blue-collar jobs

[bajastapler]

Longstory short: I'm scared to find/commit myself to a blue-collar job because I don't feel like it'll "pad" my application. Should I stop looking for an "any-job" and focus on biomedical/clinical jobs? Any personal experience or stories of people you actually know would be greatly appreciated.


Long story long:
So, I'm not too sure how to phrase my question exactly, but here's a little back story bout my thought process. Any comments/help GREATLY appreciated.

I started seriously looking for a new job this past summer. Having already experienced the whole "lab research" thing in college for 2 years, I know for a fact that I want to avoid lab work at all costs possible. So, I started looking at other medically relevant possibilities like working the front desk at a private practice, scribe, entry-level positions, etc. But, I feel like I've had the opportunity to expose myself to these types of jobs by volunteering at a hospital. And to tell you the truth, I would rather, work somewhere that I think would be cool for a college kid like a local burger joint, a Pizza place, a chain store, etc.

So, I started applying for these types of jobs. Every time I think about working blue-collar, however, sirens go off in my head. (I hope this doesn't come off as elitist or whatever. I, myself, come from a pretty crummy socio-economic background.)

ANYWAYS
Would my time be better spent working as a lab-tech/medical scribe/etc, or can I work a blue-collar job and not think twice about it. If you have any personal experience or know anyone that worked blue-collar and had things still work out in the end plz help me

*And I continue to keep up with my ECs on the side (e.g. hospital volunteer, non-clinical, etc.)

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[macsta]

Look for a job that you kind of like with good hours and a decent pay. The adcoms realize that you are a student and you need money. No matter what you end up doing, you can still write about what you learned from the experience.

This is a little irrelevant but I heard that adcoms actually like people that work in the restaurant biz (ie McDonalds).

 

[BHaus9]

Longstory short: I'm scared to find/commit myself to a blue-collar job because I don't feel like it'll "pad" my application. Should I stop looking for an "any-job" and focus on biomedical/clinical jobs? Any personal experience or stories of people you actually know would be greatly appreciated.


Long story long:
So, I'm not too sure how to phrase my question exactly, but here's a little back story bout my thought process. Any comments/help GREATLY appreciated.

I started seriously looking for a new job this past summer. Having already experienced the whole "lab research" thing in college for 2 years, I know for a fact that I want to avoid lab work at all costs possible. So, I started looking at other medically relevant possibilities like working the front desk at a private practice, scribe, entry-level positions, etc. But, I feel like I've had the opportunity to expose myself to these types of jobs by volunteering at a hospital. And to tell you the truth, I would rather, work somewhere that I think would be cool for a college kid like a local burger joint, a Pizza place, a chain store, etc.

So, I started applying for these types of jobs. Every time I think about working blue-collar, however, sirens go off in my head. (I hope this doesn't come off as elitist or whatever. I, myself, come from a pretty crummy socio-economic background.)

ANYWAYS
Would my time be better spent working as a lab-tech/medical scribe/etc, or can I work a blue-collar job and not think twice about it. If you have any personal experience or know anyone that worked blue-collar and had things still work out in the end plz help me

*And I continue to keep up with my ECs on the side (e.g. hospital volunteer, non-clinical, etc.)

I can't help but feel you've been lied to. Regardless, if you're confident in your clinical EC's, you should feel comfortable pursuing any job you see fit. My cousin did little more than wait tables over 2 gap years and got accepted to her first choice.

 

[Morzh]

I once heard an admissions officer speak where she said some of the best letters of recommendation come from grocery store managers and restaurant owners.

Just holding employment--any job--for a significant amount of time is usually impressive enough, especially as it runs concurrent with being a full-time student, volunteering, etc.

That said, the obvious upside to working in a healthcare setting is that it can give you meaningful stuff to talk about in essays and interviews. But like you said, with enough effort you can get sufficient experience without actually being employed in healthcare.

If you are pressed financially, don't pass up good job opportunities just because they aren't at a clinic or hospital. As always, the most important thing is that you be able to demonstrate character strengths (hard-work, reliability, time-management, maturity, ability to self-sacrifice) through your activities regardless of whether they are work, research, volunteering, leadership, or whatever.

As long as you are challenging yourself and keeping busy, just do whatever you are drawn to. Follow your gut.

 

[Morzh]

This is a little irrelevant but I heard that adcoms actually like people that work in the restaurant biz (ie McDonalds).

Because in actual practice, medicine is really a service industry profession. Being able to stay calm and friendly under stress, even in the face of disgruntled and abusive customers is a huge asset in all healthcare occupations.

