Earn While You Learn

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) - Learn more and apply

Next hire date: June 2023
Applications for June hiring will open in late March through April

Training time: Three months

What is an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)?

The EMT is a person who is trained to give basic emergency medical care. This has historically been in an ambulance. We are now using EMTs more in hospitals to help provide care to our patients.

Is there a career path for EMTs?

While you can work your entire career as an EMT some choose to continue their education. There are a number of options for the EMT such as advanced EMT, paramedic, and critical care paramedic. Others find this introduction to healthcare leads them to careers in nursing, radiology technology, respiratory therapy, or other roles in the hospital setting.

How does this work:

Trainees are hired with no prior experience other than high school diploma or equivalent. UVA will pay you a full time salary, your benefits, and expenses for your training. Our benefits package equals about 30% of your salary! UVA asks for 1 year commitment from those we train.

The EMT course is included in your work hours. Half of your week will be spent in the EMT course or completing related assignments. The other half of your week will be in rotations through a variety of departments including the emergency department, medical transport network, intensive care units, radiology, and psychiatry. The goal is to broaden your educational experience and provide insight areas you may work upon completion.

Where do EMT’s work at UVA:

There are a number of places EMT’s can work whether they go through the Earn While You Learn program or have taken the EMT course on their own.

These areas include,

• Emergency Department
• Medical Transport Network (must be 21 to drive ambulance)
• In-patient units such as ICU’s or acute care units
• Psychiatry as a Mental Health Technician
• Radiology
• There are other areas, such as Dialysis, that don’t require EMT but prefer this training for their technicians

Course Details:

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) provide out of hospital medical care, and transportation to patients who are experiencing emergency events. The UVA Life Support Learning Center (LSLC) provides EMT education based upon the national standards derived from the US Department of transportation, and is overseen by the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services.  As part of the earn to learn program, candidates will be enrolled in an EMT program that is three months in duration.

At the end of three months, you will be prepared to begin your career caring for the ill and injured at the top level 1 Trauma Center at UVA’s Emergency Department, or responding to medical emergencies in the community on one of our Medic V ambulances.

Training Includes:

• Basic anatomy and physiology
• Introductory medical, legal and ethical knowledge
• Patient assessment
• Skill and knowledge development to safely deliver emergency care to patients across the life span: Infant to senior citizens
• Skill-building to stabilize and safely transport patients
• Immobilization and splinting of injured extremities and bleeding control
• Basic pharmacology that includes medication administration in certain specific circumstances
• Mass-casualty and disaster management
• Scene safety and personal protection
• Written and oral communication in the clinical context

Methods of instruction:

• Virtual didactic education via the Jones and Bartlett education platform
• In person lab and skill building sessions using a 1:6 instructor to student ratio
• In person patient care training using high fidelity mannequins and a 1:2 instructor to student ratio

Program Hours: 424.4 Hours
Training Time: 9 months
Next Hire Date: Ongoing as positions are available (search “Pharmacy Technician 1” positions to apply)

Join a culture that encourages growth, teamwork, diversity, pride, efficiency, and exceptional patient care. Our team of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians focus on providing the best patient care, and work closely with all healthcare providers, including physicians, residents, social workers, and nurses. We connect with our community and serve a diverse population of patients. Applicants must pass a math and language pre-enrollment assessment for acceptance into the program. No pharmacy experience required.

What is a Pharmacy Technician?

A Pharmacy Technician works closely with Pharmacists to help prepare and distribute medicines to patients. This role includes screening prescription orders for accuracy, prepare prescriptions by retrieving medication, measuring medication (count, pour, weigh, measure and sometimes mix), and distribution of medications to patient care units or directly to patients.

• Our Pharmacy Technician program involves on-line education, simulations, and on-the-job training.
• Important topics covered in the PTU curriculum include: medication error prevention and safety, calculations, pharmacology, community pharmacy practice, institutional pharmacy practice, federal law, and state specific pharmacy law.
• Graduates are well trained to meet high quality performance standards and are prepared to pass state and national certification exams.

PTCE Pass Rate: 100% since March 2022 (Beginning of Pharmacy Technician University National Standards Curriculum to meet ASHP/ACPE accreditation)

For more information about our training program please review our admission requirements. 

Where do Pharmacy Technicians work at UVA?

Pharmacy Technicians work in our Specialty, Inpatient and Outpatient Pharmacies.

Why join UVA as a Pharmacy Technician in training?

