Any part time hospital jobs that require no degree/little training??

[Dogcat1290]

Are there any jobs in a hospital setting that requires no degree/ little training?? I work in a hospital kitchen and though I absolutely love seeing/interacting with the patients (even the little contact I have) i've just about had it with my coworkers. Showing me how something is done (i'm new to job) is one thing treating me like an complete idiot is another. I really don't mind the work but all the drama/attitude is really getting to me and frankly its starting to piss me off. I'm a full time undergrad so are there any training programs (short) that I can do to get me out of there but still keep me in the hospital??

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[FutureDrB]

Patient Transporter - 0 training
CNA - 3-6 months training
ED Tech (EMT) - 1-2 months training

Lots of other jobs that take little training. Phlebotomist, EKG Tech, Etc.

 

[Iliketoytles]

I read the subject line and instantly thought "nurse".

Of course... nurses do have a degree and lots of training. But I chuckled nonetheless.

 

[dntke1518]

Patient Transporter - 0 training
CNA - 3-6 months training
ED Tech (EMT) - 1-2 months training

Lots of other jobs that take little training. Phlebotomist, EKG Tech, Etc.

To get your EMT licensure it takes around 3-4 months, a CNA does not take nearly as long, on the shorter side of 3 months (more like two). Keep in mind that the classroom hours that these require are not representative of the months that they might take (i.e. having class multiple times a week and on weekends). Your best option is to get your EMT during the summer, or become a patient transporter if you are around a large enough hospital.

 

[Dharma]

...

 

[FrkyBgStok]

In my area you can do a full time, all day CNA class in two weeks. I was a patient transporter and loved it. I had my CNA and it may have helped me get the job, but many people had the job without it.

 

[willen101383]

Depends on what sort of hospital you are dealing with. From my sophomore year until senior year of college I was a phleb at a 300 bed hospital. When I first started it was all on the job training...no course. If you are lucky You can still find jobs like that now(this was in 2003)...although larger hospitals likely want you to have a phleb course.

Saw and spoke to tons and tons of patients a day. Learned how a clinical lab works/tests. You are largely autonomous when you are in the hospital so you really get to see how everything works. Its a really great premed job. It actually got me so interested in lab stuff that after graduation I got licensed as a clinical lab scientist and worked in the lab full time for years right up until med school. Even worked as a CLS last summer as well!!

Like I said above, try for some smaller hospitals and you might be lucky enough to find someone to give you on the job training. Any questions let me know, I am more or less in expert in anything clinical lab related!

 

[FutureDrB]

To get your EMT licensure it takes around 3-4 months, a CNA does not take nearly as long, on the shorter side of 3 months (more like two). Keep in mind that the classroom hours that these require are not representative of the months that they might take (i.e. having class multiple times a week and on weekends). Your best option is to get your EMT during the summer, or become a patient transporter if you are around a large enough hospital.

Not trying to argue, but my EMT certification took just under 2 months to get. You may be thinking of a paramedic. That takes an additional 2 months on top of EMT training.

 

[CajunMedic]

I worked as a unit clerk in an ER for a while. These are usually trained in house, was a 2 week course IIRC.

Check to see if any of the local hospitals are hiring scribes or EKG techs..I mostly see scribes in the ER-gets you some exposure to talking to patients and Doctors. The EKG techs are contracted out, the company usually advertises for pre-meds in the fall and they will train as needed.

 

[ParacrineAgent]

Not trying to argue, but my EMT certification took just under 2 months to get. You may be thinking of a paramedic. That takes an additional 2 months on top of EMT training.

I think that this may depend on where you are from. I looked into getting an EMT-B here and it is about 3 months or so and paramedic is just under a year.

 

[UpwardTrend]

Patient Care Technician (PCT) at the hospitals around here does not require any licensure. A CNA or EMT-B can help land the position though. My EMT-B took 4-5 months with one 8 hour class day per week or two 4 hour evenings per week. If you're in good standing at your hospital then you should go talk to someone in Human Resources and see what your options are.

Otherwise, take on some more student debt and volunteer People tend not to treat you like "a complete idiot" if you're donating your time.

