Character building jobs?

[deleted916225]

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Hey all,

I recently turned down an offer as a medical scribe due to time commitments, and now I'm not so sure I ever want to do that in the future (I'm hoping that hospital volunteering will be enough for clinical experience).
I'm wondering if less "pre-medy" jobs can also be looked upon favorably by adcoms, e.g. being a restaurant server, road worker, camp counselor, etc? Maybe they can make applicants more relatable and less obviously on the pre-med track?
If so, does anyone have job suggestions?

 

[Robin-jay]

Being a scribe.

You won't complain about 90% of jobs after you've been one.

Little respect. Little pay. Terrible hours. Work nearly as hard as the physician. No job security, look at someone the wrong way and you could be fired.

That would build some character. At least make you have a tougher skin.

 

[ciestar]

Retail accomplishes a lot of this.

 

[Robin-jay]

Retail accomplishes a lot of this.

My retail was a joke job in every way compared to scribing. Fairly easy job, basic customer service, had actual breaks (I wrote charts during lunch and polished them after patients were long gone for scribing), paid better, could interact more with people, and they aren't as trigger happy for firing (desperate pre-meds are lined up for scribe jobs).

Many scribe companies are even notorious for lying to their scribes saying things like "having bad terms with us will lead lead to medical school blacklisting).

Experiences may differ. Scribing should put anyone in their place though.

 

[929826]

Being a scribe.

You won't complain about 90% of jobs after you've been one.

Little respect. Little pay. Terrible hours. Work nearly as hard as the physician. No job security, look at someone the wrong way and you could be fired.

That would build some character. At least make you have a tougher skin.

Lol try EMS. All of those things + your partners falling asleep and crashing a rig going 70 miles an hour + sketchy neighboorhoods and patients who assault you in a confined space + actually being responsible for another person's life + a hot rig in 100 degree weather and you're not allowed to run the AC while waiting for a call + 16 hour shift on both christmas AND christmas eve + lifting 350 lb patients routinely....the list goes on. But it was wonderful because it made me who I am... and definitely built some character.

Source: have done both EMS and scribing

 

[Robin-jay]

Lol try EMS. All of those things + your partners falling asleep and crashing a rig going 70 miles an hour + sketchy neighboorhoods and patients who assault you in a confined space + actually being responsible for another person's life + a hot rig in 100 degree weather and you're not allowed to run the AC while waiting for a call + 16 hour shift on both christmas AND christmas eve + lifting 350 lb patients routinely....the list goes on. But it was wonderful because it made me who I am... and definitely built some character.

Source: have done both EMS and scribing

I give you praise good sir.

Any low level health care jobs take an extremely patient person to deal with it.

However, those experiences will hopefully make me a much more grateful physician.

 

[ciestar]

My retail was a joke job in every way compared to scribing. Fairly easy job, basic customer service, had actual breaks (I wrote charts during lunch and polished them after patients were long gone for scribing), paid better, could interact more with people, and they aren't as trigger happy for firing (desperate pre-meds are lined up for scribe jobs).

Many scribe companies are even notorious for lying to their scribes saying things like "having bad terms with us will lead lead to medical school blacklisting).

Experiences may differ. Scribing should put anyone in their place though.

Why do i feel like you feel the need to one up everyone? Scribing sucks. Retail sucks.

My experience was different. I was a pharmacy tech so maybe that contributed. Got accused of stealing money because of high copays regularly. Breaks didnt regularly happen until corporate was in yelling.

No, retail in general is less trigger happy when it comes to firing. They’d rather force you to quit lol

 

[FlyerScribe]

Being a scribe.

You won't complain about 90% of jobs after you've been one.

Little respect. Little pay. Terrible hours. Work nearly as hard as the physician. No job security, look at someone the wrong way and you could be fired.

That would build some character. At least make you have a tougher skin.

