Health Care Experience: Hands-on Direct Care
A minimum of 500 hours (within the two years prior to program application submission) of direct hands-on patient care experience in a health service environment is required. Paid health care experience is preferred due to the level of responsibility and duties afforded in these positions. Volunteer health care experience may be considered, but paid, supervised health care experience is strongly encouraged. These hours must be completed by the time the application is submitted and should occur within the two years prior to application submission. Due to the competitive nature of PA admissions, earning additional health-related hours is advised. When evaluating hands-on health care hours, we consider the use of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiologic concepts in the work experience.
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Examples of acceptable health care experience: |
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Fulfills requirements for direct patient healthcare experience: |
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Athletic Trainer |
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Certified Nursing Assistant |
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Chiropractic assistant |
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Community Health Worker |
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Dental assistant |
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Dental hygienist |
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EMT/Paramedics |
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Licensed medical massage therapist |
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Licensed Practical Nurse |
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Medical Assistant |
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Medical Tech with patient care experience |
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Mental Health aide |
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Mental Health Counselor |
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Military Corpsman/Medic |
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Nurse |
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Nutrition/Dietitian |
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Occupational Therapist |
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Occupational Therapy Aide |
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Patient Care Technician |
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Peace Corp or other cross cultural health care experience |
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Pharmacist |
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Pharmacy Tech |
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Phlebotomist |
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Physical Therapist |
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Physical Therapy Aide |
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Radiology Technician/Diagnostic Imaging |
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Research with patient contact |
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Respiratory Therapist |
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Scribe with patient care |
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Social Worker |
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Ultrasound Technologist |
Examples of experience that does not fulfill direct patient healthcare experience:
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CPR or ACLS instructor |
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Insurance clerk |
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Life guard |
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Patient Sitter |
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Patient transporter |
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Pharmaceutical representative |
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Research with no patient care contact |
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Shadowing health providers |
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Ski patroller |
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Student clinical experience- student nurse, student EMT, student athletic trainer, or other health care student |
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Unit Clerk |
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Veterinarian Technician/Assistant |
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Wilderness medicine instructor |