I'm planning to take the EMT-B course next … 0 Likes. EMT-P vs. RN. If you're talking about paid EMT vs helping the homeless or something, though, then I'm not sure. Most future PA students gain their direct patient care experience through an entry-level position in medicine, like a medical assistant, EMT, patient care tech, or CNA. But here's my two cents. I have no medical experience to date, which is why I plan on taking either a EMT-B or CNA certification program in the summer. Hi, I am a Junior with a GPA of 3.43. We all like to think of ourselves as doing a lot (or most) of what doctors do. me, personally,i am taking the emt route only becuse i know alot of people in ems(my bestfriends dad is a chief at a fire dept.) I did not have any sort of certification such as CNA, EMT, or MA. Dec 29, 2013 #4 Gastudent Forum Crew Member. it was a great prep for pa school. Most require either being a CNA/EMT/LPN explain will train you on the job. Even though being a CNA for a few months, might meet the minimum requirements of most PA schools, it won't make you a very competitive candidate. Once you finish PA school you will have the honor of joining the miserable, underpaid, overworked, disrespected, unappreciated, overlooked, unrecognized, unnoticed, always pushed around health care professionals on God's green earth. Depending on your state, you’ll spend 100-200 in a classroom or online classroom lecture setting, plus practical labs, observations, and studying on your own on top of that. Verified Account. Don't mess around with the LPN and don't get too stressed out over taking an EMT-B class now. Among those accepted, 23.3% worked as a scribe, 19.3% had experience as an EMT/paramedic, and 8.9% had experience … Also, having EMT and CNA doesn't give you any openings at jobs or more respect or anything like that. If you want to be an EMT, I would be an EMT early on. The other option I am considering is trying to get hospital experience as a CNA or obtaining an EMT-B certification. A CNA would give you a look at how patients are cared for, … RCreek- sounds like we have similar backgrounds. EMTs can obtain education at different levels. May 10, 2013 772 241 Pensacola FL Status Non-Student Jan 14, 2014 #3 Good file done by someone that's organized. To register for a CNA program later, you will need a high school diploma or GED. I value the 5 months I spent doing it for two reasons...the tiny bit of money I made, and the fact that now I know to never do it again. I'm only responding as PA school candidate and a licensed CNA. If you want to go to pa school becoming an emt or emt-i might be a good route to go for the clinical experience. I know things don't always work out as planned, and if PA school never panned out I could envision doing this as a career. Programs total around 120-150 hours of didactic training, plus an additional 24-75 hours of EMS training (patient transport) and training in an emergency department. Some have reported searching from six months to three years before landing a job. May 21, 2013. And it can get even murkier when it comes time to add your experiences to your PA school applications. I plan on applying to PA schools once I graduate. I know this is typically true for paid vs volunteer EMT positions, at least. Of applicants admitted to PA school, 90.5% worked in healthcare before applying to PA school. I thought that becoming an EMT-B would be a fun and exciting way to fulfill this requirement, but from what I have read on this site EMT-B jobs can be pretty hard to come by. The CASPA application is broken down into four parts: personal information, academic history, supporting information, and program materials. Both of these professionals work in the health care industry, but have different responsibilities and educational requirements. Conquering the PA school application process is a rite of passage for every future PA student. EMT-P is the abbreviation for emergency medical technician-paramedic, and RN is the abbreviation for registered nurse. If you're still in school, keep focused and continue until you have your diploma. Once hired I took two different EKG courses through the hospital but it wasn't a formal certification process and I was on the clock for the time I went to the class which was nice. EMT vs. CNA basically boils down to whether you want to do basic medicine or basic nursing. 5 Tips for Getting Into PA School. I am leaning towards EMT, because I believe it is more rigorous hands-on work, and … On the other hand, it seems like a roundabout route to the end goal. Your thoughts? jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B. Becoming an EMT won't increase your chance of failing. I'm trying to figure out how to get my foot in the door. A few do require EMT-B first but after RN school, that should only be a first aid class since you will hopefully know where the knee cap is located. EMT would be an introduction to emergency services, however, an EMT in pre hospital care and an ER nurse are widely different. It’s in demand, and it attracts a wide array of individuals with different backgrounds and healthcare experiences. I agree that being an EMT will most likely give you better clinical exposure, but I wouldn't necessarily discount CNA too far, nor hype the utility of the EMT clinical experience while applying to med school. thin of which one you would like better and go that route. Do NOT work as a CNA. And this is true! But you may not end up wanting to do anything CNA related after you take the course. programs in the state, only 2 left with an associate's degree. The CNA education is about nine months, depending on the program. If you want to be a doctor and not a nurse, EMT will probably give you better experience IF you get on with a 911 provider or somehow find a job as an ER tech, depending on how much the hospital lets the ER tech do. Some high schools even offer special CNA or health aide training classes, so register for some if they're available. My main patient care before PA school was as an EKG tech. after college I went to medic school as well and did that for 5 years before becoming a pa. I have no medical experience