 

[DrWily]

I got my EMT-B in one month, 4 days a week for 8 hours ^________^

 

[Trailhead]

I'd definitely recommend the ER Scribe experience if it's available in your area. Most programs don't require past experience and provide all training. You're part of the medical decision making process from beginning to end. It's a pretty unbelievable opportunity.

 

[Dogcat1290]

Thank you so much! I'm definately going to look into these programs.

 

[MT Headed]

I got my EMT-B and Wilderness First Responder (i.e. a WildernessEMT) in less than one calendar month through the Wilderness Medicine Institute in Wyoming. It was a blast. Learned how to build a stretcher out of nuts and twigs, reduce a dislocated shoulder, inject epinephrine with a hypodermic needle and bottle, and a bunch of other stuff you can't do in the front country. We all passed the computer-based and practical EMT tests at the end.

 

[emtthink]

Not trying to argue, but my EMT certification took just under 2 months to get. You may be thinking of a paramedic. That takes an additional 2 months on top of EMT training.

Wow. Where I live my basic was a 4 month class. To become a paramedic you have to have an associates degree, and the medic class in an additional year on top of the basic class

 

[Fay8]

CNA Training - You can definitely do this in under 3-6 months. I trained with the Red Cross and it took 4 weeks. The training included class time and clinicals. Other programs I looked into took 4+ weeks. The downside of the Red Cross training is the price, but the teachers (RNs/LPNs) are usually good.

I work as a CNA in an assisted living facility, but you can obviously work as a CNA in a hospital. In fact, the pay is usually higher than in an assisted living/nursing home. Sometimes, CNA positions are called "patient care technicians" etc..

Best of luck

 

[EarthtoneJon]

According to several articles I've read (written by doctors and admissions people) working as CNA in a hospital, clinic, or nursing facility is one of the best ways to show admissions committees that you are cut out to be a physician. And yes, I am biased, because I was a CNA for a few years.

It makes sense though. CNAs are exposed to a little bit of everything. More importantly, they develop valuable observation and communication skills. They perform the daily grind work that keeps health care afloat, as well as more interactive and gratifying work, such as taking vital signs, gathering patient's information and medical histories, giving medication, serving as the eyes and ears for the nurses, etc. I recommend the certification for any pre med student. It's a great way to learn.

 

[Dogcat1290]

Just looked into cna training and of course they don't offer many classes around here ... Guess I gotta head home for awhile.

 

[Iliketoytles]

I'd definitely recommend the ER Scribe experience if it's available in your area. Most programs don't require past experience and provide all training. You're part of the medical decision making process from beginning to end. It's a pretty unbelievable opportunity.

I second this. I was an ER Scribe for a year and it was an amazing experience.

 

[camshark]

I work as a nursing aide on surgical floor. Im not certified (CNA) but do the same job. Around here to work in a hospital as an aide you dont need certified but you do to work in a nursing home. I think working as an aide sure makes you realize if medicine is for you. I do vitals, help patients move, bathroom duties of course, do 1on1 patient hours if they are a hazard to themselves, etc. Most all the physicians know Im pre-med so I visit with them a lot and the nurses call me into rooms to help with wounds and stuff so I get exposed to a lot of stuff. It also helps to be employed at a hospital since then I can pretty much shadow whatever doc I want to within the system without regards to HIPAA since im already an employee. GL!

 

[dntke1518]

Wow. Where I live my basic was a 4 month class. To become a paramedic you have to have an associates degree, and the medic class in an additional year on top of the basic class

Yeah same here, EMT-B = 4 months and thats what I had thought was standard since I received my EMT-B in 2008. Also, I would not want to be living in an area that is only training paramedics for <6 months...

 

[MT Headed]

Yeah same here, EMT-B = 4 months and thats what I had thought was standard since I received my EMT-B in 2008. Also, I would not want to be living in an area that is only training paramedics for <6 months...

I'm sure it varies by region, in my area the EMT-B classes are typically 3 months. But the curriculum and hours of required training is standardized, and if you are in class most of the day you can easily get an EMT-B in less than one calendar month (see my above post if you want to sign up).

The fastest EMT-P I've ever seen was a 6 month (non-degree) certification program in Palo Alto, CA where you had to get at least 80% on every single test or they kicked you out, with no refunds. It sounded insane.

