Need medical experience...moving to ft. Lauderdale

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I am planning on moving to the fort lauderdale area in a few months. I need medical experience in order to enroll in pa school at barry university. I figured getting certified as a nursing assistant would be the quickest way possible to gain experience dealing with patients. I am looking for an affordable school near fort lauderdale. I understand mcfatter is a great school however their requirements for enrollment state that you must show proof of florida residency for the last 12 months. This does not work for me since i will be moving in june after i finish my bachelors in psyc from illinois. I need help finding a school that is relatively close to the area and not to expensive.

Any information is appreciated

thank you.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Does "pa" equal Physicians Assistant?

I don't believe that nursing assistant experience will count as "medical" experience in any program.

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Specializes in Trauma, Burn, Crticial Care.

I don't it will count either since it is not medical experience. What does your program define as "medical experience"?

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Specializes in ER, Trauma.

Just a thought, Emergency Medical Technician?

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I think OP meant direct patient contact more than "medical experience"

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You should volunteer at a local hospital to obtain the medical exposure that you are seeking, that's if you haven't seek employment yet. CNA will give you patient to patient contact, but not much clinical exposure because you will be very limited. Check Broward Medical Center's website for more info. Good Luck.

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CNA should be fine. I know some PAs that got their feet wet that way.

Many CNA/techs I met while I was in school were teching to decide if they wanted to go for nursing or PA. HA, sadly every one I spent time with went the PA route saying pretty much the same thing about nursing having witnessed what we deal with, "NO F****** WAY".

If you just think simply, nobody is going to let you do much more than CNA work without some sort of licensing. CNA training is quick and easy and yes you will be around it by seeing patients in various states. If you know what specialty you're interested in that would help tremendously as you could focus there... if it's surgery you want, you need to buddy up a little closer to that area. Be firm and specific on where you'd like to CNA/tech. Ask to shadow a doc in your specialty. Do this right away!!!!!!!

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Try Nursing unlimited in Miami, the have a CNA class (posted as nursing assistant on their site) here is there link

http://www.nursingunlimited.com/

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Just a thought, Emergency Medical Technician?

I was going to suggest the same thing. And trust me that it will teach you much more, and better prepare you for PA school. EMT school will teach you patient assessment and how to deal with some actual medical problems; as opposed to teach you how to make a bed and bathe people.

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