Hi everyone, I was hoping to get some help on deciding between 3 opportunities right now based on my long term goals as I can't tell what is the best option and keep going in circles only talking to myself about this. Most of my friends just tell me to take the job offering more money without really considering all the other points I make. I believe I'd enjoy all positions equally* as I'm passionate about research as well as finance and most jobs involve a blend of that.
For background I'm a C/O 2019 grad from a T7 public school, I did a self-structured postbacc from their pay-to-play school the year after graduation. Stats are 3.7 GPA, 3.6 sGPA, MCAT: TBD as I got startled by my practice scores and didn't take it. Spoiler: This threw me off from my plans to apply this cycle so I figured I might as well get a decent paying job to prep for the fiscal gaping that is about to occur during a 40 school first time app cycle. Also I hope I can use this time to really hit a 515+ score on the MCAT.
So thats how we get to now. Clinical experience wise, I've so far worked at a private practice pain clinic for 6 months as a medical assistant/scribe, and after that I have been scribing at a major teaching hospital for 8 months (so far) in 2 surgical specialties. I also have 1500+ in non-medical related volunteering, plus a whole other full time job I did for 2.5 years in finance/HR.
These are all the full time opportunities l'm trying to decide between:
TLDR: 3 jobs, what would you do in my situation?
For background I'm a C/O 2019 grad from a T7 public school, I did a self-structured postbacc from their pay-to-play school the year after graduation. Stats are 3.7 GPA, 3.6 sGPA, MCAT: TBD as I got startled by my practice scores and didn't take it. Spoiler: This threw me off from my plans to apply this cycle so I figured I might as well get a decent paying job to prep for the fiscal gaping that is about to occur during a 40 school first time app cycle. Also I hope I can use this time to really hit a 515+ score on the MCAT.
So thats how we get to now. Clinical experience wise, I've so far worked at a private practice pain clinic for 6 months as a medical assistant/scribe, and after that I have been scribing at a major teaching hospital for 8 months (so far) in 2 surgical specialties. I also have 1500+ in non-medical related volunteering, plus a whole other full time job I did for 2.5 years in finance/HR.
These are all the full time opportunities l'm trying to decide between:
- Fund manager for the biochem lab department at a T15 hospital (alumni campus) - Pro: 10K higher salary, Con: Commuting - would be 3 hours daily (avg. 1.5 there, 1.5 hour back ~ can vary cause traffic). Hoping LORs can help along with MCAT to get into this program
- Administrative Assistant for the head of the radiology department at a T15 hospital which I scribe at Pro: Close by - 30-60 min total commute, Con: -10k salary, Less interesting job (?). Same case here, hoping LORs can help.
- Continue scribing (25-28 hours weekly) and take on a scribe ambassador role for large corp. where it is 20 hours WFH and conduct interviews for future scribes. Pro: Direct clinical, unsure if I still need more of these hours however. WFH so I can maybe even have more time to study for the MCAT. Con: Not full time so no benefits, unsure if it'll help me get into either of the programs
TLDR: 3 jobs, what would you do in my situation?
- Fund manager biochem - alumni campus, NIH apps go brr
- Admin Assistant - Rads at same hospital as scribing (building on exp??), teaching hospital
- Continue to be exploited with underpaid labor - I mean, continue scribing and take on 'ambassador' role to conduct future scribe interviews. Hopeful for LORs from physicians at teaching hospital through more hours scribing (?)