 

[FutureDrB]

I've never heard of a "standard" 4-month EMT course, but of course it could vary by state. Like I said in previous posts, mine took under 2 months (full-time days) and was pretty rigorous with great clinicals/rotations at 2 hospitals, as well as a mobile ICU unit.

http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/education/school-of-health-professions/programs/certificate-programs/medical-technician-certification/about-the-program.html

 

[scotchtapetest]

I second this. I was an ER Scribe for a year and it was an amazing experience.

As an OMS-IV, I would highly recommend this job. I've never done it personally, but have rotated in the EDs where they have been utilized. It is an awesome way to learn. I wished I knew about it as a pre-med.

But everyone I've seen, were either FMGs who didn't match or PAs looking for overtime. I'm not sure how effective a pre-med would be at it. But if you can do it, you should!

I've never heard of a "standard" 4-month EMT course, but of course it could vary by state. Like I said in previous posts, mine took under 2 months (full-time days) and was pretty rigorous with great clinicals/rotations at 2 hospitals, as well as a mobile ICU unit.

http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/education/school-of-health-professions/programs/certificate-programs/medical-technician-certification/about-the-program.html

EMT-B training is based on the US DOT EMT-B National Standard Curriculum that requires 110 hours + "some" clinical exposure. This is the minimum required to be certified by NREMT as an EMT-B which is recognized by 46 states for licensure.

Anything more than 110 hours is either a state requirement (very rare) or a ploy by the training "institution" to make more money.

There is no minimum time requirement to complete 110 hours. Technically you could do it in 5 days (includes 0.5hr of "clinical exposure" per day and 1.5hr of sleep per day). You could also do it in 6 months. Depends on your schedule.

https://www.nremt.org/nremt/about/NREMT_Fast_Facts.asp
http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/ems/pub/emtbnsc.pdf

Summary: Being an EMT-B is not that big of a deal. Will it help? Yes. Will it get you the admission? probably not. Will you gain/know any substantial amount of information that will help you in medical school? NO!

 

[FutureDrB]

As an OMS-IV, I would highly recommend this job. I've never done it personally, but have rotated in the EDs where they have been utilized. It is an awesome way to learn. I wished I knew about it as a pre-med.

But everyone I've seen, were either FMGs who didn't match or PAs looking for overtime. I'm not sure how effective a pre-med would be at it. But if you can do it, you should!



EMT-B training is based on the US DOT EMT-B National Standard Curriculum that requires 110 hours + "some" clinical exposure. This is the minimum required to be certified by NREMT as an EMT-B which is recognized by 46 states for licensure.

Anything more than 110 hours is either a state requirement (very rare) or a ploy by the training "institution" to make more money.

There is no minimum time requirement to complete 110 hours. Technically you could do it in 5 days (includes 0.5hr of "clinical exposure" per day and 1.5hr of sleep per day). You could also do it in 6 months. Depends on your schedule.

https://www.nremt.org/nremt/about/NREMT_Fast_Facts.asp
http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/ems/pub/emtbnsc.pdf

Summary: Being an EMT-B is not that big of a deal. Will it help? Yes. Will it get you the admission? probably not. Will you gain/know any substantial amount of information that will help you in medical school? NO!

I'm going to assume you meant to say, "Becoming an EMT is not that big of a deal."

 

[MT Headed]

One thing I've noticed during my application cycle is that schools want to see evidence of volunteering, patient care, and physician exposure.

An active EMT can certainly get patient care. It may produce volunteering experience, depending on your service. But it really won't count for physician exposure. I filled that particular checkbox by doing shadowing. Most schools seem satisfied with that combo.

 

[scotchtapetest]

I'm going to assume you meant to say, "Becoming an EMT is not that big of a deal."

You shouldn't assume anything! I meant exactly what I said! For the purposes of gaining admission into medical school, BEING an EMT-B is not that big of a deal! I'm not saying it doesn't help, but an extra 1 point on the MCAT means a LOT more than being an EMT-B to the adcom. BTW, since you brought it up, becoming an EMT is also not that big of a deal.

EMT-P with >1yr active field experience is another story (to some extent).

