Whats more important Lab Tech or EMT

[Steelersfan2009]

I just graduated and am thinking about doing either doing EMT or getting a Lab tech Job. The times of the class would conflict with a full time lab tech job so I will only be able to do one.
I'm going to do one of these before the next cycle start
Texas resident
I have an MCAT of 35
GPA 3.6/3.4 .. didn't know how to study for a couple of sciences freshman year lol.. and made a few more Bs than I wanted senior year 🙁

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[sf3m]

It depends on what you're interested in and how much hands on experience you want. Being an EMT definitely gives you great training in patient interactions and assessments, but only if you decide to volunteer/work at a rescue squad or agency after your EMT class. If you simply take the class only and don't actually plan on doing field work, I would keep your Lab Tech job. Speaking from personal experience, I've been an EMT for 36 hours/week for 3 years, and I wouldn't trade that experience for anything. I've learned a ton about patient care. Another thing to keep in mind though, is if you're taking an EMT-Basic class, don't plan on "saving the world" right off the bat. EMT-B's basically learn how to do general assessments and simple tasks, the upper level certifications are where you get to give drugs and do advanced interventions. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions.

 

[Moonglow]

EMT is it's own thing, which requires specific classes/study along with state certification; look into available lab work, that experience is valuble.

 

[halekulani]

whichever you find to be more interesting will be most valuable to you.

 

[Steelersfan2009]

Thank you all so much, I will take all these advices into consideration.

 

[mvenus929]

What do you do as a lab tech? Are you a research lab tech, one in the hospital, an outpatient clinic?

Being a lab tech in a hospital setting can be a valuable experience, but you'll get more patient interaction as an EMT, should you actually work in the field. Depends on what you want out the experience, I guess.

 

[Jlaw]

Like others said, EMT will give you patient experience. As an EMT you will learn how to walk into a stressful situation and take over the room. If you want to be a trauma surgeon, ED doctor, etc, then you will be best off being an EMT.

Alot of 1st year med students can't take a BP and get a history. If you've been an EMT you will be doing that and halfway to a diagnosis.

 

[Steelersfan2009]

Like others said, EMT will give you patient experience. As an EMT you will learn how to walk into a stressful situation and take over the room. If you want to be a trauma surgeon, ED doctor, etc, then you will be best off being an EMT.

Alot of 1st year med students can't take a BP and get a history. If you've been an EMT you will be doing that and halfway to a diagnosis.

I see solid advice! thanks a lot.

and I pmed Mvenus about her question.

 

[Ginger Ale]

Sadly I am no longer an active EMT (though I still have a license) volunteering as an EMT was a really good experience, and helped me talk about patient contact and what not when I interviewed for some 7 year medical programs

Best of luck!

 

[Paramedic2DocMD]

Im not a expert on med school or lab tech, but one thing I know is EMS.
Im still in my undergrad. I would not trade my time as a EMT-Basic for anything. So far as the Medic (EMT-P) role on the truck I go back time and time again to my BLS skills (EMT-Basic). If you have shadowed a doc then you have seen him/her in their setting and such. Though have you truly worked with sick/ill/injured patients to tell you if thats what you want to do. EMS is a great way to do that to get an idea. The above poster hit the nail on the head, don't get pumped up to save the world. Rather come to it looking to interact with patients. Who knows you may walk away with some great assessment skills that will help you down the road.
Then again I started in EMS before I had a desire to go after
being a doc.

In the end do what you think will benefit you the most in your path.

 

[kami333]

I'm a lab tech but I would probably vote EMT, unless you have a very strong interest in research and want to do a MD/PhD.

Though I will say that depending on the setting (academic research, for-profit research, or hospital lab) and the lab itself, your schedule as a lab tech might be very flexible. I've been working full time and have taken 12-18credits/semester for the last 3 years, though I usually try to only take one or two classes during the day to minimize disruption but the downside is I come in a lot in the evenings and weekends.

 

[Steelersfan2009]

I'm a lab tech but I would probably vote EMT, unless you have a very strong interest in research and want to do a MD/PhD.

