Why Aspiring PA Students Should Consider CNA Training

Choosing patient care experience to prepare for physician assistant (PA) school can be a confusing process. Generally, the more direct patient care (DPC) experience you get the more valuable the work experience is to PA schools. PA schools require you to have a certain number of DPC hours to be admitted into the program. The number of DPC hours required for PA school varies, but most schools require you to complete somewhere between 500-2000 hours. To make yourself a stronger candidate, aim to earn 2000 hours of DPC. Earning this many hours may seem overwhelming, but it does not have to be. 

What is DPC? 

In order for work experience to be considered DPC you must provide face-to-face hands-on care to patients. When looking to complete DPC hours there are a few things you should seek in your experience:

1. Working directly with patients
2. Assessing the needs of patients  
3. Using your own judgment to make decisions (rather than executing decisions made by someone else)
4. Providing treatment

Please note that you might not perform all of these tasks, but the more you do the better. 

How to Earn DPC Hours

You might have already heard that getting work experience as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is beneficial for aspiring PA students. Whether you have or you have not heard this before, it is true! Having CNA experience is in fact valuable to the career of an aspiring PA professional for several reasons. To learn more about what a CNA is and a CNA's job duties, read our three-minute blog post here. 

Below are the reasons why gaining CNA work experience is valuable to you as a pre-PA student:

Hands-on Experience

As a CNA you will get plenty of hands-on experience since CNAs provide DPC everyday! Some of the clinical tasks performed by a CNA include helping patients with everyday tasks (e.g. bathing, getting dressed, eating), providing wound care, and checking vital signs. Providing care to patients daily is an efficient way to earn DPC hours. CNA experience will also help you develop the confidence needed to interact with patients. 

Demonstrate Commitment to Healthcare

PA programs are competitive and schools value clinical experience. Therefore, CNA experience will make you a more competitive candidate, and increase your chances of being accepted into a program. Schools will see that you are committed by taking the initiative to understand the healthcare field in order to excel in your career as a healthcare professional. 

Develop Professionalism and Work Ethic 

It is no secret that CNAs face difficult challenges while working long hours. While being a CNA is challenging, it will prepare you for the demanding hours PAs have to work. You will also gain a strong sense of professionalism that employers, colleagues, and patients will greatly appreciate. 

Gain Knowledge on the Roles of Healthcare Teams

CNAs work with nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals. This gives pre-PA students a great opportunity to learn about the healthcare system as a whole. After completing your DPC hours as a CNA you will have a general idea of the roles and job duties of multiple healthcare professionals. You will also have a general idea of the structure of healthcare facilities. 

Develop Interpersonal Healthcare Skills 

CNAs work with diverse patient populations. CNA experience gives pre-PA students an opportunity to develop cultural competency by providing care to patients from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. PA students will have the opportunity to develop strong communication skills that will be used when communicating with patients, their family members, and colleagues. 

Earn Your Hours and Begin Your Journey 

If you are interested in becoming a CNA you will need to earn a CNA certification. If you have not already, read our previous blog post to learn more about how to earn a CNA certification. Enroll now in a CNA training program near you to begin your healthcare career.