Best college jobs for pre-med?

[HoonMasta]

Hello I am currently a senior in HS about to graduate... I am interested in doing EMT or some other medical-based job to boost my credentials prior to med school. However, I have heard that pursuing a job in EMT is very time consuming and it is hard to get a job... what do you guys recommend? I want to get a head start over everyone else and try to get a medical-based job this summer.

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[MaenadsDance]

Hello I am currently a senior in HS about to graduate... I am interested in doing EMT or some other medical-based job to boost my credentials prior to med school. However, I have heard that pursuing a job in EMT is very time consuming and it is hard to get a job... what do you guys recommend? I want to get a head start over everyone else and try to get a medical-based job this summer.

You're not even a freshman yet?

The best college job is a work-study position where you can read your chemistry textbook while manning an IT desk in the library. That way, you have a semester to learn to cope with the totally different structure of coursework in colleges without having to worry about a demanding job like being an EMT, CNA, or ER scribe.

 

[HoonMasta]

Hello. Thank you for the response. But how exactly is desk job beneficial? I thought med schools looks for applicants with medical experience and good social skills with patients. The idea of a work study job sounds good because I can study for classes but it's not entirely medical based. Should I just try to volunteer at a hospital my freshman year of college so that I can focus more on my GPA? And is pharmacy tech beneficial for a pre med student?

 

[milkphlegm]

I think MaenadsDance is just saying that during your freshman year/first semester, you should focus on getting acclimated to the new college environment, before throwing yourself into a demanding job. Something a little more low key like volunteering at the hospital to start might be good.

I think any type of employment while in school shows time management and responsibility. You'll have a while to move up to more challenging jobs like scribing or being an EMT, although they're both great places to go as a pre-med student looking for work and experience in college. Just don't let your GPA suffer over it! Good luck!

 

[MaenadsDance]

I think MaenadsDance is just saying that during your freshman year/first semester, you should focus on getting acclimated to the new college environment, before throwing yourself into a demanding job. Something a little more low key like volunteering at the hospital to start might be good.

I think any type of employment while in school shows time management and responsibility. You'll have a while to move up to more challenging jobs like scribing or being an EMT, although they're both great places to go as a pre-med student looking for work and experience in college. Just don't let your GPA suffer over it! Good luck!

What milkphlegm said. If I can throw out a cliche, don't think of college as a sprint, think of it as a marathon. The most important thing you can do during your first semester is to focus on your schoolwork. Learn how to study in college and take advantage of your free time to explore on campus clubs that might become a meaningful EC. But most of all, GET GOOD GRADES.

 

[HoonMasta]

Thanks for the advice! I completely agree. Maybe balancing a job while studying may be a little overwhelming, especially during my first year of college. I am probably just going to volunteer at a hospital or something. How beneficial is EMT for pre med compared to pharmacy tech? A pharmacy technician seems like a less rigorous job to me.

 

[yehhhboiii]

Food service. Get a job at McDonalds or something like that. You'll learn about the soul-sucking nature of dealing with ****ty customers and getting paid badly. It'll probably help you get through residency. When you get to that point, you'll see the same people anyway since they'll need a CABG to deal with the years of scarfing down Big Macs. So you might as well start your medical career by getting to know them now.

 

[Infarction]

Do super well in your first year of college and figure out how to be a Teacher's Assistant, Supplemental Instruction Leader, Tutor, etc. I held a couple of those types of jobs during undergrad and they helped a lot in terms of being able to rehash information for future use (i.e. the MCAT). I considered my SI duties as a leadership position (I was an SI supervisor, too).

Enjoy your summer off before college starts. Don't do the EMT thing. I did it the summer after my freshman year, and never used my license once. The reason being that EMT-B's are not in high demand, especially since firefighters double as EMS response too. Go volunteer if you're really itching to do something over the summer, and if you want a job for financial reasons, any job should suffice.

 

[milkphlegm]

Do super well in your first year of college and figure out how to be a Teacher's Assistant, Supplemental Instruction Leader, Tutor, etc. I held a couple of those types of jobs during undergrad and they helped a lot in terms of being able to rehash information for future use (i.e. the MCAT). I considered my SI duties as a leadership position (I was an SI supervisor, too).

