Working while undergrad

[dms80790]

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[pericardium]

Can't hurt to get a job that is related to medicine, EMT, CNA, scribe, etc, but your biggest priority should be GPA and MCAT.

 

[Torilynn92]

I was in a similar position all through undergrad; I worked as a server/bartender at night and a part-time Medical Assistant during the day. Depending on your state, it's pretty easy to become a medical assistant (especially since you have a Bachelor's) and it's well worth it, you get such fantastic hands-on experience. Maybe start calling around to medical offices to see if they need a MA? Stress that you want to do clinical stuff rather than just insurance verification; that's brutal.

Also - I'm putting my restaurant experience on my application. Can't hurt to show them that you're a hard worker and a humble person.

 

[Rogert]

I was in a similar position all through undergrad; I worked as a server/bartender at night and a part-time Medical Assistant during the day. Depending on your state, it's pretty easy to become a medical assistant (especially since you have a Bachelor's) and it's well worth it, you get such fantastic hands-on experience. Maybe start calling around to medical offices to see if they need a MA? Stress that you want to do clinical stuff rather than just insurance verification; that's brutal.

Also - I'm putting my restaurant experience on my application. Can't hurt to show them that you're a hard worker and a humble person.

When you say MA, do you mean a medical office assistant or more like a CNA? I've never heard of an MA before.

 

[xBODOMx]

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[Rogert]

MAs are usually like outpatient clinic CNA/PCTs. They'll do vitals, do initial charting, ask some questions, etc. before the physician comes in.

Weird. I've never seen a clinic where someone who wasn't a nurse did that. Either way it would require extra classes and certification that would be difficult for someone with a day job and taking other classes to fit in.

 

[Torilynn92]

In certain states, no extra certification is required. I'm a Medical Assistant at a specialist - I take patients back, do vitals, update their face sheet, scribe for the doctor while he's in the room (HPI, Assessment, Plan, etc) and draw blood, etc. Check your state laws! For phlebotomy there's some training required in most states but in FL at least there's no required class or anything!

 

[FutureDrB]

When you say MA, do you mean a medical office assistant or more like a CNA? I've never heard of an MA before.

In certain states, no extra certification is required. I'm a Medical Assistant at a specialist - I take patients back, do vitals, update their face sheet, scribe for the doctor while he's in the room (HPI, Assessment, Plan, etc) and draw blood, etc. Check your state laws! For phlebotomy there's some training required in most states but in FL at least there's no required class or anything!

I too worked as a server throughout undergrad. Great experience if you ask me. Really makes you learn people skills.

I looked into getting a medical job, but here in Texas, everything requires state certification and I just didn't have the time with school and work since the classes/training is often full-time.

Phlebotomist/CNA/PCT - 3-6 weeks
EMT - 1 month
Pharmacy Tech - 9 months
Medical Assistant (MA) - 1 year

Other states are obviously more lenient.

 

[AwayFromReality]

.

 

[Mad Jack]

Weird. I've never seen a clinic where someone who wasn't a nurse did that. Either way it would require extra classes and certification that would be difficult for someone with a day job and taking other classes to fit in.

Depends on the state. In my state it's all done by MAs, but most people mistakenly think they're nurses. Some states require licensure, but many do not.

 

[FutureDrB]

From what research I did regarding Texas state laws, you don't have to take a course for Pharmacy Tech, just have to pass the exam. You can get a review book, study on your own and ace the exam. Also most EMT programs I have come across are a whole semester, do you have a link to a 1 month program?

28 class days... then rotations. Looking at the dates it appears to be more like a month and a half.

This is the one I was going to do, but it requires attending class full-time...no-can-do with work and other classes.

http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/educa...cal-technician-certification/about/index.html

Keep in mind the 3-series Hep vaccines you must have before starting rotations, which take 6 months to get since you have to space out each shot.