Agreed. And then you get really good, and can tell when people are providing less than the best care but cant say anything bc you're literally the lowest on the totem pole. That builds character

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[FlyerScribe]

OP i think its important to actually have worked a real job before med school/residency. That way you at least understand the productivity vs showing up difference. Restaurant job would could provide that. They tend to be ruthless lol

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[Robin-jay]

Why do i feel like you feel the need to one up everyone? Scribing sucks. Retail sucks.

My experience was different. I was a pharmacy tech so maybe that contributed. Got accused of stealing money because of high copays regularly. Breaks didnt regularly happen until corporate was in yelling.

No, retail in general is less trigger happy when it comes to firing. They’d rather force you to quit lol

I think the EMS guy probably has me beat.

Sorry to hear you've been accused of that. I've had similar accusations before. It was ridiculous and no big deal, but I hear you.

Dunno what being a pharm tech. is like. I assume it could be rough.

 

[boogiecousins94]

Manage a research lab/become a lab manager if you have research experience, it gives you good experience, communication skills, and leadership. I did that for 2+ years full time and it's definitely more unique than just a technician due to a lot more responsibility coupled with teaching new lab members and doing actual research

 

[FlyerScribe]

Lol try EMS. All of those things + your partners falling asleep and crashing a rig going 70 miles an hour + sketchy neighboorhoods and patients who assault you in a confined space + actually being responsible for another person's life + a hot rig in 100 degree weather and you're not allowed to run the AC while waiting for a call + 16 hour shift on both christmas AND christmas eve + lifting 350 lb patients routinely....the list goes on. But it was wonderful because it made me who I am... and definitely built some character.

Source: have done both EMS and scribing

EMS is an excellent option as well. Con for EMS more training before start. Pros are better pay and great hands on experience. And everything stated above. Cons for scribing basically what already been said poo pay, little resoect, etc. Pro is relatively little to know pre job training needed and get to learn more of the advanced care aspects, and the doctor thought process. Basically only reason to do it

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[ciestar]

I think the EMS guy probably has me beat.

Sorry to hear you've been accused of that. I've had similar accusations before. It was ridiculous and no big deal, but I hear you.

Dunno what being a pharm tech. is like. I assume it could be rough.

Yes. I think it is just frustrating in general for all parties involved. Absurd copays, deductables, or medications not covered. Not all will necessarily understand why. Or, from the physician side, them telling a patient what the price of a drug is when they clearly have no clue. Or, prior auths. Then, on top of it all, volume. And then being expected to do all of these things plus run the register solo. Thankfully i was excellent at my job and multitasking.

 

[Robin-jay]

Yes. I think it is just frustrating in general for all parties involved. Absurd copays, deductables, or medications not covered. Not all will necessarily understand why. Or, from the physician side, them telling a patient what the price of a drug is when they clearly have no clue. Or, prior auths. Then, on top of it all, volume. And then being expected to do all of these things plus run the register solo. Thankfully i was excellent at my job and multitasking.

I've certainly had enough of that life. I would be in chemistry industry if I had another gap year, and stop the clinical work altogether (couldn't even live solo off of the income).

I think the true heroes are the people that can be scribes/EMS/pharm techs. for several years.

 

[VikingWarrior]

Being a scribe.

You won't complain about 90% of jobs after you've been one.

Little respect. Little pay. Terrible hours. Work nearly as hard as the physician. No job security, look at someone the wrong way and you could be fired.

That would build some character. At least make you have a tougher skin.

If there is any one considering becoming a scribe who was off put by this just know that my experience has been 100% the opposite. I have never been disrespected, worked terrible hours, or "worked nearly as hard as the physician." While my pay is admittedly trash (minimum wage without benefits) and I could make more working at McDonalds, I am very happy working at my family medicine clinic. I have a lot of respect from my provider and the rest of the office staff. I work from 7-5 every weekday. I have been working for over a year and have never thought I lacked job security. No scribes who has worked in the clinic has been fired.

