Best Part time Job?

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bellapoo

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Hello,

Currently I work full time as a clinical research associate- in the mass general cancer center protocol office (no patient contact).
(I am taking Medical Terminology free of charge as well - this place is a great hospital to work for!)
I also work part time as a personal trainer and soon to be nutrition consultant.
I have also started a pre-med volunteer program at the brigham and women's hospital- 60 hours inpatient and outpatient then 80 hours in a department (then shadowing a physician).

Is this enough for experience? does working in clinical research (no patient contact) serve as clinical or research experience?

I wasnt sure if I should be looking into a different part time research coordinator (patient contact), lab research, or secretarial job within the hospital for "clinical experience". Does training clients (exercise testing & prescription, designing programs, and consulting in fitness and nutrition) count ?

Many Thanks in Advance
CiaoCiao ~ Christina:confused:

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I would suggest perhaps placing your question in the Adcom Semi-solicited Advice column in the Premed Forum.

I am going to have a biased response likely, because I also work as a clinical research coordinator in a cancer dept (peds though). While it lacks direct patient contact, you get a lot of exposure to the physicians themselves, their research, the protocols, data reporting, IRB requirements, etc. I think this is very valuable.

This combined with your volunteer work in a clinical setting and shadowing physicians and the nutrition/personal training I think should be sufficient. This is all just my opinion though. I think making the personal training/nutrition angle work for you is a matter of how you present it. In your personal statement or AMCAS, if you present it as "training clients: exercise testing & prescription, designing programs, and consulting in fitness and nutrition" as you did here, well that sounds impressive to me.

If you are bored and WANT a different job in the hospital, like as a research coordinator with patient experience or a secretarial-type job in an inpatient unit, then by all means go for it. But if you will make more money in your present position and are happy with it, I'd likely stay put.

However, is there is an opportunity for you to go beyond your present duties in just working with protocols and data management? Are there any non-cooperative group trials for example going on in your department? Any chart review or registry studies? Do any of your physicians need assistance with writing manuscripts or review articles? Those additional activities would be good if they are available (and you don't already do them).

I am interested to know how other people would answer one of your questions: "does working in clinical research (no patient contact) serve as clinical or research experience?" Since I am in the same boat, I'd like to know what it would be considered. Thanks!
 
This must be common ground for ambitious premeds. I too worked as a clinical research assistant, managing oncology data at Georgetown with little to no patient contact. Then accepted a better research coordinator position at an Army Medical center dealing with brain injury. I changed jobs not only cause my pay nearly doubled but, i wanted the patient contact and wanted the ability to use my master's in neuroscience. With that being said, I think any type of research experience is better than none.

Like the previous member had mentioned anything above and beyond your present duties would be helpful. I remember offering my services to help with abstracts, posters...lit reviews etc. this also helps you develop a rapore with a few physicians that may write you letters of recs.

I didnt switch over to patient contact because I thought it would be 'better', I just knew I would be happier working in that particular setting. I guess this way, I covered both aspects....but not intentially.

Sorry, if i couldnt offer a definitive answer.
 
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