Advice for my gap year?

[chicanapremed]

Hi everyone! Grateful for any advice…

I’m currently interviewing for a few jobs that I could hopefully get some clinical experience as well as a strong letter of recommendation. This is alongside other ways that I’m strengthening my application during my gap year.

My question is this: which job should I accept / choose?

Option 1 - Front and back office MA position for MD, mainly a front desk position, taking calls, scheduling appts, checking out pts, putting in prescriptions and lab orders. If the main MAs / PAs are busy, I’d get to room pts and take vitals / get pt hx. I get the sense that I’d mainly be at a desk, with only a bit of interaction with the physician.

Option 2 - Optometry Medical Assistant/Scribe, lots of independent pt interaction, taking pt hx, working very closely with two ODs. Would get to scribe during eye exams. I think I’d have much more pt interaction and potential for a strong LOR. I’m just not sure if it matters that it’s not for an MD? Does that matter in any way?? Leaning this way bc the ODs are incredible and seems to have more interesting pt interaction.

Which would be a stronger experience before I apply to medical school (specifically, MD)??

Again, this is just part of what I’m doing to strengthen the app, but absolutely want to find a job where I can also gain some useful experience to include on my app.

Thank you all!

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[Mammothhighway]

Hi everyone! Grateful for any advice…

I’m currently interviewing for a few jobs that I could hopefully get some clinical experience as well as a strong letter of recommendation. This is alongside other ways that I’m strengthening my application during my gap year.

My question is this: which job should I accept / choose?

Option 1 - Front and back office MA position for MD, mainly a front desk position, taking calls, scheduling appts, checking out pts, putting in prescriptions and lab orders. If the main MAs / PAs are busy, I’d get to room pts and take vitals / get pt hx. I get the sense that I’d mainly be at a desk, with only a bit of interaction with the physician.

Option 2 - Optometry Medical Assistant/Scribe, lots of independent pt interaction, taking pt hx, working very closely with two ODs. Would get to scribe during eye exams. I think I’d have much more pt interaction and potential for a strong LOR. I’m just not sure if it matters that it’s not for an MD? Does that matter in any way?? Leaning this way bc the ODs are incredible and seems to have more interesting pt interaction.

Which would be a stronger experience before I apply to medical school (specifically, MD)??

Again, this is just part of what I’m doing to strengthen the app, but absolutely want to find a job where I can also gain some useful experience to include on my app.

Thank you all!

Is this a gap year after you apply (application year?) if so LOR does not matter. This is a tough call either way bc I say it’s more how you would frame each activity in the app

Edit: like front desk will show you the inner workings of the medical system and the other one will show you the importance of pt interaction

 

[chicanapremed]

Is this a gap year after you apply (application year?) if so LOR does not matter. This is a tough call either way bc I say it’s more how you would frame each activity in the app

Edit: like front desk will show you the inner workings of the medical system and the other one will show you the importance of pt interaction

Thanks for your input!

The gap year is for before I apply (I’ll be applying 2025-2026 cycle). Do you know if an LOR from an OD hold the same weight as one from an MD since I want to become an MD?

And good point - I’m definitely leaning towards a pt-interaction focused position, because I think that’s what I enjoy most, but it’s also great to have knowledge on the medical system… absolutely something I need to consider.

 

[Mammothhighway]

Thanks for your input!

The gap year is for before I apply (I’ll be applying 2025-2026 cycle). Do you know if an LOR from an OD hold the same weight as one from an MD since I want to become an MD?

And good point - I’m definitely leaning towards a pt-interaction focused position, because I think that’s what I enjoy most, but it’s also great to have knowledge on the medical system… absolutely something I need to consider.

I’m not too knowledgeable but generally I would assume that a letter from an MD would be stronger than an OD. But I would also say a stronger OD letter would be better than a pretty good MD letter. It probably matters but I doubt it matters much, one of my friends had his NP write a letter for him (MD also did, but it was further down his letter packets’ order)

Is it possible to work either as a part time, such as working on MWF and the other T/Th? This is probably location and dr specific but maybe look into MA jobs in a surgical specialty. My friend did and he did rooming/procedures MWF then catch up paperwork, orders and documents t/th

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Just placing an old article in here

A Guide to a Successful Gap Year - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[chilly_md]

A physician letter is far less impactful than applicants think it is. Perhaps if you build a close relationship with one as an employer, but that is unlikely to happen in your situation.

 

[AJS59]

The fact that both jobs have meaningful patient interaction is good, so then I think it's up to what you want out of your job, salary/benefits/time off considerations, etc.