Volunteer vs. Paid
Volunteer vs. Paid
Hey guys. Sorry if this was already posted, but I didn't see anything. At the college I'm going to, there is a volunteer fire and rescue service. I was interested in rescue, but wanted to see if it could be used with PA programs. I know it may depend on the exact school, but I wanted to see what the general consensus was. Even if it's just volunteer, would PA programs consider volunteer EMT as H.C.E.? Thanks for any help!
Last edited by PKRunner on Sun Feb 12, 2012 12:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Volunteer vs. Paid
I think most schools would. But ambulance/hospital EMT work is generally preferred over search and rescue because it involves more medicine, and less rescue. Although rescue is cool and interesting, PA programs want you to have maximal experience working with patients.
Re: Volunteer vs. Paid
Can I ask a more general question? I'm just starting out on my pre-PA path and am trying to plan ahead a bit. I'm about to start volunteering at a local hospital (am about to start training and then will move into a specific placement). The volunteer work will involve a lot of interaction with patients: helping nursing staff when they round on patients, helping CNAs/MAs, doing things like bathing and changing linens etc. Nothing glamorous, but definitely hands on. I'm hoping to continue this volunteer experience up until I apply to PA programs (which would probably be either Fall 2013 or 2014, depending on how long it takes me to get through my prerequisites) so it will eventually be a significant number of hours. Does this type of volunteer experience "count" as HCE, despite the fact that it's unpaid?
The programs I'll be applying to do not require any specific amount of prior HCE, but I realize I'll likely be up against people with lots of it. I'm changing careers, have a very young child, and am doing all of this around caring for him (thank goodness for awesome family support!) so finding a paid position in healthcare isn't really an option until he gets a bit older, but I can do it then if I have to. I'm thinking I will get my prereqs done, keep up this volunteer position, maybe do EMT training, and apply and see what happens. I'm planning to work my butt off and hopefully get an awesome science GPA and GRE score to boost the academic side of things. I don't mean to sound like I'm in a rush, but it's taken me til age 30 to figure out what I want to do with my life, so I'm eager to get started. I guess I'm just looking for a little reassurance that I'm on the right track.
Thanks so much for the site, by the way. It has been hugely helpful!
The programs I'll be applying to do not require any specific amount of prior HCE, but I realize I'll likely be up against people with lots of it. I'm changing careers, have a very young child, and am doing all of this around caring for him (thank goodness for awesome family support!) so finding a paid position in healthcare isn't really an option until he gets a bit older, but I can do it then if I have to. I'm thinking I will get my prereqs done, keep up this volunteer position, maybe do EMT training, and apply and see what happens. I'm planning to work my butt off and hopefully get an awesome science GPA and GRE score to boost the academic side of things. I don't mean to sound like I'm in a rush, but it's taken me til age 30 to figure out what I want to do with my life, so I'm eager to get started. I guess I'm just looking for a little reassurance that I'm on the right track.
Thanks so much for the site, by the way. It has been hugely helpful!
Re: Volunteer vs. Paid
It sounds to me like you have things on track. Ace those classes, put in the time in your volunteer position, and ready yourself for the career of a lifetime!
Re: Volunteer vs. Paid
I'm gonna hijack this topic so I don't have to make a new thread for my question.
I am a Medical Lab Science major and I am just a couple of years away from graduating. I have tons of experience working in the laboratory. I worked as a Lab Assistant for a year and a half, and I recently got a job as a Pathology Tech (mostly I do grossing, and have the opportunity to potentially assist with autopsies and Bone Marrow draws in the future.). I am paying my way through college as I go, so a well paying job is important to me, and the job I currently has pays very well. I also have toyed with the idea of going to Pathology Assistant school if I decide I still really like my job a couple of years from now, so quitting my current job is really not a great idea for me. My main goal currently is, and has been for years to become a Physician Assistant, and I have been getting really serious about PA school preparation recently. I have heard that Laboratory Jobs count for basically no HCE with most PA schools as there is little to no patient exposure. I was aware of this fact and have long planned on getting patient care experience through volunteer hours. My problem is, recently I have been hearing that PA schools tend to strongly prefer (if not require) the HCE hours be paid time. I was wondering if the fact that I will have had a medical Job for 4+ years by the time that I apply will be enough to make my volunteer hours of direct patient care still count for something, or if I am basically shooting myself in the foot for PA school by staying in my job as a Path Tech? I do have about 300-400 hours racked up of direct patient contact from a job I had before I worked in the lab as a patient care tech, not sure if that makes a difference at all.
Any help and advice that you guys can give me is greatly appreciated. Don't be afraid to be brutally honest too, I can take it, and it will help me in the long run. Thanks in advance!!
I am a Medical Lab Science major and I am just a couple of years away from graduating. I have tons of experience working in the laboratory. I worked as a Lab Assistant for a year and a half, and I recently got a job as a Pathology Tech (mostly I do grossing, and have the opportunity to potentially assist with autopsies and Bone Marrow draws in the future.). I am paying my way through college as I go, so a well paying job is important to me, and the job I currently has pays very well. I also have toyed with the idea of going to Pathology Assistant school if I decide I still really like my job a couple of years from now, so quitting my current job is really not a great idea for me. My main goal currently is, and has been for years to become a Physician Assistant, and I have been getting really serious about PA school preparation recently. I have heard that Laboratory Jobs count for basically no HCE with most PA schools as there is little to no patient exposure. I was aware of this fact and have long planned on getting patient care experience through volunteer hours. My problem is, recently I have been hearing that PA schools tend to strongly prefer (if not require) the HCE hours be paid time. I was wondering if the fact that I will have had a medical Job for 4+ years by the time that I apply will be enough to make my volunteer hours of direct patient care still count for something, or if I am basically shooting myself in the foot for PA school by staying in my job as a Path Tech? I do have about 300-400 hours racked up of direct patient contact from a job I had before I worked in the lab as a patient care tech, not sure if that makes a difference at all.
Any help and advice that you guys can give me is greatly appreciated. Don't be afraid to be brutally honest too, I can take it, and it will help me in the long run. Thanks in advance!!