CNA vs. Medical school lab manager

[epoxydine]

Hi all, so I've been offered two really great jobs. The first is a nurse's aide gig at an awesome children's hospital, 3 shifts a week only. I've been a CNA for about 8 months now in skilled nursing facilities, so I have about 600 hrs of 'clinical experience' already, but the more the better, right? Not to mention that working at a children's hospital is much MUCH better than at a nursing home.

The second offer is a lab manager position in an MD/PhD's lab at a big state medical school. The PI does cancer research but also has a clinical side of things, so he said if I took the position I'd be more than welcome to shadow him and that he'd be writing me a rec letter for med school.

I'm really struggling to decide which of these to take in terms of applying to DO schools next cycle, which is my priority. I am under the impression that DO schools care more about a candidate's actual clinical experience than they do about research, which makes me lean toward the CNA job. Then again, working for this PI would give me an immediate relationship with a physician to shadow and get a letter from, which I don't really have as of yet. What should I do?

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[Marrowist]

Lab manager sounds awesome. But do what makes you happy.

 

[miakip]

Both!

 

[epoxydine]

Both!

I wish I could do both but the lab manager job needs to be full time, and I can't handle one full time job + 3 swing shifts at the hospital every week. I will die. The PI agreed and said "save that kind of workload for residency" lol.

 

[EnigmaticScale]

CNA all the way. Lots of people have 1000s of hours of clinical experience now. Even 2000-3000 is not uncommon.
Besides do you want to be a doctor or a researcher who manages a lab?

 

[AlteredScale]

The lab manager position can put you in a good place for getting research which no matter MD or DO can help you down the rod with getting research gigs, making connections in academic, and just having something to strengthen your CV for residency applications down the road.




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[DO2015CA]

Lab manager. There is no contest here. You have plenty of clinical experience. 1000s is overkill and the research will help you more in your future. Picking up some research skills is invaluable and perhaps they let you work with them on stuff and you get some pubs. The CNA gig will not offer any of this.

Food for thought, I applied with roughly 200 hours of clinical volunteering and no one mentioned it at my interviews. You have triple of what I had. Clinical experience is designed so that you understand what you are getting yourself into and that you actually like working in medicine. I'm sure you know by now if it's for you or not.

 

[epoxydine]

Lab manager. There is no contest here. You have plenty of clinical experience. 1000s is overkill and the research will help you more in your future. Picking up some research skills is invaluable and perhaps they let you work with them on stuff and you get some pubs. The CNA gig will not offer any of this.

Food for thought, I applied with roughly 200 hours of clinical volunteering and no one mentioned it at my interviews. You have triple of what I had. Clinical experience is designed so that you understand what you are getting yourself into and that you actually like working in medicine. I'm sure you know by now if it's for you or not.

Thank you for your reply. To be fair I have a decent amount of research exp. as well (worked in two academic chem labs throughout undergrad) but nothing specifically in medical research, which this job is. Waiting to see what my premed advisor (from school, graduated a while back though) says, but I'm leaning toward lab job, as much as I love being a CNA.

 

[DO2015CA]

Thank you for your reply. To be fair I have a decent amount of research exp. as well (worked in two academic chem labs throughout undergrad) but nothing specifically in medical research, which this job is. Waiting to see what my premed advisor (from school, graduated a while back though) says, but I'm leaning toward lab job, as much as I love being a CNA.

Research is never a bad thing but for residency programs say the more recent the better. Taking this job does 2 things for you. 1.) gets you experience in medicinally related research. Depending on their research it may be dramatically different from bench work in a chem lab. 2.) it gives you connections. You get to know them well and their peers. Once you're in medical school and you want to start getting pubs and what not you have them to contact. If not them specifically they will be able to find someone that needs a lackey to write something up. Especially coming from a DO school this is largely beneficial due to the lack of research. you can also have them help you get a research gig during the summer of 1st year, perhaps in their lab again and making more connections. This can significantly increase your chance to landing an ACGME residency program through that university hospital due to the connections you made.

