Are certain jobs viewed more favorably than others?

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zanaflexing

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I'm applying this cycle, but had a question about jobs. I'm taking a gap year and plan on working full time until I start medical school. If I had a choice between working as a scribe or as a lab assistant in a pathology lab (non-research), would one be a better choice than the other? I know scribing can be seen as additional clinical experience, but would it be seen as inherently "better" than working in the lab if I were to submit an update to my secondaries in a few weeks saying I had worked x00 hours as a scribe? Which also leads to the question, is that alone sufficient enough to warrant an update (I imagine working in the lab couldn't really work for an update since it's not exactly clinical or research)? Would appreciate any thoughts/advice.

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I'm applying this cycle, but had a question about jobs. I'm taking a gap year and plan on working full time until I start medical school. If I had a choice between working as a scribe or as a lab assistant in a pathology lab (non-research), would one be a better choice than the other? I know scribing can be seen as additional clinical experience, but would it be seen as inherently "better" than working in the lab if I were to submit an update to my secondaries in a few weeks saying I had worked x00 hours as a scribe? Which also leads to the question, is that alone sufficient enough to warrant an update (I imagine working in the lab couldn't really work for an update since it's not exactly clinical or research)? Would appreciate any thoughts/advice.
I can't speak to what does/doesn't constitute an update (I'm in the same boat as you).

Although scribing gets a bad rep (low income, lots of bureaucracy) I like it because at least it signals to adcoms that you have a basic understanding of a physician's day to day, especially the administrative/charting portion. In other words in my eyes it does the best job at letting adcoms know that you know what you're getting into. (keep in mind when interviewing that it's frowned upon to suggest that you "know what it's like to be a doctor because you've shadowed/been a scribe).
 
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Personally I see scribing as greater than lab assistant: you get to see sick people, you interact with physicians, you can start to see how medicine delivery works. You shouldn't update about scribing-info about your gap year should be put on the secondaries or your primary application.
 
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I'm applying this cycle, but had a question about jobs. I'm taking a gap year and plan on working full time until I start medical school. If I had a choice between working as a scribe or as a lab assistant in a pathology lab (non-research), would one be a better choice than the other? I know scribing can be seen as additional clinical experience, but would it be seen as inherently "better" than working in the lab if I were to submit an update to my secondaries in a few weeks saying I had worked x00 hours as a scribe? Which also leads to the question, is that alone sufficient enough to warrant an update (I imagine working in the lab couldn't really work for an update since it's not exactly clinical or research)? Would appreciate any thoughts/advice.
To me, any employment is good. Int he medical field, those that get you patient contact experience are better. In general, any customer service type of job is good in my book.

I have very high regard for teachers, paramedics, firefighters, police officers and veterans.

Always keep in mind the Medicine is a service profession.

Personally, I think a year of employment should be required for med school.
 
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I'm applying this cycle, but had a question about jobs. I'm taking a gap year and plan on working full time until I start medical school. If I had a choice between working as a scribe or as a lab assistant in a pathology lab (non-research), would one be a better choice than the other? I know scribing can be seen as additional clinical experience, but would it be seen as inherently "better" than working in the lab if I were to submit an update to my secondaries in a few weeks saying I had worked x00 hours as a scribe? Which also leads to the question, is that alone sufficient enough to warrant an update (I imagine working in the lab couldn't really work for an update since it's not exactly clinical or research)? Would appreciate any thoughts/advice.
If you have sufficient active clinical experience on your Primary application, it doesn't matter which job you take. Don't apply thinking to beef up sparse clinical experience during your gap year (as many med schools don't allow update letters or don't regard them if they are sent). If this scenario applies to you, it would be better to take two gap years and apply the following year after a year of scribing and fixing any other application deficits.
 
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I'm applying this cycle, but had a question about jobs. I'm taking a gap year and plan on working full time until I start medical school. If I had a choice between working as a scribe or as a lab assistant in a pathology lab (non-research), would one be a better choice than the other? I know scribing can be seen as additional clinical experience, but would it be seen as inherently "better" than working in the lab if I were to submit an update to my secondaries in a few weeks saying I had worked x00 hours as a scribe? Which also leads to the question, is that alone sufficient enough to warrant an update (I imagine working in the lab couldn't really work for an update since it's not exactly clinical or research)? Would appreciate any thoughts/advice.
Honestly, I just have a regular Dunkin Donuts job to make ends meet during college (I only work weekends. I honestly hope they don’t ask me why I didn’t work a medical scribe/lab assistant job. My week is already pretty stressful and a customer service job only adds a little bit more stress to be honest. I’d rather have that than having my head feeling like it’s going to explode.
 
Honestly, I just have a regular Dunkin Donuts job to make ends meet during college (I only work weekends. I honestly hope they don’t ask me why I didn’t work a medical scribe/lab assistant job. My week is already pretty stressful and a customer service job only adds a little bit more stress to be honest. I’d rather have that than having my head feeling like it’s going to explode.
They won't. I just actually had a conversation with one of my professors a couple weeks ago how retail is looked on favorably too. Its not going to be on the same level as clinical but the direct quote from her was "you have to deal with people, mostly obnoxious people, and be able to keep composure and a straight face, and that shows something about character too" Plus itll look good that you were willing to take on extra jobs when you need to and those jobs aren't pieces of cake by any means either
 
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