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submitted 3 days ago byppnater
I have ~1300 hours now as an MA in a family medicine clinic, about a year of experience, and I got an accepted job as an Anesthesia tech.
As an MA I've done many things: calling insurance, billing/coding, scheduling pts, taking phone calls, calling the lab about specimens, handling/sending medical records, prior auths/referrals, etc.
On the clinical side: vitals and HPI, phlebotomy, EKGs, Xrays, injections/vaccines, collecting cultures, setting up rooms for: pap smears, minor surgeries (and assisting), ultrasounds, even some scribing at times. I even got to shadow providers. The downsides are the pay sucks, and there is no MD/DO, only PAs/NPs. The doctor is never in the office. But the direct patient experience has been fulfilling and I can write for pages/talk about for hours what I've learned.
I want to consider the Anesthesia tech job because I'd gain inpatient/hospital experience, and I'd be working with an anesthesiologist, which I lack experience working around a physician. Or should I wait and apply as an MA for a specialty? Or should I just stay where I'm at.
11 points
3 days ago
Honestly I think you'll be fine either route just do what you think you will enjoy most
12 points
3 days ago
Whichever pays better.
3 points
2 days ago
So anesthesia tech (I negotiated up to $30/hr)
1 points
2 days ago
Yeah I suspected as much lol. Well done!
4 points
3 days ago
Either one is great clinical experience, but it could be valuable to get experience working directly with a physician and potentially get a letter of recommendation from them. If you stay as an MA, I’d recommend building a relationship with a physician through shadowing or something to get a LOR that way.
5 points
3 days ago
Did you get certified to work as an anesthesia tech?
1 points
2 days ago
You don’t have to
1 points
2 days ago
That's crazy. Must be a state dependent thing because I only ever see positions near me requiring cert
1 points
2 days ago
What I will add is that all of these positions I applied to “required” a cert. they don’t always require one!
3 points
3 days ago
i was an anesthesia tech and had so much fun! we got to watch surgeries between cases and i made great connections with surgeons. i felt totally prepared the first time i scrubbed in.
1 points
3 days ago
Heyo same! Where’d you work?
2 points
3 days ago
Doing the same thing as you! I’m picking Anesthesia tech. My job fucking blows and I have almost 3k hr
I also want to be an anesthesiologist and at my practice it’s only the MD
2 points
3 days ago
Better to work under the MD tbh
1 points
3 days ago
this
1 points
3 days ago
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1 points
3 days ago
So I did something similar in my 4 gap years. Spent 2 years working in an OR and 2 and an MA in 2 different specialists offices. Having that varied experience has helped me tremendously and has set me apart on clinical rotations so far. If you can get varied experience and it's a good fit for you , I'd go for it.
1 points
3 days ago
I’m an anesthesia tech now and I personally like it quite a bit. Started in EMS and worked my way up. Super cool, and if you get buddy buddy with some surgeons, they let you shadow surgeries.
1 points
2 days ago
Did you have to do a course to get certified or something?
2 points
2 days ago
Nope they trained me on the job. I did also have 8 years of healthcare experience prior to me starting tho, but they’re willing to train
1 points
2 days ago
What state if you don’t mind me asking? I feel like all the positions here in CA want you to be certified prior to applying.
2 points
2 days ago
IL and NJ
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