Our UVA Pharmacy Services has a career ladder that allows advancement. Trainees will start as a Pharmacy Technician 1 and they can then advance through Pharmacy Technician 4. Much depends on the motivation of the individual. They may also choose to pursue a career as a pharmacist. Others find this introduction to healthcare leads them to careers in nursing, radiology technology, respiratory therapy, or other roles in the hospital setting.

How does this work?

Trainees are hired with no prior experience other than high school diploma or equivalent. Pharmacy Technicians will complete self-paced online training, simulations, and on the job training.

UVA will pay you a full time salary and benefits. Our benefits package equals about 30% of your salary! UVA asks for 1 year commitment from those we train.

Phlebotomy Trainee - Learn more and apply

Next hire date: June 2023
Applications for June hiring will open in late March through April

Training Time: 12 weeks

As part of the Earn While you learn program, candidates will be enrolled in a three-month program with training and experiences that will allow you to work at UVA Medical Center alongside the best laboratory professionals, nurses, doctors, PCTs, and support staff.

What is a “Phlebotomist?”

Phlebotomist draw blood from our patients. This involves receiving orders for lab work from our computer system, identifying the correct patient, assembling needed supplies, safely drawing blood from the patient, and submitting labs for processing. This role is needed inside our hospital (or in-patient) and in our ambulatory clinics. You will be working closely with patients. While your time with each patient may be short it is important to make them comfortable and help them relax.

Is there a career path for Phlebotomist?

For many the Phlebotomist role may be a long term career path. For others it can be the first step as they continue their education to be become a Medical Lab Assistant, Medical Laboratory Technologist, or even a Medical Laboratory Scientist.

Others find this introduction to healthcare leads them to careers in nursing, radiology technology, respiratory therapy, or other roles in the hospital setting.

How does this work:

Trainees are hired with no prior experience other than high school diploma or equivalent. UVA will pay you a full time salary, your benefits, and expenses for your training. Our benefits package equals about 30% of your salary! UVA asks for 1-year commitment from those we train.

Where do Phlebotomist work at UVA:

Phlebotomist work in both the in-patient setting and a number of ambulatory sites. The pace is busy in both settings.

Course Details:

• The course is provided by PVCC on site at UVA.
• The first two weeks is primarily classroom instruction providing important foundational information.
• Part of the course will be virtual or use a computer. If you do not have computer, please let us know and arrangements can be made to help you access one of ours for your course work.
• You will have controlled practice in the classroom as you first learn to draw blood.
• Next you will go into the outpatient clinics and inpatient rotations to gain experience.
• You will have an exam upon completion.

Medical Assistant Trainee - Learn more and apply

Next hire date: June 2023

Applications for June hiring will open in late March through April

Spots are limited

Training time: 9 weeks

Work for the #1 hospital in VA -- University of Virginia Medical Center. We are hiring into our exciting Earn While You Learn program where you will be trained to become an outpatient Medical Assistant. As part of the Earn While you learn program, candidates will be enrolled in a nine-week program with training and experiences that will allow you to work at UVA Medical Center clinics alongside the best nurses, doctors, and clinic support staff.

What is a Certified Medical Assistant?

The CMA role is one of the newer roles in health care. The role works in the ambulatory setting or diagnostic areas such as radiology.

They assist with medical care ranging from getting a patient’s history and taking vital signs to a number of tasks such as getting EKGs, assisting with exams, administering medications, and other more. This role may also assist with administrative tasks in the medical office setting. They perform a wide range of duties under the supervision of a health care provider.

Is there a career path for Certified Medical Assistants?

Many will work their career as CMA. Others find this introduction to healthcare leads them to careers in nursing, radiology technology, respiratory therapy, or other roles in the hospital setting.

How does this work:

Trainees are hired with no prior experience other than high school diploma or equivalent. UVA will pay you a full time salary, your benefits, and expenses for your training. Our benefits package equals about 30% of your salary! UVA asks for 1-year commitment from those we train.

Where do CMAs work at UVA:

There are a number of places CMAs can work whether they go through the Earn While You Learn program or have taken the CMA course on their own.

These areas include,

• Ambulatory Care Units (we have more than 130!)
• Radiology

Course Details:

• PVCC provides our CMA course for the Earn While You Learn Program.
• You can expect to spend some time at PVCC for class and skills.
• You will also rotate through ambulatory clinic sites to observe and gain more experience that will help you build knowledge and confidence.
• A number of the lectures are provided virtually. You may be in a group setting watching these via computer. There will be other tasks that require you to have a computer. If you do not have a computer, please let us know and we will work with you to have access.
• Upon completion there is a certification exam that UVA will cover the costs.
• You will work with our team to find your permanent job upon class completion. There are many options to choose from!