 

[FutureDrB]

You shouldn't assume anything! I meant exactly what I said! For the purposes of gaining admission into medical school, BEING an EMT-B is not that big of a deal! I'm not saying it doesn't help, but an extra 1 point on the MCAT means a LOT more than being an EMT-B to the adcom. BTW, since you brought it up, becoming an EMT is also not that big of a deal.

EMT-P with >1yr active field experience is another story (to some extent).

I'm actually making that face right now. Haha. Maybe we're looking at this from two different aspects. I'll "assume" we are.

 

[dntke1518]

I'm actually making that face right now. Haha. Maybe we're looking at this from two different aspects. I'll "assume" we are.

Lol I am too... I feel the purpose of this thread has been exhausted.

 

[UpwardTrend]

You shouldn't assume anything! I meant exactly what I said! For the purposes of gaining admission into medical school, BEING an EMT-B is not that big of a deal! I'm not saying it doesn't help, but an extra 1 point on the MCAT means a LOT more than being an EMT-B to the adcom. BTW, since you brought it up, becoming an EMT is also not that big of a deal.

EMT-P with >1yr active field experience is another story (to some extent).

I find these comments to be absurd. Yes, its not a golden ticket into med school but the experience of an active EMT is worth more than 1 MCAT point!

Have you ever been on a bus in an area that only uses BLS? The EMT-B experience in such an area is pretty significant.

 

[scotchtapetest]

I find these comments to be absurd. Yes, its not a golden ticket into med school but the experience of an active EMT is worth more than 1 MCAT point!

Have you ever been on a bus in an area that only uses BLS? The EMT-B experience in such an area is pretty significant.

It's worth more to whom? The adcom cares more about MCAT than being an EMT. I can almost guarantee you that everything else absolutely equal, MOST of the times the adcom takes 28 MCAT student over 27 MCAT EMT-B student and almost EVERY time the 28 MCAT student over the 26 MCAT EMT-B student (again that's with everything else being absolutely the same)!

Now overall, is being an EMT more valuable than the MCAT? Absolutely... Anything is more valuable than the MCAT. BUT the MCAT is what gets you in medical school and that's what this thread is about.

And to answer your second question... Yes, for 5 years before med school as a volunteer! I worked in an area where the term ALS was not in the vocabulary! I loved it, would do it again in a heartbeat and it does NOT in any shape or form prepare you for anything in medical school!

If you invest the 110+ hours it takes to be an EMT in studying for the MCAT you will be in a much better place.

Also to re-answer the OP, the best suggestion is to do the ER scribe job (if you can get it) because you will actually learn something that you may one day use and you'll get to work with physicians (maybe =LOR)!

 

[UpwardTrend]

Whenever you are part of an adcom, please value the EMT experience more than the 1 MCAT point (all other things equal). It will start with you, Mr Bala shot calla

 

[Iliketoytles]

Selection of perfumes, including matters relating to taste. Matches in a person, does not mean we will fit in well. Selection of cheap perfume expensive maupn was not easy. Here you need to know about the selection of perfumes. Check out: http://www.mustlovefood.com/blogs/1432/2286/shopping-online-for-woman

I find it hilarious how this post was overlooked. It's okay perfume... I appreciate you.

 

[museic]

I do registration in the ED and I have to say the job is awesome. Not only do I do hardly any work (which leaves me plenty of time to study), but since our registration is bedside I get to go into pt's rooms and at times get trauma bay responsibility. I have been around so much and met so many doctors and nurses that I think it is the best way to go. It's easy, it pays, and you can study. Better yet once pchem and ochem came around I went from a 20 hours a week position to a 20 hours a month position.

 

[FutureDrB]

Whenever you are part of an adcom, please value the EMT experience more than the 1 MCAT point (all other things equal). It will start with you, Mr Bala shot calla

Not to get off topic, but this reminds me of a story my dad would tell me about how he'd select new candidates for hire. He said college graduates would come in with their MBAs, excellent grades, etc., but didn't have any experience in the field. He'd quickly say thanks for applying, come back after you've worked for a while. He always hired the person who had actually done something over the person with just a degree and good grades....or what he called the "academic applicant."

Frankly, if I were an adcom member, I would instantly choose the person who was a former EMT, Paramedic, CNA, or whatever with a 22 MCAT over the person who hadn't worked in "the field" but had a 28 MCAT. But that's just me...

