Job for aspiring medical student

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ohiowannabedoc

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I graduated with a BS in chemistry about a week ago and failed to get accepted into a med school for this fall. With my chemistry degree I have multiple job offers already (pharmaceutical lab chemist jobs mostly) but have not accepted yet. I still am dead set on medical school and am trying to figure out whether it would be more beneficial to obtain a job in a medical setting (patient technician). So, would it be better for medical school application purposes to work as a chemist or take the job in the hospital as a patient technician? Which will look better on my application for this fall? Additionally, whichever job I choose, I would like to do EMT training in the evenings. Would this be beneficial for the next application cycle? Any advice is appreciated.

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GPA/MCAT?

Take the one that pays more. If it's the lab chemist job then volunteer in a clinical environment.
 
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Become a scribe. Everything else takes too long to get. Its like you have to go to school just to get a job that helps you get into medical school. I would suggest not becoming a CNA. There are some rare golden opportunities you may get, especially if you have connections. But otherwise most CNA jobs are not pleasant and do not pay well at all. The amazing CNA hospital jobs only happen after you have worked in a nursing home for like a year. Not to mention a lot of CNA jobs you do not even spend any time with physicians. You would be (as the name implies) a nursing assistant- assisting nurses. Scribe has the shortest training, puts you directly with a physician as a job, and is best paying route. EMT is solid but is more of a long term thing. It puts you in a medical setting, but at the same time there is a ton of down time. I would say do that if you are passionate about helping your community or have interests of continuing while in medical school.

But I agree, go with whatever pays the best. Student loans are no freaking joke.
 
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Become a scribe. Everything else takes too long to get. Its like you have to go to school just to get a job that helps you get into medical school. I would suggest not becoming a CNA. There are some rare golden opportunities you may get, especially if you have connections. But otherwise most CNA jobs are not pleasant and do not pay well at all. The amazing CNA hospital jobs only happen after you have worked in a nursing home for like a year. Not to mention a lot of CNA jobs you do not even spend any time with physicians. You would be (as the name implies) a nursing assistant- assisting nurses. Scribe has the shortest training, puts you directly with a physician as a job, and is best paying route. EMT is solid but is more of a long term thing. It puts you in a medical setting, but at the same time there is a ton of down time. I would say do that if you are passionate about helping your community or have interests of continuing while in medical school.

But I agree, go with whatever pays the best. Student loans are no freaking joke.


I interviewed with one of the big companies in the scribing business a few months ago. The pay is a HUGE turnoff. 8/hr for 3 months on a probationary status then 9/hr. If they had a slightly better pay scale, it would be the most ideal job for pre meds. Still not a bad deal for people who don't need the money and are doing it for the experience.
 
I interviewed with one of the big companies in the scribing business a few months ago. The pay is a HUGE turnoff. 8/hr for 3 months on a probationary status then 9/hr. If they had a slightly better pay scale, it would be the most ideal job for pre meds. Still not a bad deal for people who don't need the money and are doing it for the experience.

That's hardly a living wage in most areas, and certainly isn't going to give you enough money to apply to med school when all is said and done. Unless you have a pile of money sitting around to pay for your applications I can't imagine a scenario where you'd be better off doing this rather than taking a regular job and using the income to pursue medical school secondarily (take more classes, retake the MCAT, apply to more schools) and volunteer on the side.
 
That's hardly a living wage in most areas, and certainly isn't going to give you enough money to apply to med school when all is said and done. Unless you have a pile of money sitting around to pay for your applications I can't imagine a scenario where you'd be better off doing this rather than taking a regular job and using the income to pursue medical school secondarily (take more classes, retake the MCAT, apply to more schools) and volunteer on the side.
Like I said, for people who don't need the money. I tried working with the company on the pay but they were very firm. On top of that, the amount of work they require is crazy considering the pay. Who would wanna do 12+ hour shifts in the er and earn 9/hr?
 
Take the chemistry job and find a clinical experience volunteering.
 