Though I will say that depending on the setting (academic research, for-profit research, or hospital lab) and the lab itself, your schedule as a lab tech might be very flexible. I've been working full time and have taken 12-18credits/semester for the last 3 years, though I usually try to only take one or two classes during the day to minimize disruption but the downside is I come in a lot in the evenings and weekends.

ya this is what I'm hoping that it will be flexible that I might be able to do both. Thanks!

 

[neskalee]

I'm ignorant to the whole EMT deal. Do you take a course, pass a test and then become certified? Then you have to find a job? What do you actually do at the first level?

 

[sf3m]

At the first level you learn how to take and interpret vital signs and do a thorough patient assessment, which are both useful skills. You learn with experience how to better interpret your findings in your assessment to get a good idea of what might be going on with your patient, like solving a puzzle. As for interventions, at the first level in most states, you can only give oxygen, assist patients with the use of their own, preprescribed nitroglycerin, inhaler, or epi pen, and you can give oral glucose to hypoglycemic patients that can swallow. In most states, that's about it for EMT-Basics, but don't be fooled, the experience you'll gain through patient interaction and assessment is very valuable.

The class in most states is 120 hours of classroom at which point you take a state or national registry test to become certified as an EMT Basic. After this, to get the real experience that you or med schools care about, you join an agency and run shifts with them and go through their release process until they "release" you to be the sole provider in the back of the truck with the patient. It's great experience if you follow it all the way through, plus EMT-B, of course, is your gateway to the upper levels of EMT.

 

[oaklandguy]

Both are awesome choices, I personally would choose the EMT because as a lab tech your dealing with chemicals, proteins, blood, etc. As an EMT you are actually dealing with patients.

EMT-B is usually a 1 semester course offered at community colleges or specific training sites that includes 60 hours of clinical rotations. To pass the course one must pass the written part of the class and a practical examination as well (at least with my course). The course I took also had a rule where you had to have an 80% to pass the class and be able to take the National Certification Exam.

You learn basic skills: CPR, trauma/medical assessments, splinting, epi-pen, immobilizing to a backboard, extrication, mass casualty incidents, different tissue injuries, basic human anatomy, some basic diseases and meds so you know what is going on with a patient, how to treat shock, how to control bleeding, how to give oxygen, etc. What is awesome is on the clinical rotations most of the EMT's will allow you to give the oxygen, make you take vitals, and allow you to splint and just get experience in. It's really a hands-on job and you learn quickly that you have to be assertive and hands-on. You get the butterflies out very quickly when you are put in the real world situations and you get a patient bleeding profusely, or a patient with a deteriorating blood pressure. I recommend the EMT as far as patient interaction goes, but the Lab Tech job would also be helpful.

 

[neskalee]

That actually sounds like a great opportunity. I have looked up some summer courses for this at my local cc.

I'm excited!

my dad used to be an EMT/volunteer fireman.

 

[MT2MD]

To answer your title question with regards to which is more important. Without EMT, patients will die before they get to the hospital. Without Lab Tech, patients will die at the hospital.

 

[Steelersfan2009]

To answer your title question with regards to which is more important. Without EMT, patients will die before they get to the hospital. Without Lab Tech, patients will die at the hospital.

Lol well put.

And thank you ALL for the great advice, merry Christmas everyone!

 

[willen101383]

Lol well put.

And thank you ALL for the great advice, merry Christmas everyone!

MT2MD..You should have clarified you cannot just jump into a hospital med tech position without your MT. 😉 Dont make it seem like our jobs are without credentials!

I dont know if the OP is talking about a clinical lab job or not. But you cannot walk into a lab without experience and work as a med tech. You either need to have a bachelors in a med tech program, or a bachelors, a year long internship, then sit for the ASCP exam..before you are eligible.

