Is a history of several short term employments a turn off for med schools?

[dr.1Day@Atime]

First job as a scribe lasted 4 months, until I found a better company that was physically closer, paid more, and had better management.

This second job I have been at for 6 months.

Now though I am possibly considering applying for a job that pays more, and is scribing in a specialty that I am interested in personally.

But I will stick with my current position if being stable in my employment is a significant factor for med schools.

However, I think that the opportunity for an experience to grow should not be looked down upon when being interviewed.
I would explain simply that was the reason for changing employment.

What is the consensus? Thanks in advance.

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[mimelim]

We don't care. Longevity of activities is important. Employment, not so much. Feels odd if someone is hopping around jobs as a non-trad, for someone doing it for a year or two, it is pretty normal.

 

[Eddie Chahar]

Just curious, why wouldn't longevity of employment (i.e. 3 years) be as impressive?

 

[NickNaylor]

Just curious, why wouldn't longevity of employment (i.e. 3 years) be as impressive?

That's not what @mimelim said. Brief stints of employment are not, in and of themselves, problematic. Many students work short-term jobs, seasonal jobs, summer jobs, etc. etc.. Shorter stints of employment are the rule rather than the exception. That said, I would personally be somewhat "impressed" if I saw someone with a relatively long length of employment. It wouldn't matter in the big scheme of things, but that tells me that 1) this person can stick with something for a long period of time and 2) they clearly couldn't have sucked in an employment situation or else they would've been fired beforehand.

 

[mimelim]

Just curious, why wouldn't longevity of employment (i.e. 3 years) be as impressive?

I agree with @NickNaylor . My point is that it is certainly not an expectation that a student have held long term employment prior to entering medical school and unless you look like a problem person (LOR/references not lining up/not existing) then nobody will think less of you for it. Having long term employment isn't that impressive in and of itself. You want a cookie for staying at a job? If it is a good job, why wouldn't you stay? If it is a bad job, why are you staying? To get 'credit' for putting up with a bad job? If you produced something of substance, it is impressive. Most of the time that requires some time commitment and dedication. The question that we are asking is, "Is this person going to a) survive medical school/residency (are they a good student), b) do they know what they are getting themselves into and c) are they going to thrive in medicine." Persistence and ability to function in a work setting is very important. It is a positive to have a strong work history. But, it certainly doesn't 'make up' for other aspects of an application, nor does it really set you apart from the field.

 

[mmmcdowe]

The length of the position is much less important than the reason for no longer being employed. Meaning, if you keep getting fired that is concerning. Short employment stints because you keep getting better jobs us a good thing.

 

[dr.1Day@Atime]

Good thoughts.
Now, how ethical is it to apply somewhere else, for the purpose of a broadening experience, when the company i currently work for asked for a time commitment that i will not adhere to if accepted a position somewhere else?
committing a certain amount of time before med school upon my hiring is where my second biggest concern lies.
Though, i know work before grad school is common to have quick turn over rates.

Would a med school ask if that was an ethical choice to leave my current position?
Thanks all. Just looking for others insight.

 

[Goro]

It's not a major issue for us, but it sometimes gets one onto to the radar in a negative way, because of the perception of not being reliable or being dedicated. But usually there are good explanations. I can't of any Adcom meetins where we wait listed someone because the interviewer said "He couldn't hold down a job".

We don't care. Longevity of activities is important. Employment, not so much. Feels odd if someone is hopping around jobs as a non-trad, for someone doing it for a year or two, it is pretty normal.

I think Mime's is getting at something important here. No one thing is the 100% lock for a good app. But multiple positives add up, and do make one stand out, especially in a sea of cookie cutter apps!

It is a positive to have a strong work history. But, it certainly doesn't 'make up' for other aspects of an application, nor does it really set you apart from the field.