Help!! Need some advice on quitting my job

[jr88]

Thanks in advance to anyone who helps me out...

A little back story:

I didn't get accepted last year, so I got a job as a medical assistant to an ortho doc to gain clinical experience. I started working for him in August 2009. When I was hired, the doc, and more specifically my manager (it's a large practice) assumed that I would be working for a full year until I went to med school.

I'm only working part time (barely 20 hrs a week), and this doc has 2 other MA's, a PA, and a secretary that work for him also. I'm really wanting to quit in about a month, and do absolutely nothing all summer before school starts (which everyone around here agrees to be a good idea).

I'm not really that crucial to his medical team, and honestly I think they could do without me, but there are 1-2 days a week when they really need me. So do you think that I should go ahead and tell them I plan on leaving in about a month? Or just wait to give a 2 weeks notice? I'll feel bad about leaving them short handed for a few days a week, AND leaving a few months before I said I would. Am I just being way too worried/nice here? I really want to quit and have some time off before med school starts. Thanks again for your input!

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[Dial71]

With jobs like this, two weeks notice is plenty. Unless your skills are absolutely vital to an organization (nuclear scientist, whiz-bang pitchman, #2 to an arch-villian, etc.) there is no reason for you to stay until they find and train a replacement.

That said, you should definately avoid burning any bridges. People talk and you'd be surprised how far word of mouth carries.

Just play it cool, explain your situation, and tell them how much you enjoyed working for them.

Congrats on the acceptance man.

 

[chman]

I think you should be honest about your intentions. Most people are pretty understanding, and I am sure that he/she would appreciate the notice. You could always go halfway, and take half of the summer off instead of the whole summer. That would give you a month and a half off, and give the doc plenty of time to find a good replacement.

 

[jr88]

I think you should be honest about your intentions. Most people are pretty understanding, and I am sure that he/she would appreciate the notice. You could always go halfway, and take half of the summer off instead of the whole summer. That would give you a month and a half off, and give the doc plenty of time to find a good replacement.

I've thought about doing that, but the truth is, I'm miserable right now. My girlfriend and all my friends live 2 and a half hours away from me, and I'm living at home with my parents. There's pretty much nothing here for me now and honestly I think i'm losing my sanity staying here haha. I would quit my job and move in with my girlfriend right now if I wasn't so worried about pissing someone off at work.

 

[amine2086]

I've thought about doing that, but the truth is, I'm miserable right now. My girlfriend and all my friends live 2 and a half hours away from me, and I'm living at home with my parents. There's pretty much nothing here for me now and honestly I think i'm losing my sanity staying here haha. I would quit my job and move in with my girlfriend right now if I wasn't so worried about pissing someone off at work.

There is no reason to be miserable. Assuming you do not need the money badly, you should just give them the one month notice. I think that's plenty of time for them to find a replacement (if they need one).

 

[auburnO5]

I say do whats best for you, who cares what they think

 

[boydn]

If you are not happy just go now! realistically 1 weeks notice is plenty! If you explain the situation im sure they would understand - theres no point going about life making yourself unhappy!

 

[willen101383]

You are looking wayyy too far into this.... So just be professional and youll be all set. While you shouldnt bounce without giving 2 weeks IMO....would they give you two weeks if they were firing you? I think not. I always think about that when leaving a job. Keep your bridges intact, but keep yourself #1 in your life.

 

[futureNCmed]

Yeah... totally get out of there if you can. I envy you because I am in a very similar situations (even down to the specialty of doc I'm working for) but money is an issue, so I need to work until I move to where I'll be going to med school in July.

If $$$ weren't an issue I would probably have quit the moment I got that acceptance letter not seriously tho... definitely give them the most warning you can... i.e. when you make the decision that you'r leaving on a certain date, tell them regardless of whether it is 1 month or 1 week before that date. It's just the nice thing to do. But heck yeah... get out there and enjoy your free time!!

 

[SunnyBlues]

To assuage your guilt, you can give one month's notice if you like, although two weeks would be acceptable. By all means, though - give yourself a break before medical school! Just be professional about it... as I'm sure you will be, since you are this concerned about leaving early.

I found myself in a similar situation this year. I was working every weekend at the hospital and realized at some point that I really wanted to have my weekends free to connect with my friends and family, before I move across the country for medical school. I ended up leaving my job quite a bit sooner than I had originally intended, and I'm VERY glad that I did.