 

[Robin-jay]

If there is any one considering becoming a scribe who was off put by this just know that my experience has been 100% the opposite. I have never been disrespected, worked terrible hours, or "worked nearly as hard as the physician." While my pay is admittedly trash (minimum wage without benefits) and I could make more working at McDonalds, I would very happy working in the family medicine clinic I am at currently. I have a lot of respect from my provider plus the other 4 providers, MAs, and the rest of the office staff. I work from 7-5 every weekday. I have been working for over a year and have never thought I lacked job security. No scribes who has worked in the clinic has been fired.

Experiences may differ.

Did you work for a scribe company?

 

[RNtoMD87]

Military. I guarantee you after an enlistment, you'll never think of another job as BS ever again. I have loved every single civilian job I've had as a nurse. The military really builds your resilience by giving you a sense of helplessness and hopelessness.

 

[VikingWarrior]

Experiences may differ.

Did you work for a scribe company?

Yes

 

[Robin-jay]

Yes

You must have been one lucky son of a gun to have had a good experience working for a scribe company.

Use the search function on SDN, you'd probably get 9:1 ratio of hate:love for people who experienced scribing under a company.

 

[Oso]

Agreed. And then you get really good, and can tell when people are providing less than the best care but cant say anything bc you're literally the lowest on the totem pole. That builds character

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Hey man, I like your photo

 

[Robin-jay]

Yes

I just noticed you worked at a family clinic. I worked for a speedy high tier specialty in which the physicians saw 50+ patients in 7 hours, and it was usually under very serious circumstances. I may have enjoyed family clinical scribing more.

 

[stickgirl390]

Be a substitute teacher. In my town, the only requirement is a high school diploma.

 

[FlyerScribe]

If there is any one considering becoming a scribe who was off put by this just know that my experience has been 100% the opposite. I have never been disrespected, worked terrible hours, or "worked nearly as hard as the physician." While my pay is admittedly trash (minimum wage without benefits) and I could make more working at McDonalds, I am very happy working at my family medicine clinic. I have a lot of respect from my provider and the rest of the office staff. I work from 7-5 every weekday. I have been working for over a year and have never thought I lacked job security. No scribes who has worked in the clinic has been fired.

Key difference here, family med clinic versus ER. The ER is a much different beast than family practice. While it was hard work with little pay, i learned a lot. Probably one of the more unique things I saw was a doc manipulate the dive reflex to pull a kid out of SVT. And of course i also saw a lot of other high acuity cases. Its definitely worth doing ER, you just got to make sure your up for it.

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[de Ribas]

Lol try EMS. All of those things + your partners falling asleep and crashing a rig going 70 miles an hour + sketchy neighboorhoods and patients who assault you in a confined space + actually being responsible for another person's life + a hot rig in 100 degree weather and you're not allowed to run the AC while waiting for a call + 16 hour shift on both christmas AND christmas eve + lifting 350 lb patients routinely....the list goes on. But it was wonderful because it made me who I am... and definitely built some character.

Source: have done both EMS and scribing

That's extremely motivating.

 

[Catalystik]

1) (I'm hoping that hospital volunteering will be enough for clinical experience).

2) does anyone have job suggestions?

1) It will.

2) Farm hand or construction worker.

 

[929826]

1) It will.

2) Farm hand or construction worker.

+1. Construction worker is GREAT and something I actually want to do this year. In his book checklist manifesto, Atul Gawande gives a very compelling argument about the parallels between construction work and medicine. Like in medicine, previously there was a "master builder" who knew how to build pretty much all buildings. Now, due to increased complexity, you have all these "specialties" (ie plumping, electricity, etc) that have to work together to build a building. There is a lot of coordinating efforts, communication, and organization that goes into modern construction and there are many lessons that medicine can learn from how that field has adapted to increased complexity.