 

[arfc6]

I've worked construction for forever and a half and have a bunch of interviews coming up. Go for it, have fun. I think the key with med school admissions is to get good grades, good mcat, do the checklist stuff, and then mess about and do whatever you feel like.

 

[MaenadsDance]

Have you worked fast food before? I just finished a summer working at a sandwich shop (step up from the job I had for the last couple of summers, at McDonald's!) and I swore to myself that this would be the last minimum-wage, no-skill job I ever worked.

There are bits and pieces of working in food service that I've enjoyed - there's often good camaraderie and stuff like that - but customer service is super stressful, with little reward, and gets little respect. I'd take an office job over that any day...

 

[alexandertg6]

two people I can think of off the top of my head that I interviewed with last application cycle literally waited tables for an entire year and then got accepted into medical school. A third worked for Apple as a sales person in a blue shirt is also a medical student.

 

[Morsetlis]

There is nothing wrong with working, especially full-time jobs. For some med schools, you get bonus points for supporting yourself while going through college.

 

[bajastapler]

Thanks for the helps guys. Comment greatly appreciated

-Cheers

 

[bajastapler]

And, if you never get into med school

^ seriously man? seriously?

... Thanks for the encouragement bro.

Here's some words of encouragement for you to bro : Work on your grammar, tone, diction, and basically everything else. You're sentence structure is awkward and fragmented as f*ck. PM me when you apply for your app. cycle and we'll work out the kinks on your personal statement, together

<3

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Get whatever job you want to and do some clinical volunteering on the side. Voila.

 

[Epen]

I don't know.

My guess is that working at restaurants, retail or jobs that have nothing to do with a physician, is one of those things that could go either way.

Everywhere you go, be it the presidency or mopping floors at burger king, holds the opportunity for you to learn new skills. Probably my most marketable skill right now is my ability to deal with angry, confused, near-violent people in a way that calms them down and deals with their problem. I learned that by dealing with angry customers, and I used that skill I learned in fast food when I volunteered at a hospital and had to deal with angry, confused, terrified patients and relatives.

tl;dr don't think you won't get anything from fast food, and don't think you can't market those skills

 

[JESSFALLING]

When did fast food become a blue-collar job?? It's more like a 'dirty'-collar one...

 

[mitchlucker]

Sick working as a banquet and restaurant server because I thought it would improve my service/people skills, and finding out it's actually relevant. Plus it pays just as well as most intro level "degree" jobs...

 

[circulus vitios]

I think I would rather work in a lab than a fast food place, even if working in a lab sucks. I only work blue collars jobs out of necessity as my school is in the middle of no where with literally no lab jobs available.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

you have a misunderstanding of "blue-collar." What you are talking about is a service job. that being said, I have worked as a mechanic, t-shirt printer, warehouse selector, forklift driver, and currently a truck driver for the past 10 years. I am applied to 10 DO schools, filled out secondaries to 7 and have 6 interviews so far. Granted, I have a lot going with my application but as you can see, just because I have worked blue-collar jobs (these jobs are blue-collar) doesn't mean I adcoms think poorly with it.

 

[Morsetlis]

I think some of you are getting the wrong idea.

Hardship = + points

The fact that hardship replaces time for EC's is not a point of consideration. You simply need EC's, and hardship gives you an extra to complete those things in a longer timeframe.

There are no negative points associated with working, or hardship.

 

[BHaus9]

^ seriously man? seriously?

... Thanks for the encouragement bro.

Here's some words of encouragement for you to bro : Work on your grammar, tone, diction, and basically everything else. You're sentence structure is awkward and fragmented as f*ck. PM me when you apply for your app. cycle and we'll work out the kinks on your personal statement, together

<3

This was unnecessarily defensive..

 

[medicalmuscle]

if you are too white collar for a blue collar job, then i hope to god that you know what's coming during anat/phys lab...

ewww, what's that, blood???

Being an activist against psychiatry, vaccination, surgery and anesthesia,

translate said belligerency, please.

 

[Morsetlis]

Blood from 6-month-dead cadavers?

Well, I guess it could be blood pudding...

 

[medicalmuscle]

Blood from 6-month-dead cadavers?

1. yes, 6 month old cadavers contain blood
2. blood pudding is f**king delicious
3. see number 1
4. see number 2

p.s. blood is blood, as a solid or a liquid

 

[Morsetlis]

If it's dead, is it still blood?! Not a fluid anymore...

I always prefered liver and onions to blood pudding.

 

[medicalmuscle]

If it's dead, is it still blood?!

what blood do you know that "dies"

Not a fluid anymore...

ummm, its called "dry blood"

I always prefered liver and onions to blood pudding.

im sorry