Center for Pre-Health Advising
Pre-Professional Advising for Students and Alumni Pursuing the Health Professions

Jobs & Certifications

When it comes to applying to health professions programs, jobs matter!

Many health professions even have their own list of professional competencies. The AAMC, for instance, has this list of Pre-Med Competencies for Entering Medical Students. You will notice though, that many of these competencies are transferable skills, meaning that they can be developed and applied across jobs, industries, and roles. So they are applicable even if you are working outside of a healthcare setting.

On this page: Building Transferable Skills | Patient Care vs. Clinical Experience | Healthcare Positions & Training Programs | Search for Jobs & Internships

Building Transferable Skills

(Photo by Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison)

If you apply to a health program in the future, you can and should list jobs outside of healthcare in addition to your healthcare experience. Some examples include:

  • The service industry (e.g., waiting tables, bartending, retail, etc.), which involve working with teams, prioritizing multiple competing responsibilities, and working in time sensitive situations while managing customer expectations
  • On campus (e.g., tutoring, working as a house fellow, tour guide, SOAR peer advisor, etc.), which require clear communication, problem solving, and interpersonal skills
  • More labor-intensive areas (e.g., landscaping, construction, etc.), which necessitate attention to detail, accuracy, and adherence to safety protocols

Patient Care vs. Clinical Experience

While the language is sometimes used interchangeably and it is possible for a position to be both clinical and patient care, there is technically a distinction between the two. 

Clinical jobs take place in clinical settings and may not include patient care-oriented responsibilities. Patient care jobs can take place in a clinical setting, but exist in other settings as well. Patient care-oriented responsibilities might include things like: checking vitals, taking partial patient histories, distributing medication, drawing blood, and/or assisting with essential tasks of daily living like toileting, bathing, etc. Both can be helpful for exploring and preparing for health professors careers and/or application processes.

However, if your intended profession has specific patient care oriented admissions requirements (i.e. PA), you will want to ensure that you have what you need in order to apply. To discuss patient care requirements for a specific health profession, meet with a Pre-Health Advisor at CPHA.

Healthcare Positions & Training Programs

Some patient care oriented jobs may require licensure or certification. Others may provide on the job training.

If you’re looking for on the job training, it might be helpful to look for various types of positions and potential employers and/or expand your geographic radius some. It may also help to get some volunteer experience first. If the job says that a qualification (like CNA) is preferred but not required, you can still apply!

Pursuing a license or certification may make it easier to find jobs that you are eligible to apply to and you may be more competitive for jobs that don’t necessarily require prior training.

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Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

EMT jobs require licensure, involve patient care, and are often considered more “pre-clinical” since they work in more of a “mobile clinic” setting. However, it is sometimes possible to use an EMT license to work as an ER Tech at a hospital, which is more traditionally clinical. 

Look for EMT jobs with fire departments, community EMS, private ambulance services, hospital-based transport services, large events, etc. To get a sense for the EMS landscape in Dane and surrounding counties, see results from our local EMS Landscape Survey (2025). Check their careers webpage/job sites for opportunities.

There are huge shortages of EMS personnel in rural areas – including in Wisconsin! Here are just a few regional EMS or Fire Departments we recommend contacting to learn about how to get involved through paid or volunteer service as an EMT-B, AEMT, or Paramedic:

Training Opportunities:

Funding Opportunities:

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

CNA jobs require certification, involve patient care and can be clinical or non-clinical (i.e., home health). However, it is also sometimes possible to find CNA-like positions that mirror the responsibilities of the CNA that will train you on the job. 

Look for CNA positions at hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, nursing homes, long term care facilities, memory care facilities, in home caregiving companies etc. Check their careers webpage/job sites for opportunities.

Training Opportunities: 

Becoming a CNA in Wisconsin: 

Medical Assistant (MA)

MA jobs are clinical and involve patient care, but may require licensure depending on the state. In Wisconsin, it is sometimes possible to find positions that will train you on the job. 

In Madison, this is more likely at smaller clinics, doctor’s offices, and private practices, but free clinics (like Our Lady of Hope) will also sometimes train volunteers to take on MA-like roles. There are also sometimes Scribe/MA hybrid positions where you do some scribing and some work as a MA.

Training Opportunities: 

Phlebotomist

Phlebotomy jobs can be clinical or non-clinical, involve patient care and may require prior training. However, it is sometimes possible to find positions that will train you on the job

Look for phlebotomy jobs at hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices with in-house labs, blood donation centers, the Red Cross, plasma centers, etc. Check their careers webpage/job sites for opportunities.