 

[Goro]

Hey all,

I recently turned down an offer as a medical scribe due to time commitments, and now I'm not so sure I ever want to do that in the future (I'm hoping that hospital volunteering will be enough for clinical experience).
I'm wondering if less "pre-medy" jobs can also be looked upon favorably by adcoms, e.g. being a restaurant server, road worker, camp counselor, etc? Maybe they can make applicants more relatable and less obviously on the pre-med track?
If so, does anyone have job suggestions?

Any employment experience is good, but if you insist:

Scribing
Anything in a service industry
Teaching

 

[breachnaked]

Join the Army, 11 or 12 series... nothing but drinks by the pool, off by noon everyday, 5 star hotels when you go for training, and more good looking girls then you can shake a stick at....oh wait no that's not the Army, but it sure does look good to most adcoms, teaches discipline, builds character, and the chow isn't nearly as bad as they say.

 

[RNtoMD87]

Join the Army, 11 or 12 series... nothing but drinks by the pool, off by noon everyday, 5 star hotels when you go for training, and more good looking girls then you can shake a stick at....oh wait no that's not the Army, but it sure does look good to most adcoms, teaches discipline, builds character, and the chow isn't nearly as bad as they say.

Or 31 B. Same sh*^ but a chain of command with an image to uphold so you can't get away with near what the bang bangs do

 

[breachnaked]

Or 31 B. Same sh*^ but a chain of command with an image to uphold so you can't get away with near what the bang bangs do

More like watch me ruin this guys day for 1 mile over.....also pass the donuts.....

 

[RNtoMD87]

Or PSD ops.., or con air missions.., or strategic debrief.

MP really stands for multi purpose. Didn't work the road much of my 5 years in. Spent most of my time behind a 240 or ma deuce. Only arrested two people. Funny though, when we headed out of the gate it was infantry who was manning it... oh snap.

Where I was, the MPs were chill for the most part. It was the civilian DA cops who liked to f with soldiers because of their small peni. We went head to head with them almost daily.

 

[breachnaked]

Bro im just giving you a hard time for being an MP, just hope you were not also a leg.

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[RNtoMD87]

Bro im just giving you a hard time for being an MP, just hope you were not also a leg.

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Hah you got me there. I was, I tried to get into airborne when we volunteered in basic, but I was 280 lbs 5'7 so they laughed and said "fat f*^ks can't be airborne! Get your fat ass back in formation!" And I didn't have an opportunity at my unit.

Sucks because even by the end of basic I was 5'8 190 lb, and even a year and a half into being at my unit I was 5'10 and 185.

 

[breachnaked]

Hah you got me there. I was, I tried to get into airborne when we volunteered in basic, but I was 280 lbs 5'7 so they laughed and said "fat f*^ks can't be airborne! Get your fat ass back in formation!" And I didn't have an opportunity at my unit.

Sucks because even by the end of basic I was 5'8 190 lb, and even a year and a half into being at my unit I was 5'10 and 185.

That kind of weight loss is amazing but even more amazing, how were you still growing in the army? I was done at like 16.

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[RNtoMD87]

That kind of weight loss is amazing but even more amazing, how were you still growing in the army? I was done at like 16.

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I am now 6' I had a whole host of health problems mostly undiagnosed. But I was diagnosed as having low IGF1 and got humatropin injections for a year right before enlistment.

I was 5'2 my freshman year of highschool

 

[Equality]

I was a school teacher through NYC Teaching Fellows before going to med school. Teaching 9th graders in the Bronx... That builds character.
Also worked for the 2010 Census. Something different. Getting a promotion to be an office supervisor at age 27 helped my CV.

Bonus: It was so nice to be a student again after being a teacher.

 

[vrazzles]

TLDR; CNA work is excellent for building character due to the high workload and the need to listen to and balance the concerns and desires of a number of people (hospital, patients, families). It also teaches you sensitivity and patience under less than ideal circumstances. Highly reccomend.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned CNA.