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Take the chemistry job and find a clinical experience volunteering.
+1

Or find a part time/weekend medical job on the side. My wife worked as a in home aide where she was basically a CNA for a woman with dementia. Its patient experience, albeit not glorious heh. She only had training on the job, no formal medical background.
 
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I am a pharmacy technician and feel very similar to the above. Long shifts for peanuts. I feel like I'm working for free for how much I do. I get yelled at by both customers and peers which makes it very stressful. BUT, I will say, that while interviewing, it was an awesome thing on my application because most interviewers saw it as me getting a job "in the field" and staying interested in medicine.

That said, I don't think it matters much. Your application will be strengthened by either position you mentioned. Do whichever one you feel you will be most happy with. The reason being, when you are asked about your experience as a chemist or patient tech, you can show genuine passion about your job.
 
I got a job at a hospital as a phlebotomist for my year off. You may have to look around a bit to find a hospital that will train you (about two weeks on-the-job training), but they're usually interested in pre-med students. More drive, look at the job as more than just a job, etc. All clinical hours as well! Basically get paid to get into med school, not a bad gig in my opinion.

Then once medical school comes around, you'll be a pro at setting IV's.

Good luck!
 
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I got a job at a hospital as a phlebotomist for my year off. You may have to look around a bit to find a hospital that will train you (about two weeks on-the-job training), but they're usually interested in pre-med students. More drive, look at the job as more than just a job, etc. All clinical hours as well! Basically get paid to get into med school, not a bad gig in my opinion.

Then once medical school comes around, you'll be a pro at setting IV's.

Good luck!
If you dont mind me asking, how is phlebotomist pay? Especially compared to scribes and CNAs and stuff
 
If you dont mind me asking, how is phlebotomist pay? Especially compared to scribes and CNAs and stuff
I started at $11/hr, and got a raise to $12 about six months in when I was moved to a physicians office on the campus. Now I work for 8 docs and have gotten to know a few really well -- shadowing and LOR included. Still not ideal pay for someone with two college degrees, but it's a stepping stone and I'm in it for the experience, not the money.
 
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I started at $11/hr, and got a raise to $12 about six months in when I was moved to a physicians office on the campus. Now I work for 8 docs and have gotten to know a few really well -- shadowing and LOR included. Still not ideal pay for someone with two college degrees, but it's a stepping stone and I'm in it for the experience, not the money.
danggg that is a sweet gig though, I wish I could find part time job like that where they train me. Everywhere I look it seems like they require a 6 month-1 year training program. I mean I get needing high standards, but that just seems excessive to me.
 
You should def take the lab job if it pays better. Lab positions typically get paid more than twice the amount a scribe/CNA gets. You can always volunteer at a clinic or hospital.
 
I've been a scribe for over 2 years now.... it is a very taxing job.... but you get used to it....
I get paid ~$11 now, i think....
but new comers get $8. So @rzoo14 must have applied to my company or something... maybe not...
But it is a GREAT experience. I work in ER but I've heard of other areas where scribes work at different departments.

Is the money good? yes, of course.
But is experience that will help your chances of getting into medical school better? I would say so (not saying scribing is the best. chem or hos. tech, don't just go for the money. Don't doctors make more money.....?....... not a question.)
 
GPA/MCAT?

Take the one that pays more. If it's the lab chemist job then volunteer in a clinical environment.
This has without question crossed my mind. My main concern is saving enough money for applications (I want to save enough to apply to even more schools this upcoming cycle) while still doing something useful as far as medical school acceptance goes. By the way cGPA = 3.41, MCAT = 24. I'm considering retaking the MCAT very shortly as well. I have lots of shadowing hours (4 different D.O.'s in 4 different specialties) and good LOR's. But I don't have any volunteering hours under my belt. How important is volunteering? I was told that at the local hospital all volunteers do is deliver balloons/flowers to patients, etc. but don't have a lot of contact with physicians/patients. This hardly seems beneficial but I may be wrong. In what capacity can you volunteer that will be beneficial for med school? Also, thanks for your input.
 
Make as much money as possible. You can get clinical exposure in other ways (shadowing and volunteering)
 
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