Enjoy your summer off before college starts. Don't do the EMT thing. I did it the summer after my freshman year, and never used my license once. The reason being that EMT-B's are not in high demand, especially since firefighters double as EMS response too. Go volunteer if you're really itching to do something over the summer, and if you want a job for financial reasons, any job should suffice.

I also got my EMT license and never used it. Becoming a scribe was by far my best college job.

 

[deleted407021]

If you don't need money, don't get a job. Volunteer, study and do other nifty things with your time. You could also find a medically based internship later on. Internships are most always payed, at least mine is.

 

[amazing tekkers]

Your college should have research positions for undergrad during the summer times, make sure you register for the upcoming summer as most deadlines are in the winter. This will help you gain valuable experience.

Other than that, focus on obtaining a work-study type position.

 

[Omppu27]

Wear vans, listen to two door cinema club, and work at a hipster coffee shop where your uniform is any shirt with your school's name on it. Then get As in all your classes. College.

 

[circulus vitios]

Something labor intensive like landscaping so you won't be an insufferable whiner.

 

[HoonMasta]

I'm currently working as a pizza driver right now. The pay is really good for what I do... Which is just... driving... But I'm probably just going to stick to that for the summer and then just chill during college and focus only in studying and volunteering. A work-study job sounds interesting! What exactly would a Supplemental Instructor Leader do? And do you get paid for it?

 

[OldGrandDad]

Emergency Medical Services . Get a job On an ambulance or something like that. You'll learn about the soul-sucking nature of dealing with ****ty customers and getting paid badly. It'll probably help you get through residency. When you get to that point, you'll see the same people anyway since they'll need a CABG to deal with the years of scarfing down Big Macs. So you might as well start your medical career by getting to know them now.

FTFY

Seriously though, EMS is awesome. Being a college EMT and babysitting drunk kids kinda blows, but I have had some really meaningful patient interactions since moving on to a real ambulance service.

 

[jgatz2280]

Best job by far, ER Scribe. Scribing is extremely beneficial because it immerses you in real medical terminology that you have to understand and document on a day to day basis. Plus you observe Dr-patient interactions first-hand, and also learn the invaluable skill of charting. I've heard from multiple medical students that I interact with in the ER that 1st year med students that were scribes absolutely blow their classmates out of the water when it comes to presenting cases, and medical terminology.

Most hospitals offer part time paid positions for undergrads, so you work 2-4 8 hr shifts/week around your schedule, and can even pull a full time work week in the summer. Definitely look into this if you are planning to pursue an MD.

 

[Microglia]

Food service. Get a job at McDonalds or something like that. You'll learn about the soul-sucking nature of dealing with ****ty customers and getting paid badly. It'll probably help you get through residency. When you get to that point, you'll see the same people anyway since they'll need a CABG to deal with the years of scarfing down Big Macs. So you might as well start your medical career by getting to know them now.

Hahahaha. Epic.

 

[Lamel]

If you need a job for the money, than ANY job that pays you well will be fine. Holding any employment looks great. So a work study job will be fine.

If you are looking for clinical experience jobs, those are a bit more challenging to come by. But you can be a medical assistant, nursing assistant, ER scribe, patient transporter etc. It's hard to get those positions in hospitals, but smaller private clinics may let you be a medical assistant without certification.

For clinical experience you can also volunteer and shadow.

 

[MaenadsDance]

Ain't no shame in starting off at Mickey D's... that's three summers of my life starting at the age of 17 gone forever now. You meet such interesting people! I have some fun stories from working the closing/overnight shifts, many of which involve my manager selling drugs out of the walk-in freezer.

Seriously though probably the best job ever for a first semester college student has to be working in circulation at the library or, depending on your school, in IT. A lot of those jobs are basically just being paid to sit in the same place for four hours and study. I am still envious of the friend who got paid to babysit the faculty computer lab. She did /nothing/ except watch Venture Bros on the big monitors, because all of the faculty had computers in their own offices (seriously, why did the faculty even need a computer lab...?)