I was a CNA in a rural, southern SNF attached to a hospital. Being a 19 YO male, it was extremely challenging to win the trust of my female patients (typically older conservative ladies) and be allowed to care for them. This produced a stressful environment where my female coworkers resented me, as they (at first) had to take care of patients that would not allow me into their room. This, combined with the overall stresses of working as a CNA in a rural, understaffed SNF was a real exercise in patience, sensitivity, and teamwork.

In the end, I won the trust of the majority of the patients. By the time I left, very few would not let me care for them. Also, now, almost nothing can gross me out. I'm sure where you do your CNA work matters, but my experience was very character building.

 

[de Ribas]

TLDR; CNA work is excellent for building character due to the high workload and the need to listen to and balance the concerns and desires of a number of people (hospital, patients, families). It also teaches you sensitivity and patience under less than ideal circumstances. Highly reccomend.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned CNA.

I was a CNA in a rural, southern SNF attached to a hospital. Being a 19 YO male, it was extremely challenging to win the trust of my female patients (typically older conservative ladies) and be allowed to care for them. This produced a stressful environment where my female coworkers resented me, as they (at first) had to take care of patients that would not allow me into their room. This, combined with the overall stresses of working as a CNA in a rural, understaffed SNF was a real exercise in patience, sensitivity, and teamwork.

In the end, I won the trust of the majority of the patients. By the time I left, very few would not let me care for them. Also, now, almost nothing can gross me out. I'm sure where you do your CNA work matters, but my experience was very character building.

I work as CNA in Memory Care with dementia and Alzheimer's patients as well as with some other more independent patients.

I probably have seen it all. I think it is great job for building a good character.

I was the only male employee in the building besides maintenance guy. Nobody believed I will stay for more than a week. They have hired other guys before, but nobody stayed more than 3-4 days. They did not have guys as CNA, so residents liked me and coworkers were good to me too.

 

[altblue]

Being a scribe.

You won't complain about 90% of jobs after you've been one.

Little respect. Little pay. Terrible hours. Work nearly as hard as the physician. No job security, look at someone the wrong way and you could be fired.

That would build some character. At least make you have a tougher skin.

Don't forget getting chewed out for three minutes for making a minor "error" in the chart after you'd been taught differently before. Even when I would feel absolutely incompetent or work with a physician with a difficult personality (most def aren't!), it's toughened me up, made me more focused, less lazy and given me some background over some of challenges in the clinical years.

So I don't regret taking the scribe job. It's getting easier, the neurology's making more sense, and I'm clicking better with the people I work with

 

[de Ribas]

Little respect. Little pay. Terrible hours. Work nearly as hard as the physician.

Don't forget getting chewed out for three minutes for making a minor "error" in the chart after you'd been taught differently before.

Is it something that prepares med student for being a resident?

 

[altblue]

Is it something that prepares med student for being a resident?

Nah, it's largely a job for pre-meds and pre-PAs. The most valuable thing you get out of it, I think, is a strong familiarity with patient visits, charting, and overall clinical culture and work-flow. All of these help with medical school and residency.

 

[RNtoMD87]

TLDR; CNA work is excellent for building character due to the high workload and the need to listen to and balance the concerns and desires of a number of people (hospital, patients, families). It also teaches you sensitivity and patience under less than ideal circumstances. Highly reccomend.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned CNA.

I was a CNA in a rural, southern SNF attached to a hospital. Being a 19 YO male, it was extremely challenging to win the trust of my female patients (typically older conservative ladies) and be allowed to care for them. This produced a stressful environment where my female coworkers resented me, as they (at first) had to take care of patients that would not allow me into their room. This, combined with the overall stresses of working as a CNA in a rural, understaffed SNF was a real exercise in patience, sensitivity, and teamwork.

In the end, I won the trust of the majority of the patients. By the time I left, very few would not let me care for them. Also, now, almost nothing can gross me out. I'm sure where you do your CNA work matters, but my experience was very character building.

I know what you mean. I used to feel lazy always needing female nurses to do baths on my conservative ladies. Until I realized I'm a pack mule.