to date, which is why I plan on taking either a EMT-B or CNA certification program in the summer. When you start as a new employee, those with experience in the role are likely to be the ones responsible for training you. I was wondering which would be a better choice in the eyes of the admission committee? The PA profession is growing rapidly. There are a few M.A. I am leaning towards EMT, because I believe it is more rigorous hands-on work, and allows for more experience. If you already have a nursing background, continue forward to your RN. EMT training from the Red Cross includes the latest science-based information and techniques, and is led by knowledgeable instructors who understand what it's like to work in the field, and can help you and/or your teams work through problems or situations you might find uncomfortable or otherwise tricky. The idea is that if you're getting paid for your time, you likely have more responsibility and are working more. The issue with EMT is that there can be too much sitting around waiting for the bell to ring. I find that once one graduates, they really want to get out there and work thus this usually tends to distract people from their original goals of med/pa school for an average of 3-4 years (according to my own experiences). Any of these things are awesome jobs. 84 0 0. vegas702 said: Thank you all in advance for your help. I first learned about the profession from a classmate while I was finishing my senior year in college as a biology major. Mostly everything is a 10 month certificate program that cost about $5,000. So, here, I'm going to lay out the significant differences in categorization of PCE and HCE and how these can (and should) play a role in your approach to your PA school application. Trying to decide which one be the best option to work at while in nursing school. Training requirements: The typical duration of a program is 16 weeks for part-time (2-3 days/week) and around 6 weeks for full-time. I have shadowed both doctors and PAs in a variety of settings over the past year. Obtain your Diploma or GED. Thus a 12 hour shift might equal 3 hours with a patient. EMTs and CNAs are healthcare professionals who are responsible for providing care to patients. As anyone who has tackled the CASPA application in the past can attest, it's not something that can be done in an afternoon. Nursing school is going to give you all the info needed to pass. I was an EMT for 2 years and then a CNA for 18 months before med school (latter offered a more flexible schedule around school, though less money). EMT was a great job and something I will not forget, but it definitely was hard juggling being a full time EMT and a full time pre-med. I plan on applying to PA schools once I graduate. d2305 SDN Gold Donor . Prerequisites: Current EMT-Basic certification for NYS and 200 clinical hours or at least six months ambulance experience Admission Requirements: Entrance exam and interview School Type: 2-year, public; about 19,300 undergraduate students EMT Associate's Degree Programs in New York City CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College Students who searched for Top Schools for EMT and Paramedics found the following information and resources relevant and helpful. I have went from working 32 hours per week or more to 20 if I am lucky because of new staffing guidelines. Medical Experience Statistics for PA School Applicants. While EMT-basic requires about 100 hours of accredited training, EMT-Intermediate requires about 1,000 hours of accrediting training. Emergency Medical Technician. cna>emt>phleb I'm a CNA and an EMT and I can tell you that I've worked more and learned more as a CNA than as an EMT. Though both these professionals help patients and save their lives, the duties, responsibilities and work environments of both are different.However, you must have a license to work as a EMT or CNA.. Pre-PA students usually train to be a basic EMT (EMT-B or EMT-1). The most common healthcare experience is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) 30.4% and medical assistant (MA) 26.5%. Besides, I have some personal opinions on how much a CNA job actually prepares you for school. The EMT program is 4 month's long cost about $1,000. many applicants work for a year or 2 after college graduation before applying to pa school after taking an emt, medical asst., cna, etc type course to get a certification. I did emt in high school, then worked through college as an er tech doing a scope of practice like what you describe above. Defining PCE vs. HCE. well my mom was a cna while in nursing school and im going to school ths fall for my emt. Also, many PA schools require a minimum of 1000 hours of direct patient care experience as a pre requisite to the program. i think both have their goods and bads. Please share your experience and which course of action you would take (CNA, EMT, EKG Tech certification) THANKS!! I know some PA schools don't accept volunteer clinical hours - they want it to be paid. CNA vs. EMT . Last edited by a moderator: Dec 29, 2013. Attachments. I was neither a CNA or an EMT before nursing school. You can find EMT-B, or EMT-Basic, courses on your campus through a continuing education division, at a community college, or technical school. If you didn't get your diploma, get your GED. Gold Donor. My ultimate goal is to become a physician assistant. In other words, you really need to have worked as a healthcare provider for a year or so. PA Programs … I am a CNA in a hospital, but I would advise you to go the EMT-B route if your area employs alot of EMT-B's. For all you ambitious students, this is the advice I would give to you: 1. Thankfully, CASPA's change of heart means that a few options that closely parallel a CNA or MA are also back on the table. I don't know if this is just the hospital I work for or if this is going to become more common, but the hospital I work for is phasing out their LPN's and CNA's. Typically, PA schools require you to log at least 1,000-2,000 hours in direct-patient care. Going to paramedic school is a much longer commitment. 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