That being said, being a med tech has given me so much. Clinical lab medicine is very cool. You have knowledge of virtually every diagnostic test out there, typical reference ranges, looking at manual diffs, urine micros, blood bank, etc. Dont forget phlebotomy...which is where you DO deal with patients (if your facility doesnt have full time phlebs). You are really part of the "diagnostic team." You are trained to do things the docs...save for pathologists perhaps...are not...so you are really vital.
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[MT2MD]

Oops, I read Med Tech by accident 😛. I read way too many gram stains today. My eyes must not be working. Yea, if you want to work as a Med Tech, you need special qualification like what willen101383 said. I'd like to think that we are the backbone of the hospital 😎

 

[kami333]

One thing to keep in mind is that there is a lot of variance in the availability of EMT jobs if the main point of being a tech or EMT is money. In a lot of big cities you won't get hired without a load of experience, in a lot of rural areas there are very few paid positions.

 

[willen101383]

Oops, I read Med Tech by accident 😛. I read way too many gram stains today. My eyes must not be working. Yea, if you want to work as a Med Tech, you need special qualification like what willen101383 said. I'd like to think that we are the backbone of the hospital 😎

I am actually stuck at work today!! Gettin slammed too. We are the backbone of the hospital. Docs would be in trouble without the lab. Its a very specialized field...not something the OP could just get into without specialized training. Ive been doin this for years and I still see new things routinely.

Ive never been an EMT but I feel like EMTs are a dime a dozen amongst med school applicants (not discounting this as a great experience). The only lab job the OP could get while still an undergrad is a phleb. I loved my years as a phleb. You learn how the hospital works, what all the different disciplines actually do, learn the basics of the lab and what tests are run, etc. You get to chat with the patients, learn their stories, and of course draw their blood. If you are good at drawing you can get pretty close to certain patients, (if they are a hard stick and you are the only one who can get them). Best of all...you arent really nursing's b1tch. You get forced to draw a lot of labs that nursing could likely get...but you arent cleaning up poopy patients and the like! In my experience..as a phleb, you can fly under the radar and really learn a lot from docs..once they know you are looking to go to medical school

 

[mvenus929]

I dont know if the OP is talking about a clinical lab job or not. But you cannot walk into a lab without experience and work as a med tech. You either need to have a bachelors in a med tech program, or a bachelors, a year long internship, then sit for the ASCP exam..before you are eligible.

Each hospital has a slightly different way that they run the lab (which is one of the reasons I asked for a definition of lab tech above), and in some hospitals, lab techs are not equal to med techs. Lab techs might receive the specimens, order tests, even do things like prepare slides or send-out tests. We don't have that title at our hospital (only med techs, lab aides, and phlebs).

I am actually stuck at work today!! Gettin slammed too.

You guys are getting slammed? Past morning run this morning, we were really slow. Our blood bank tech was bored out of his mind, and our core lab techs spent most of their day in the breakroom.

 

[avksx]

Are EMT pre-meds as common as willen claims?


None the less, I'd rather be a volunteer EMT for a year and call it clinical experience than deliver flowers and tend to the gift shop and call it clinical.

 

[willen101383]

Each hospital has a slightly different way that they run the lab (which is one of the reasons I asked for a definition of lab tech above), and in some hospitals, lab techs are not equal to med techs. Lab techs might receive the specimens, order tests, even do things like prepare slides or send-out tests. We don't have that title at our hospital (only med techs, lab aides, and phlebs).



You guys are getting slammed? Past morning run this morning, we were really slow. Our blood bank tech was bored out of his mind, and our core lab techs spent most of their day in the breakroom.

Yeah..I see what you are saying. More like phlebs/spec. processing people. Yes we (I) am getting slammed because I am the only med tech in here today!!!! Typical load of gen lab stuff...but of course I had a patient who needed units stat....and ended up having an antibody without any Hx here....and then I had to ID that...and now I am finalllllly getting units from the ARC now! Pfew!!!

 

[Steelersfan2009]

Wow I love all the great responses! I appreciate them all!

For the record the lab jobs I'm going for is either going to be a research job/ or preparing stuff for Undergrads for their intro bio courses. I've already finished all the preparatory work for EMT basic class and that will start on the 19th, but I might take a paying job as a lab tech if I receive an offer before the 19th.

Enjoy the rest of your Christmas everyone.. and for those who are still working, don't forget to take a break and drink some egg nogg!