 

[hokie13]

You shouldn't assume anything! I meant exactly what I said! For the purposes of gaining admission into medical school, BEING an EMT-B is not that big of a deal! I'm not saying it doesn't help, but an extra 1 point on the MCAT means a LOT more than being an EMT-B to the adcom. BTW, since you brought it up, becoming an EMT is also not that big of a deal.

EMT-P with >1yr active field experience is another story (to some extent).

I'd have to say I really disagree on this. I've been an EMT-B for a year now and it has been the most rewarding experience of my life. I run volunteer rescue and get thanked regularly by patients for coming out to their houses at 3, 4, 5 in the morning and by family members who are grateful that there was someone around to save their family member's life. Personally I recommend being an EMT-B. I'm not a med student, but I can tell you one thing and that is that being an EMT gets your foot in the door in the hospital. I have gotten a few shadowing positions with doctors in the hospital and connections I've made through EMS, and doctors who have offered me letters of recommendation. My agency is also starting things like BLS 12 leads and lactate testing... tell me that is not learning something. Not only that, but the job I am looking into for the summer has nothing to do with running rescue but my EMT license allows me to apply for it. You can gain leadership positions as I have with my EMS agency and get involved in your community. I plan on using stories from my EMT experiences in my personal statement as well.

Personally I feel as though EMTs serve their community in an honorable way, alongside the police officers and firefighters. It is an experience I would recommend to anyone. The class is enjoyable, the experience is great, and you get real patient contact (some of whom you will see over and over, and you will make relationships with them).

 

[FutureDrB]

I'd have to say I really disagree on this. I've been an EMT-B for a year now and it has been the most rewarding experience of my life. I run volunteer rescue and get thanked regularly by patients for coming out to their houses at 3, 4, 5 in the morning and by family members who are grateful that there was someone around to save their family member's life. Personally I recommend being an EMT-B. I'm not a med student, but I can tell you one thing and that is that being an EMT gets your foot in the door in the hospital. I have gotten a few shadowing positions with doctors in the hospital and connections I've made through EMS, and doctors who have offered me letters of recommendation. My agency is also starting things like BLS 12 leads and lactate testing... tell me that is not learning something. Not only that, but the job I am looking into for the summer has nothing to do with running rescue but my EMT license allows me to apply for it. You can gain leadership positions as I have with my EMS agency and get involved in your community. I plan on using stories from my EMT experiences in my personal statement as well.

Personally I feel as though EMTs serve their community in an honorable way, alongside the police officers and firefighters. It is an experience I would recommend to anyone. The class is enjoyable, the experience is great, and you get real patient contact (some of whom you will see over and over, and you will make relationships with them).

bala565, we're not trying to gang up on you, but I totally agree with hokie13 about it being rewarding. The patient contact, as well as family contact is unmatched. The appreciation you receive from people in distress is hard to describe. Not to mention the number of diverse medical cases I get to see and assist with. I learn something new every day. Granted it can be high-stress and fast-paced at times. But, I feel that no other "pre-med" position would have allowed me as much involvement, especially since I plan to go into emergency medicine. Being a patient transporter was great and shadowing is fun, but being an EMT has really allowed me to "get my hands dirty."

 

[emtthink]

bala565, we're not trying to gang up on you, but I totally agree with hokie13 about it being rewarding. The patient contact, as well as family contact is unmatched. The appreciation you receive from people in distress is hard to describe. Not to mention the number of diverse medical cases I get to see and assist with. I learn something new every day. Granted it can be high-stress and fast-paced at times. But, I feel that no other "pre-med" position would have allowed me as much involvement, especially since I plan to go into emergency medicine. Being a patient transporter was great and shadowing is fun, but being an EMT has really allowed me to "get my hands dirty."

That word is used literally. I spent an hour and a half one time trying to get all of the blood off of my gurney, and I still couldn't get it all. I can't count the number of times that I have had pt's with poop everywhere, including a pt who ate their own poop

 

[Iliketoytles]

This is really a relative subject. I kinda have to agree with bala... no matter what medschool you're looking at, numbers are the most important part of an application. However, I wouldn't say that a 27 MCAT would be taken over a 26 MCAT + EMT experience. Maybe a 24 or below MCAT with EMT exp... but certainly not a one point difference.

