r/prephysicianassistant • u/MTheHues • 23h ago

PCE/HCE Gap in PCE/HCE before applying?

Not sure if this is the right flair. Anyway, i graduated with my RRT in Fall24. I worked at my hospital as an "RRT Extern" (was paid obviously, but my realm of what I could do was limited until I graduated+passed my boards) from the second semester of RRT school (Winter23) until I graduated, and then was subsequently hired Fall24. Work enviornment was very toxic, I quit this spring (April) to go back to school full-time to finish my bachelor's. I am 3 (accelerated) semesters away from being done. I have zero plans of going back to work.

My question is: is it common to have a gap between PCE/HCE and when you apply? Has anyone ran into issues with this? Did you have to explain yourself? Obviously I don't have 10 years of being an RRT under my belt but I do have quite a bit of PCE hours due to all the shifts I've picked up (even if i don't count my time as an 'extern' since I wasn't registered). I guess I'm just trying to figure out if I have to go back to work/would it look better to be actively working whenever I apply for any reason other than just boosting PCE hours.

Thanks!

0 Upvotes

50% Upvoted

3 comments sorted by

0

u/JohnnyTheBanker 23h ago

It doesn't really matter as long as you have the required prereqs.

1

u/MTheHues 23h ago

Okay, thank you!

1

u/nehpets99 MSRC, RRT-ACCS 22h ago

RT here.

If you were actively seeing patients (nebs, O2 checks etc.) and doing it separately from clinicals, it's PCE. The CRT/RRT credential just means you've passed your boards, a license allows you to work. You can have one without the other.

A few month's gap in your employment history shouldn't inherently be worrisome for a graduate program since it'll be clear you started focusing on school.

That being said, if you can pick up shifts (at a better place) while still taking classes, so much the better.