Local Training Opportunities: 

Other Assistant, Aide, Tech, and Tech Assistant

Other Assistant, Aide, Tech, and Tech Assistant jobs are clinical, often involve patient care, and may require prior training or a license or certification. However, it is sometimes possible to find positions that will train you on the job depending on the position.

Some examples of this may include: PT Aide, Rehab Aide, Endoscopy Tech, EKG Tech, Optometry Tech, Patient Care Tech, Radiology Technologist Assistant, and Ultrasound Technologist Assistant.

Look for assistant, aide, tech, and tech assistant jobs at hospitals and clinics. Check their careers webpage/job sites for opportunities.

In Home Caregiver or Personal Care Attendant

In-Home Caregiver or Personal Care Attendant jobs are not clinical, but often involve patient care and do not typically require prior training or experience – although they should still provide on the job training. These positions do tend to be more limited in scope though because you are often only working with one individual at a time. 

It is possible to find these positions posted by individuals on Student Jobs. However, it is also possible to work for in-home caregiving companies, which often provide additional oversight. 

Working in home health care settings requires additional precautions to ensure your safety! See OSHA’s Home Healthcare page and enroll in UW-Madison’s online Safety & Empowerment Training for more on how to protect yourself with doing in-home care.

Behavioral Care Tech

Behavioral Care Tech jobs are not traditionally clinical, but can involve patient care and do not typically require prior training or experience- although they should still provide on the job training. These positions do tend to be more limited in scope though because you often only work with a small number of individuals. 

It is possible to find these positions on Student Jobs.

Respite Care Provider

Respite Care Provider jobs are not traditionally clinical, but can involve patient care and do not typically require prior training or experience – although they should still provide on the job training These positions do tend to be more limited in scope though because you often are only working with one individual at a time.

It is possible to find these positions on Student Jobs.

If you are working in home health care settings, this requires additional precautions to ensure your safety! See OSHA’s Home Healthcare page and enroll in UW-Madison’s online Safety & Empowerment Training for more on how to protect yourself with doing in-home care.

Outdoor First Responder

Outdoor First Responder jobs typically require licensure or certification and involve patient care, but are not traditionally clinical.

Training Opportunities: 

Basic Life Support Provider (CPR, AED)

Basic Life Support Providers are trained in CPR, AED use, and airway management skills. 

Training Opportunities: 

Clinical Research Coordinator

Clinical Research Coordinator jobs do not typically involve patient care, but are clinical and may involve recruiting potential participants, screening them for eligibility, enrolling them in a specific trial, obtaining their consent and/or coordinating their participation. Previous experience in a clinical research or healthcare setting may be preferred or required. 

Look for these jobs through universities, hospitals, and healthcare companies conducting clinical research. 

Medical Scribe

Scribe jobs do not involve patient care, but are clinical and may require prior training. However, it is sometimes possible to find positions that will train you on the job. In Madison, this is more likely at smaller clinics, doctor’s offices, and private practices (i.e. Madison Emergency Physicians). There are also sometimes Scribe/MA hybrid positions where you do some scribing and some patient care work as a MA.

Look for jobs through scribing companies (i.e. ScribeAmerica), hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices. Check their careers webpage/job sites for opportunities.

Training Opportunities: 

Search for Jobs & Internships

Student Jobs

Student Jobs allows current students to search for on and off-campus jobs. This includes jobs at University Health Services (UHS) such as Student Health Techs. 

Handshake

Handshake allows current students and recent graduates to search for jobs off campus. Click on “Career Center” to access “Collections” related to healthcare.

Jobs at UW-Madison

Jobs at UW-Madison allows you to search for non-student jobs on campus. This is a great place to look for gap year opportunities if you are staying in Madison!

Hospital Job Pages

Hospital Job Pages allow you to search for jobs at hospitals like UnityPoint Meriter , SSM Health (St. Mary’s), UW-Health (and American Family & Childrens Hospital) & William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital. You can also look at job pages for hospitals outside of Madison.

LinkedIn Jobs

LinkedIn Jobs allows you to search for jobs in a specific geographic region. If you’re logged in, you can even use their AI feature to “describe the job you want.”

Indeed

Indeed allows you to search for jobs in a specific geographic region using job titles or key words.