Accepted - How to spend the remainder of my gap year?

[FMCdoc]

Hi everyone,

I received my first acceptance letter to a DO school late last month. While I am beyond excited, I currently am still working full-time as a research technician under the same PI I volunteered with during undergrad. While this position definitely helped out my application, I feel as if I have nothing more to gain from it, and have been miserable working here for the past few months. I've been considering leaving the job after February, but every time I have tried to inform my PI he goes on a rant about how I need to try to dish out another few publications before beginning med school and should stay, essentially not letting me speak about leaving.

Would it be unwise, as my PI seems to believe, to leave this job and relax + travel for the next several months until beginning med school, or should I go for it?

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[AcesCracked]

If you feel you need some time before med school to relax, then you should leave the job. You already got an acceptance, it really doesn't matter for your future job prospects to stay and pump out another publication while being miserable. This is the last time for a long time you can relax for an extended period.

 

[Magus5454]

Relax. Dont study anything

 

[Deecee2DO]

Relax. Unless ur superior is a bigwig with high connections then leave and it wont matter youre going to be a doctor

 

[Mr. Babe]

Kick that PI to the curb! You don't need to pump out publications right now.....unless you want a super competitive specialty. It's your life, enjoy your freedom before you get back into school.

 

[EMS0821]

Depends on if your position there was a means to an end or an end in itself. If you were there to help you get into medical school, then it served its purpose. I plan on working two days a week for play money until I start medical school and enjoying my free time during my 20s that will be gone once school starts.

 

[puahate]

I doubt youll get a pub. Just leave

 

[Reverb]

I feel as if I have nothing more to gain from it, and have been miserable working here for the past few months.

Bounce

 

[allantois]

Drop it like it’s hot

 

[PapaGuava]

Depends on if your position there was a means to an end or an end in itself. If you were there to help you get into medical school, then it served its purpose. I plan on working two days a week for play money until I start medical school and enjoying my free time during my 20s that will be gone once school starts.

I wish I could find something for two days a week, but it's hard to find part-time work around where I'm at for some reason 🙁.

 

[FMCdoc]

I appreciate everyone's input. I'm putting in my resignation notice today 🙂

 

[JohnathonNY]

I've been accepted for a while now, but I continued to work at my scribe job despite not enjoying it as much as initially. Even at this point, clinical experience hours don't matter, and I'm practically living the 40hr/week lifestyle with it's pay. Personally, I would keep your job or stay at least somewhat stimulated until maybe a month or so before med school. I mainly say this because I personally feel like I need to be adequately stimulated until the first day of classes so that my transition is smoother and that I have established routines. If you truly feel miserable, drop it and pursue hobbies and interests (i.e. hit the gym).

 

[Magus5454]

I've been accepted for a while now, but I continued to work at my scribe job despite not enjoying it as much as initially. Even at this point, clinical experience hours don't matter, and I'm practically living the 40hr/week lifestyle with it's pay. Personally, I would keep your job or stay at least somewhat stimulated until maybe a month or so before med school. I mainly say this because I personally feel like I need to be adequately stimulated until the first day of classes so that my transition is smoother and that I have established routines. If you truly feel miserable, drop it and pursue hobbies and interests (i.e. hit the gym).

I totally disagree with this as a first year. I would have left my job sooner than I did.

 

[Deecee2DO]

I totally disagree with this as a first year. I would have left my job sooner than I did.

MS-1 here too. I also disagree. Literally OP should be doing minimal and rest his brain. Even when I have a weekend during med school where I have off (long weekend) I try not to even think about anything medical/school related.

 

[PenandPaper99]

How much earlier? I was thinking about quitting my full time job around June but I'm honestly getting burned out. The money is nice though, and I want to build up a nice emergency fund and have some spending money for the school year.

 

[toedrag]

How much earlier? I was thinking about quitting my full time job around June but I'm honestly getting burned out. The money is nice though, and I want to build up a nice emergency fund and have some spending money for the school year.

I'm wrestling with this dilemma too. I've been working full time/ overtime and I'm enjoying the weekly paycheck- living at home and trying to be as fiscal as possible. I want to refrain from borrowing the max COA and instead (if possible) only borrow the cost of tuition. Ideally I'd like to pay rent out of pocket for the first 2 years. Personally, I'd rather be productive somewhat instead of staying at home. I'd like to work up until May ish and then have 6-8 weeks to decompress/ travel before matriculation. Maybe even cut back to part time hours and then cease working completely 4-6 weeks out. To each their own, though

 

[JohnathonNY]

How much earlier? I was thinking about quitting my full time job around June but I'm honestly getting burned out. The money is nice though, and I want to build up a nice emergency fund and have some spending money for the school year.

I'm quitting in May. It would give me two months to move into my new location, get a feel for the new city where I'm living, etc. The money is also another reason why I'm still at work. I've made quite a good amount of money since starting this job in May of 2018. The money I've made can cover a good portion of expenses. It's always good to have some security, especially in medical school where the costs are high.

 

[Magus5454]

I'm quitting in May. It would give me two months to move into my new location, get a feel for the new city where I'm living, etc. The money is also another reason why I'm still at work. I've made quite a good amount of money since starting this job in May of 2018. The money I've made can cover a good portion of expenses. It's always good to have some security, especially in medical school where the costs are high.

I did June. Not enough time off.

 

[Incursio]

I am thinking of quitting mid april-early may to have may, june and part of july off to travel, spend time with family/friends, just learn everything I wanna learn and establish good habits before med school starts since motivation can only push you so far.