As they say though, numbers aren't everything. I do not believe that anyone can get a 4.0 and do well on their MCAT if they don't spend time on ECs... which is why EC's are so important.

 

[FutureDrB]

That word is used literally. I spent an hour and a half one time trying to get all of the blood off of my gurney, and I still couldn't get it all. I can't count the number of times that I have had pt's with poop everywhere, including a pt who ate their own poop

Yeah, inmate patients are the best.

 

[UpwardTrend]

That word is used literally. I spent an hour and a half one time trying to get all of the blood off of my gurney, and I still couldn't get it all. I can't count the number of times that I have had pt's with poop everywhere, including a pt who ate their own poop

I can only imagine going through SAMPLE and getting to last oral intake.

 

[DrWily]

This is really a relative subject. I kinda have to agree with bala... no matter what medschool you're looking at, numbers are the most important part of an application. However, I wouldn't say that a 27 MCAT would be taken over a 26 MCAT + EMT experience. Maybe a 24 or below MCAT with EMT exp... but certainly not a one point difference.

As they say though, numbers aren't everything. I do not believe that anyone can get a 4.0 and do well on their MCAT if they don't spend time on ECs... which is why EC's are so important.

I also agree with toytles and Bala.. EMT experience is great, but you don't need it. Yes, it can help open doors to shadowing/experiences to include in your personal statement, but you can get these without EMT. To compare it to a JOB like futureB said is like comparing apples to oranges. You're trying to get into medical school which will test your academic and mental strength, not on how well you can splint and how well you interact with patients (more on this later). Your primary focus for the 4 years in medical school is to learn the academics of being a doctor. This is why GPA and MCAT are heavily favored over anything else. Your experiences shape you; your gpa and mcat tell the ADCOMs how well you can handle the material. They don't want to take the risk on someone with low stats who may end up failing out and losing a spot for tuition $$$, even if this guy is a baller EMT and has 1000s of hours of patient experience.

On the interview trail, I spoke with a current medical student who imparted this divine enlightenment upon me: In medical school, you learn medicine; internship and residency teaches you how to be a doctor. You won't know until you do it 80 hours a week over and over again.

Hopefully you all can understand the difference.

 

[scotchtapetest]

Not to get off topic, but this reminds me of a story my dad would tell me about how he'd select new candidates for hire. He said college graduates would come in with their MBAs, excellent grades, etc., but didn't have any experience in the field. He'd quickly say thanks for applying, come back after you've worked for a while. He always hired the person who had actually done something over the person with just a degree and good grades....or what he called the "academic applicant."

Frankly, if I were an adcom member, I would instantly choose the person who was a former EMT, Paramedic, CNA, or whatever with a 22 MCAT over the person who hadn't worked in "the field" but had a 28 MCAT. But that's just me...

But the issue is that you are not applying for a job. You are applying for an academic position as a medical student. Medical schools want students who can finish their curriculum on time so they can graduate and go to residency without giving them any headache while paying them $$$$/yr. Contrary to what they lead you to believe, they are not on a noble mission. They just want to make money with the least amount of headache. Being an EMT, Paramedic or CNA doesn't affect academics in the school.

I'd have to say I really disagree on this. I've been an EMT-B for a year now and it has been the most rewarding experience of my life. I run volunteer rescue and get thanked regularly by patients for coming out to their houses at 3, 4, 5 in the morning and by family members who are grateful that there was someone around to save their family member's life. Personally I recommend being an EMT-B. I'm not a med student, but I can tell you one thing and that is that being an EMT gets your foot in the door in the hospital. I have gotten a few shadowing positions with doctors in the hospital and connections I've made through EMS, and doctors who have offered me letters of recommendation. My agency is also starting things like BLS 12 leads and lactate testing... tell me that is not learning something. Not only that, but the job I am looking into for the summer has nothing to do with running rescue but my EMT license allows me to apply for it. You can gain leadership positions as I have with my EMS agency and get involved in your community. I plan on using stories from my EMT experiences in my personal statement as well.