Happy Holidays

 

[NAVYLABTECH08]

I just graduated and am thinking about doing either doing EMT or getting a Lab tech Job. The times of the class would conflict with a full time lab tech job so I will only be able to do one.
I'm going to do one of these before the next cycle start
Texas resident
I have an MCAT of 35
GPA 3.6/3.4 .. didn't know how to study for a couple of sciences freshman year lol.. and made a few more Bs than I wanted senior year 🙁

I worked in a ER (hospital) setting as a Lab Technologist. I think med lab is very important to a future doc. You get a heads up on many lab tests and their understanding. Most medicine need knowledge in lab science. Do you know how many residents and interns and som attending lost cool points by asking stupid lab questions like, " if my purple top is clotted, why can't you remove the clot and test a CBC the same tube?" SAD! However, EMT gets you expousure to patient interation. If you want to be ER doc, then go EMT. If not, go lab. Besides, the pay is a lot more as a lab tech than emt.

 

[NAVYLABTECH08]

incorrect. Lab tech and lab technologist are different. a Lab tech is not a processor or phlebotomist unless you are in the military. wil is correct. no actual bench work can be done unless you are at least a lab technician or a technologist. techinian = technologist in most cases except pay and lab management positions. technicians can never be in charge of technologist. technician = AS and technologist = BS with some having MS.

 

[avksx]

Do you know how many residents and interns and som attending lost cool points by asking stupid lab questions like, " if my purple top is clotted, why can't you remove the clot and test a CBC the same tube?" SAD!

Pssh! Anyone with half a brain knows that a CBC measures the concentration of leukocytes, erythrocytes and thrombocytes in the blood and that the relative density of these cell is disrupted through the aggregation of a blood clot.

 

[willen101383]

Pssh! Anyone with half a brain knows that a CBC measures the concentration of leukocytes, erythrocytes and thrombocytes in the blood and that the relative density of these cell is disrupted through the aggregation of a blood clot.

Haha that made me laugh. You would think....but the things i have heard come out of many people's mouths (cough cough nurses) is just amazing to me. Not too long ago our brilliant phleb spun down a lav top...took some plasma off to freeze for a bnp...then gave me the tube back for a cbc. A crit of 60 percent? lol eek.

 

[willen101383]

incorrect. Lab tech and lab technologist are different. a Lab tech is not a processor or phlebotomist unless you are in the military. wil is correct. no actual bench work can be done unless you are at least a lab technician or a technologist. techinian = technologist in most cases except pay and lab management positions. technicians can never be in charge of technologist. technician = AS and technologist = BS with some having MS.

Yup. Everyone in my lab has a MS.

 

[willen101383]

If not, go lab. Besides, the pay is a lot more as a lab tech than emt.

yup. I dont know what the going rate is for emts, but we make over 50k in my lab as med techs..with some labs in the area paying 70s for experienced MTs. Isnt the best pay...but about the best you can do with a bachelors in the hospital.

 

[avksx]

Haha that made me laugh. You would think....but the things i have heard come out of many people's mouths (cough cough nurses) is just amazing to me. Not too long ago our brilliant phleb spun down a lav top...took some plasma off to freeze for a bnp...then gave me the tube back for a cbc. A crit of 60 percent? lol eek.

My post was oozing with sarcasm. The worst part? Your post made me laugh, too.

 

[willen101383]

My post was oozing with sarcasm. The worst part? Your post made me laugh, too.

My sarcasm detector seems to be broken! I am like 0/2 now between this and another thread haha. At any rate some of the stuff that I hear from people that should "know better" is hilarious. Its funny when the lab staff gets $hit on all day by nursing....yet generally have the most education in the hospital..save for docs and mid levels.

Heres another good one. I did a manual diff the other day and the lymphs were like 60%...which is above our facility's critical cutoff...none of them looked leukemic in the least bit to me..but you call all criticals. So I tell the nurse this patient's lymphocyte count was 60%. She acknowledges me and hangs up. I get a call from the doctor about an hour later "yeah hey this is Dr.X...I had a nurse call me claiming this patient had a elevated "liver cyte" count." I wish I was making this ish up!!!!
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