Next hire date:  February 2024
New to the Earn While You Learn programs!

Training Time: 16 weeks

What is a “Sterile Processing Technician?”

A Sterile Processing Technician plays a very important role in healthcare. They provide essential patient care in an indirect way. 

They carefully sterilize and assemble all the equipment required for surgery, exams, and other medical procedures. They ensure both patient and team safety.  This equipment is essential not only to our operating rooms but also our procedural areas and clinics. 

Sterile Processing Technicians are detail-oriented and careful workers. This job requires compliance with processes and standards, documentation of efforts, and quality control.  Additionally, this highly specialized role involves the use and maintenance of sterile processing equipment, sterile packaging of instruments, and inventory control.

Is there a career path for Sterile Processing Technician?

There are opportunities to advance to senior positions within the sterile processing field. As part of the Perioperative care team the Surgical Scrub Technician role is one area for growth.  Of course within healthcare there are many areas to pursue. 

How does this work:

Trainees are hired with no prior experience other than high school diploma or equivalent. UVA will pay you a full-time salary, your benefits, and expenses for your training. Our benefits package equals about 30% of your salary! UVA asks for 1-year commitment from those we train.

Where do Sterile Processing Technicians work UVA:

Sterile Processing Technicians typically work in hospitals, clinics, and other settings where medical equipment is used.  At UVA Central Sterile Processing is located near the operating rooms within the UVA Medical Center and our ambulatory surgical locations.  

Course Details:

• The course is provided by Piedmont Virginia Community College and UVA Health.
• This course will include educational time at both PVCC and UVA.  Many hours will be spent documenting your clinical experience at UVA. 
• Topics you will focus on include infection control, sterilization, packaging of sterile instruments, record keeping and compliance, quality control practices, inventory management, and specific knowledge related to medical instruments.
• This course will contain 550 contact hours.  About 150 hours are classroom based and the remainder is documented clinical experience.
• Upon completion, students are eligible to sit for the Certified Registered Central Sterile Technician (CRCST) credentials exam offered by the international Association of Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA).

Nurse Assistant Trainee (CNA) - Learn more and apply

Next Hire Date: June 2023
Applications for June hiring will open in late March through April
Training time: 6-8 weeks

What is a Certified Nurse Assistant? 

A CNA is an entry level member of the patient's healthcare team. They provide important patient-centered care and tasks under the supervision ofa licensed nursing staff. Our CNAs are integral to the care of our patients.

Is there a career path for CNAs?

At UVA many of our CNAs will go on to become a Patient Care Assistant or Patient Care Technician. This training is provided by UVA to our employees. In this training more advanced skills will be taught.

Others find this introduction to healthcare leads them to careers in nursing, radiology technology, respiratory therapy, or other roles in the hospital setting.

How does this work:

Trainees are hired with no prior experience other than high school diploma or equivalent. UVA will pay you a full time salary, your benefits, and expenses for your training. Our benefits package equals about 30% of your salary! UVA asks for 1-year commitment from those we train.

The CNA course is included in your work hours. Half of your week will be spent in the course or completing related assignments. The other half of your week will be working on the patient care units with another CNA for on the job experience. The goal is to broaden your educational experience and provide insight areas you may work upon completion.

Where do CNAs work at UVA:

CNAs are essential to the care of our patients. Positions are available in many patient care areas. You can expect to receive additional training after the course is complete to advance to a Patient Care Technician.

Course Details:

• UVA is working with CATEC to provide the CNA course. Classes are taught in person at CATEC, on-line, and clinical days at a local long term care facility.
• If you do not have a computer—this is not a problem. We will help find a solution for this just let us know.
• You can expect classes to be taught on 2-3 evenings per week from 5pm-9pm. Some of these sessions are on-line or virtual. There will be several Saturday clinical days that are 7am to 3:30 pm.
• A “clinical day” is where you, your fellow trainees, and your instructor actually take care of patients in a local long term care facility.
• When your course is complete you will need to take a test and skills evaluation to receive your certification. Testing fees are paid by UVA. You can take the tests more than once if needed for success.
• The class will take about half of your work hours each week. The other half of the work hours will be at UVA. You will be on the patient care units with a preceptor to get more experience and learn more about patient care at UVA. A preceptor is someone who works with you to continue teaching you more ‘on the job.’ The goal is having you as knowledgeable and confident as we can by course completion.
• Once your course is complete you will receive an assignment for your permanent work location. Because we are a hospital—you can expect to rotate shifts, have a weekend rotation, and work some holidays.