Personally I feel as though EMTs serve their community in an honorable way, alongside the police officers and firefighters. It is an experience I would recommend to anyone. The class is enjoyable, the experience is great, and you get real patient contact (some of whom you will see over and over, and you will make relationships with them).

bala565, we're not trying to gang up on you, but I totally agree with hokie13 about it being rewarding. The patient contact, as well as family contact is unmatched. The appreciation you receive from people in distress is hard to describe. Not to mention the number of diverse medical cases I get to see and assist with. I learn something new every day. Granted it can be high-stress and fast-paced at times. But, I feel that no other "pre-med" position would have allowed me as much involvement, especially since I plan to go into emergency medicine. Being a patient transporter was great and shadowing is fun, but being an EMT has really allowed me to "get my hands dirty."

Yes, being an EMT is great (I was one for 5 years). It is very rewarding and I enjoyed my experience. However, it does NOT prepare you for anything in medical school at all!

And the question here is not what is the most honorable way to serve your community... IF that's the question you can also be a teacher, join the armed forces, be a crossing guard, etc.

The OP's question is what to do to enhance his/her chances for admission into medical school.

Again, nobody is saying being an EMT is bad. If you want to be an EMT, do it by all means. What I'm saying is that it's not the most efficient way to utilize your time if your main goal is to get admitted into medical school (as seems to be the OP's question). The adcoms don't care as much about being an EMT as pre-meds think (as evident by your posts). There are other paths (e.g. higher MCAT) that are more valuable for med school admission purposes.

 

[emtthink]

I can only imagine going through SAMPLE and getting to last oral intake.

well the pt couldn't talk. They had stroked out the night before and no one found them until noon the next day

 

[emtthink]

The adcoms don't care as much about being an EMT as pre-meds think (as evident by your posts). There are other paths (e.g. higher MCAT) that are more valuable for med school admission purposes.

I just did it because it was something I had always wanted to do. I didn't use it to pad my application. I thoroughly enjoy what I do.

 

[hokie13]

And the question here is not what is the most honorable way to serve your community... IF that's the question you can also be a teacher, join the armed forces, be a crossing guard, etc.

The OP's question is what to do to enhance his/her chances for admission into medical school.

Actually it seemed as though they were asking about jobs in the medical field that require little to no training, being an EMT being one of those and also opening doors to many hospital jobs. If it was about what would increase chances to be admitted into medical school then I would probably agree with you on the stats. I just didn't agree with what you were saying about EMT training being useless. I also like someone else on this thread became an EMT because it was something I wanted to do... not because it is the most honorable way to serve my community, which I know there are millions of things you can do that are honorable.

 

[r1d1]

 

[WTEngel]

Any job is going to be what you make of it. EMT is a quick route to help you gain patient exposure in a semi autonomous environment. It can also lead to positions in the hospital as a tech, where you can gain physician exposure.

I would be careful about pursuing a job solely to further your goals of getting into med school. Any job you take that places you in a direct patient care role (CNA, EMT, Paramedic, etc.) should get 100% of your passion and attention. I am not saying it is wrong to have future goals, but being an EMT who is more focused on getting into med school then patient care is a huge disservice to your patients.

I personally believe the adcoms may place more weight on the person who was a paramedic (not EMT) for longer than a few years, who made the most they could of that opportunity. I have been a paramedic for 8 years, and spent the last 3 in flight medicine. I have had the opportunity to train residents and physicians because of the level of specialization I have. I have worked in Saudi Arabia training physicians and paramedics work on helicopters providing medical services. I have also worked for the fire department in some of the most underserved communities in North Texas.

I am not saying all of this to say how great I am by any means, but all of those doors were open to me because I pursued paramedic before even thinking of becoming a physician. I was able to make the most of my role as a paramedic because that was my focus and passion at the time. I can almost guarantee you that my paramedic experience will be seen in a much brighter light than the person who got their certification, and then worked for a year or two while they finished undergrad, simply to gain exposure and increase their odds of getting accepted into med school.

I will just reiterate my earlier point. If you are simply going into a patient care position to gain exposure and increase your chances of being accepted, please re think it, and focus on volunteering or shadowing. Your patients can see tight through you if your heart isn't in it, and it is a disservice to yourself, the patients, and whichever chosen profession you choose to squat in while you wait to get accepted into medical school.