Be an RA in medical school?

[The Doctor]

Anyone know if it is possible or advisable to be an RA (resident advisor) in medical school? At my undergrad, we don't have any med. students working for housing, but no one I've asked seems to know if that is due to policy or practicality.
It makes sense that it would be impractical for years 3 and 4 where call and strange hours could conflict, but what about the pre-clinical years?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Depakote]

Anyone know if it is possible or advisable to be an RA (resident advisor) in medical school? At my undergrad, we don't have any med. students working for housing, but no one I've asked seems to know if that is due to policy or practicality.
It makes sense that it would be impractical for years 3 and 4 where call and strange hours could conflict, but what about the pre-clinical years?

Most med schools I know don't have dorms, the ones that do might have RAs, but I would expect professional students to be far more self reliant than your standard undergrad.

As for the practicality, the hassle of taking care of somebody elses mess on a regular basis while I'm trying to study on a Med School level just doesn't seem too appealing.

EDIT: I don't think this stopped John Carter from working as an RA during his intern year on ER... with hillarious toothbrush in the toilet results.

 

[cnoevil]

i would hope to god that med students wouldnt need an ra...

its scary if someone who is deemed to be responsible enough to deal with life or death situations needs a housemom

 

[diosa428]

I think the OP meant if you are a med student can you be an RA in the undergrad dorms. I really have no idea. You'd probably have to contact whatever school it was, and not all med schools are actually close to the undergrad institution. Plus, it would be really annoying to be trying to sleep or study and have your residents be making tons of noise.

 

[NN11]

Most medical schools strongly discourage med students from working while enrolled in med school.

That said, I've known several med students that have worked while being enrolled in school, and often the administration has given them a hard time about it.

That's not to say that you can't, but you might be putting yourself at odds with the Administration, and that's never a wise choice.

Even if you ask for permission ahead of time and they say it's okay, they can change their mind at any time, which really sucks if you're relying on that income to support yourself.

 

[gujuDoc]

You might be able to, but would it be advisable???????

Hell NO!!!! When you are in med school, you don't want to be living in an area as noisy and rowdy as a freshman dorm. To top things off, you don't need that added responsibility while trying to juggle med school courses, preceptorships, and other such things. Trying to juggle dealing with a job like RAing and med school will be hell. i have some friends who are struggling just trying to teach at an MCAT prep company and deal with med school and that is less high stress then RAing.

 

[Kfire326]

Anyone know if it is possible or advisable to be an RA (resident advisor) in medical school? At my undergrad, we don't have any med. students working for housing, but no one I've asked seems to know if that is due to policy or practicality.
It makes sense that it would be impractical for years 3 and 4 where call and strange hours could conflict, but what about the pre-clinical years?

I know Downstate has RAs, and med students CAN be RAs. Example: Downstatedoc, who identified himself as a med student and future (2nd year) RA in http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=373410. They don't have any undergrads in the dorms, though, obviously. Its all medical/nursing/graduate students.

Possible, yes. Advisable, probably not...unless there isn't too much in the job description.

 

[GreenShirt]

I did visit a school that had dorms for med students w/ RAs, it sounded like they really didn't have to do much.

 

[Kfire326]

I did visit a school that had dorms for med students w/ RAs, it sounded like they really didn't have to do much.

Ahh, but maybe at Downstate the RAs are there for the rowdy nursing and ph.d. students.