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i dont know if its right for me
i really hope someone can answer this. im a junior in high school. part of my school is mixed in with a technical college, therefore high schoolers get the chance to take real college courses [not AP] and receive both high school and college credits as long as we pass the compass test and all that good stuff. im currently taking health occupations, which is a high school course, but was thinking about taking Patient Care Assisting [PCA] my senior year, which is a college course that is 2 blocks long and will certify us to be CNA's at the end of the semester and can go right on and land a job in a hospital. the thing is, i want to be a veterinary radiologist or anesthesiologist, so would being a certified CNA even help me? the class interests me, but i want to work with animals. so would there even be any point in taking it or would being a vet be TOTALLY different? people are telling me that it could still help me, and that being a CNA and/or having worked in a hospital would look really good to colleges [which btw im trying to get into a major university], but i havent had time to talk to any counselors or anything at the school. any input?
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Taking the PCA class would certainly be a big help. I do not use my medical education (much anyway... Im a psych student so a little of it comes in handy). I went to nursing school right out of high school doing clinicals in a nursing home. I became a CNA (certified nursing assisstant). I decided then and there that nursing was not for me, at least not human so I got a certificate as a veterinary assisstant. I was amazed at how similar it is. I mean, all humans and warm blooded animals have essentially the same bones, organs, body systems, etc. There are minor variations but if you become a CNA and then go to vet school, I think you will find you already have a trememdous basis for your education.
When I was studying to be a CNA I was working for a pharmacy. Not a big chain but a small, independently owned pharm. where I completely filled Rx's from beginning to end and the RPh just double checked and signed off on what I did. I learned a lot in the CNA classes to help me there too! Such as the metric system. I had never learned any of that in high school; cc's, ml's, drams, etc. You also get to learn all the abbreviations in ANY of those; nursing, vet, pharmacy, etc. such as q.d., b.i.d., a.u, a.d., gtts, s.o.b, and loads of other useful medical terminology.
To make a long story short... if you are REALLY into being a veterinarian (or some kind of work with animals) you may not be tremendously happy doing human work. I know I dreaded my clinicals. The book work was great but having to be at the nursing home changing bed pans, giving showers, shaving, etc... it didn't "gross me out" or anything... I just always liked medicine but never really knew until years later what I liked about it. BUT, that being said, the education will definitely help you. I'm just happy I study the mind now, lol, and less of the body.
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I don't entirely know how your school works, so it would be best if you do talk to your guidance counsellors as soon as possible, but hopefully I can help a bit.
The first thing to do would be to figure out what courses exactly you NEED in order to get into the university program you want. If you figure it out and discover that you have no room for the PCA course, then your problem is solved. If you still have room in your schedule, move on.
You say you're interested. That's important. I do believe the course could be useful to you. The very fact that you (presumably) pass it will show universities that you're able to tackle the work required of you. You might want to consider checking the programs at specific universities that you want to attend, however, and see if they have any recommended courses that you take--some aren't required, but suggested. If you still have room for the PCA course, keep considering it. Take a look at the other courses too, just in case there's something that interests you more, or is more relevant to your intended field of study.
It really comes down to figuring out if it's even an option, then figuring out if you really want to do it.
Best of luck!
-Daimeera, 21/f
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