any research experience? I did clinical research for a year at the VA, and it paid pretty decently (~$19/hr). The only requirements were: bio or psych/sociology major, research experience, and good GPA. During my 40 hours a week I spent around 10 hours talking to vets about smoking, 10 hours working with SPSS, Excel, and doing analyses, and the other 20 hours hanging out with my coworkers (playing cards, watching TV, etc).

If you're interested, I found my job posted on craigslist, but I know there's a federal government job website somewhere, too.

 

[Queenshawtii]

^that's awesome I'm looking for another job and that sounds interesting if i can find that in my city.

I know a couple people that work for the labs. (when urine, feces or blood has to be tested) I'm not sure what thier title is or how much they are paid. I'm sure someone else might.

 

[Jccripe]

you could become a CNA, certified nurses aid. It pays a little less 10-14 depends on the facilities needs. The good thing is that it really alows for you to work on patient care and compassion. If you can put up with a lot of ****(literally) then it is a good job. Also, cna positions are open at every nursing home and some hospitals ie very easy to get a job.

 

[Brujo]

I agree with DropKick. I would advise against being an EMT un less you have a real interest in the work. If you are interested then go for it. If you get in with a good solid program you will learn allot of real word application to your education. EMS is a great place to learn and practice. I have been involved for 14yrs and have loved every minute of it!!!
If your looking to EM for your final goal then definitly go spend sometime as an EMT. Personally there is nothing worse to me than a ER doc that likes to tell me how to do my job when they have never worked the streets. Not all are like that but i have worked with a few that were.
Any way good luck on the job hunting.
Brujo

 

[DrJen]

I took a CNA class last spring, and I loved it. Even just during clinicals, I got so attached to some of the nursing home residents. I am now working as a hospital ward clerk, though, and I love that too. Not much patient interaction, but you learn a ton about orders and have a lot of interaction with the doctors. In the meantime, I'm doing volunteer work that involves more patient care to make up for it.

 

[genyfer]

Try looking into working as a clinical research study coordinator. You technically don't need to go through a formal training program. It's pretty basic stuff in that you handle a lot of paper work (ensuring data accuracy and data entry), but what I like about it the most is seeing patients almost every day--getting brief medical histories from them, vitals, EKGs, etc. Pay is decent ($21+/hr). 🙂

 

[bacteriophage]

I am a CNA over the summers. It is a very demanding job because you are on your feet all the time. However, you get a lot of patient contact and experience that is valuable for medical school. And you can get hired anywhere.

 

[MicroBugs]

I randomly got a job as an Endoscopy Tech. Want to see some unique stuff, that's the way to go. Some have various requirements, but I was already EMT cert'd so I was "qualified". No day is the same, that's for sure. I get to work side by side with the docs and pick their brains. I see all aspects of the hospital really since we travel all over to the units, to rad and such. It's neat... but I've learned, I do NOT want to be a GI doc!

 

[XtraStrength]

What are the qualifications for these jobs?
I got on experience except volunteering. 😳

 

[KarEntropy]

I agree that phlebotomy is a good idea. I knew I was going to take 2 years off, so I got certified in phlebotomy in a 12.5 week class in Chicago. If you live near a large city there are bound to be several places to choose from to suit your schedule, and my class was very easy-going. Many employers want you to have at least a year experience before they hire you, but I would guess that's the same with other fields. But some places (such as Cook County Hospital in Chicago) will let you volunteer to get some experience and a letter of reference. Personally, I really like phlebotomy! I would recommend it!

 

[LastOneStanding]

Well so I do both clinical research and EMT work, and I'd recommend both.

I'm into EMS for work as an EMT really is fun and sometimes exciting for me. I like the fact that I'm the care provider for that short trip to the hospital. For better or worse, there's not 15 people around you telling you what to do.

just so you know "clinical research" is a really broad term. I set up a huge database and most of my day-to-day work is computer based med-records reviewing. I also interviewed for jobs that would have me drawing blood and spending partial time in the laboratory processing surgical samples.

At this job I've been involved in getting OR bloods and specimens and even doing Fine Needle Biopsies on tumors in the pathology room as they come out from surgeries!!

But what brought me to this job, is that the disease I work with I'm really interested in (mesothelioma). So look around, find something you're interested in, and find a way to get a job in that area!! it makes it a lot easier get up and go to work, and to talk about what you're doing in interviews, and you'll probably do more/better work!!🙂

 

[Alpha13]

I randomly got a job as an Endoscopy Tech. Want to see some unique stuff, that's the way to go. Some have various requirements, but I was already EMT cert'd so I was "qualified". No day is the same, that's for sure. I get to work side by side with the docs and pick their brains. I see all aspects of the hospital really since we travel all over to the units, to rad and such. It's neat... but I've learned, I do NOT want to be a GI doc!

Endoscopy tech looks pretty sweet. You're saying there's no specific license for that job? Or do you need to be an EMT?

I'm torn between EMT and phleb right now, both seem like cool jobs 😎

 

[DropkickMurphy]

If you're seriously interested in EMS, I would recommend becoming a member at http://www.fieldmedics.com/forum

 

[Alpha13]

Well it looks like EMT doesn't pay as well as I thought ($10 or less) so that's out.

Is anyone a monitor or EKG tech? how is pay? Is it tough to find a job?

 

[MicroBugs]

Endoscopy tech looks pretty sweet. You're saying there's no specific license for that job? Or do you need to be an EMT?

I'm torn between EMT and phleb right now, both seem like cool jobs 😎

Nope no license. I think I just had to be BLS certified, so I really didn't even have to be an EMT. I just had to show an interest. I'm definitely over-qualified since I have my B.S. already and working towards MPH, but oh well, it's clinical experience and I've learned A TON. But like an above message, I love being an EMT too. Just as a basic you don't do a ton of care, but you assist the ALS providers. Learning a ton there too. I volunteer and it's been totally worth it.

As for better paying clinical gigs, it's all based upon your license and level of certification. I know some monitor gigs require you be at least an LPN (at my hospital), but others just require a monitor course. Depending on where you live, the pay isn't likely to be much higher than the EMT. I'm not the expert, this is all based on my hospital.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Around here the monitor techs make between $9-11 an hour depending on the training they possess. To contrast, an EMT (if you can find a paying job with a decent company that doesn't treat its employees like slave labor) makes between $6-9 an hour.

 

[Queenshawtii]

Whoa. I didn't realize that EMTs make that little. i thought the pay range was at least $10+ an hour.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Whoa. I didn't realize that EMTs make that little. i thought the pay range was at least $10+ an hour.

Paramedics (which requires a 2 year degree) around here make about $15-16 an hour.....when my cousin finally quit EMS after 22 years as a paramedic, he was only making $22 an hour as the shift supervisor for a major national ambulance company. By comparison, with my RT credentials (also a 2 year degree), I made that straight out, not counting shift differential, sign-on bonus, relocation, etc.

BTW, when I started as an EMT, I was paid $5.75 an hour, which was a dollar an hour less than I was making dispatching the ambulances for the same service.