Leaving your job to study for the MCAT

[Sthpawslugger]

I've been working in the neighborhood of 45 to 50 hours a week between two jobs since last summer. Both are healthcare related and I certainly enjoy doing both. And, realistically, I do have a good 30 to 40 hours per week that I can devote to studying for the test. That being said, I also need time to breathe and decompress so my mind can relax at times. My one job is 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. three shifts a week and sometimes those run back to back. My other is a 8 hours or less one day in and a half yet another day. After taking my exam yesterday, I've contemplated quitting. And devoting three solid months to studying for the exam. This time with a prep course because what I'm doing obviously isn't working.

Now after having a little background I would like to ask how have any of you going to bounce telling your employer that you're leaving your job and seeing if there's an opportunity for a rehire? Or, are your employers open to your return? Considering your aspirations to move on and such.

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[MD89]

I would recommend that first you wait and see how you did on the exam you took yesterday. After I took my exam, I was convinced I did 10 points lower than what I ended up scoring so it's a good thing I didn't sign up for a second exam when I was waiting for my scores!

Then, if you decide you really do want to take it s second time, can you somehow cut back just a little on each job so that your total hours/week are closer to 35-40 hours? I think that would be very manageable. Remember, for most of your studying time, it is not necessary ideal to study all day every day - I would save that for the last week or two before your exam.

If you can cut back your hours and not quit completely, plus have the option of taking off a week or two before the second exam, that's what I would do. If there's no option of cutting back and you can't get your studying in with 50 hour weeks, then yes, id say to quit just one of your jobs. Especially for a second try, your McAT needs to be a top priority and you need to make sure you have enough time in your week to devote to it.

 

[futuremdforme]

If you can quit the job with fewer hours, I would do that. I would not quit both -- frankly it's just not necessary. I was working around that number of hours per week when I wrote it and I did very well, several years out of the pre-reqs. It was intense but doable, and I know others who did it as well. If you're not getting a lot of out of the jobs, or the pay is not good and you have other means of supporting yourself, that's your call but it's doable, and also you can impress the adcoms with time management if you can work while studying. If you really can't do it though then you should quit, because you do need a high score.

 

[Gauss44]

Here's what I've seen people do when their job is too time consuming for a temporary project and they want to go back to full time later: 1. Reduce hours to part time. Once project is over, ask for full time again. 2. Leave in a way that makes them want you back. Try to get on everyone's good side or as close to that as you can get, and especially the bosses. And careful about your reason for leaving. An example of a good reason is to spend time helping a sick/elderly family member. If everyone likes you and you left for that, why wouldn't they want you back? It would just be a matter of being enough work for you again.

 

[QofQuimica]

Agree that you should either quit one job and keep the other, or reduce hours for one or both. But do not quit both. Unless you can afford to not work at all, the economy ain't so great that you should be taking the risk of being left struggling to get by for a year with no job. :-/

However, as someone else already pointed out, you don't even know yet how you did on your test yet. Before you go making major life changes, you should wait until you get your score back, because you may not need to retake at all.

 

[ALewis]

Agree that you should either quit one job and keep the other, or reduce hours for one or both. But do not quit both. Unless you can afford to not work at all, the economy ain't so great that you should be taking the risk of being left struggling to get by for a year with no job. :-/

I second this. OP, if you get your score back and you are unsatisfied with it, I would reduce my hours or quit the job which offers the least amount of pay and/or benefits. As @MD89 mentioned, if it's possible, you may see about taking the week or two off prior to the next test in order to devote time to studying.

That being said, I know a guy who worked two jobs (~50+ hours) and did well. It just depends on how you study and manage your time. Would I advise doing that? Probably not, because I saw how stressed he was (he would probably advise against doing it too, if you had any other option). But it's possible if you have to do it.

Good luck!

 

[Sthpawslugger]

Thank you all...I've not ignored your posts.....Two more days before those scores come out...nervous just a bit....I had a dream one night last week that I only improved by 1 point. :/ We'll see what happens...

I'm definitely waiting until I receive my scores before settling on a decision regarding work. I just want to have a plan in mind in case. I wouldn't want to quit both jobs. I'd keep my outpatient ortho job that is 8 hrs one day and 4 the next. It's hard to find a good paying, part-time job here anyway. I feel confident that I would be rehired at the hospital, perhaps not as a scribe again but as a tech(again) in the ER where I am now. Crossing my fingers I don't have to carry out my retest plans, but if so, I'll be back in 2 days and likely asking for your advice

 

[Sthpawslugger]

My score dropped. Wth.

 

[Prilozack]

My score dropped. Wth.

To what?