Sorry for typos. On mobile

 

[epoxydine]

Research is never a bad thing but for residency programs say the more recent the better. Taking this job does 2 things for you. 1.) gets you experience in medicinally related research. Depending on their research it may be dramatically different from bench work in a chem lab. 2.) it gives you connections. You get to know them well and their peers. Once you're in medical school and you want to start getting pubs and what not you have them to contact. If not them specifically they will be able to find someone that needs a lackey to write something up. Especially coming from a DO school this is largely beneficial due to the lack of research. you can also have them help you get a research gig during the summer of 1st year, perhaps in their lab again and making more connections. This can significantly increase your chance to landing an ACGME residency program through that university hospital due to the connections you made.

Sorry for typos. On mobile

Wow, thank you for all the info. Would never have thought about this or known about it. This is very much looking toward the future but good to know!

 

[EnigmaticScale]

Wow, thank you for all the info. Would never have thought about this or known about it. This is very much looking toward the future but good to know!

I'm just gonna say one thing.
You're applying DO. Most DO schools do not have research as a big emphasis in their curriculum.
You might close some doors. I'd steer you towards the CNA.

 

[AlteredScale]

I'm just gonna say one thing.
You're applying DO. Most DO schools do not have research as a big emphasis in their curriculum.
You might close some doors. I'd steer you towards the CNA.

Close doors because of research????


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[EnigmaticScale]

Close doors because of research????


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That's what I've heard, apparently DO schools don't like students with lots of research experience. But I could be wrong.

Personally, I would take BOTH positions.

 

[gamieg]

why are you specifically interested in osteopathic schools if you're also interested in research? or I guess I should ask if you're interested in medical research or if you just want to explore and have that experience for your application?

also to the above poster, research doesn't harm you at osteopathic schools unless you make it very obvious that you're gunning for MD or MD/PhD and DO is just a backup. I have extensive research experience with publications and all the osteopathic schools I've interviewed at have seen that as a strength.

 

[DO2015CA]

You heard wrong. Although DO schools don't care if you have research by no way are they going to look down on someone for having research

 

[EnigmaticScale]

why are you specifically interested in osteopathic schools if you're also interested in research? or I guess I should ask if you're interested in medical research or if you just want to explore and have that experience for your application?

also to the above poster, research doesn't harm you at osteopathic schools unless you make it very obvious that you're gunning for MD or MD/PhD and DO is just a backup. I have extensive research experience with publications and all the osteopathic schools I've interviewed at have seen that as a strength.

That's how I meant to phrase it. Thank you!

 

[epoxydine]

why are you specifically interested in osteopathic schools if you're also interested in research? or I guess I should ask if you're interested in medical research or if you just want to explore and have that experience for your application?

also to the above poster, research doesn't harm you at osteopathic schools unless you make it very obvious that you're gunning for MD or MD/PhD and DO is just a backup. I have extensive research experience with publications and all the osteopathic schools I've interviewed at have seen that as a strength.

Thanks for your reply. I am interested in osteopathic schools because uh, my grades aren't too hot. I like the philosophy of the DO schools but I don't have a super strong opinion either way. Definitely not just gunning for MD, wasn't even planning on applying to MD schools to be perfectly honest. Interested in research, always have been, but I want to do the best thing for my application, and since I know I really only have a chance of getting into osteopathic schools, that's what I'm trying to plan for. I get the sense that either of these paths can definitely work, I just wanna pick the best option if there is one.

 

[gamieg]

Thanks for your reply. I am interested in osteopathic schools because uh, my grades aren't too hot. I like the philosophy of the DO schools but I don't have a super strong opinion either way. Definitely not just gunning for MD, wasn't even planning on applying to MD schools to be perfectly honest. Interested in research, always have been, but I want to do the best thing for my application, and since I know I really only have a chance of getting into osteopathic schools, that's what I'm trying to plan for. I get the sense that either of these paths can definitely work, I just wanna pick the best option if there is one.

that's fair, and I think that honesty and authenticity will get you far.

the truth is osteopathic schools often lack research resources, but that's something that many are working towards improving because they understand that it's something very important to push healthcare and their institutions forward. that's why research won't hurt you and may actually be beneficial.

the other question is what the lab manager position actually entails. would you be doing research? administrative duties? is it clinical or more nitty gritty?

since you like research and have a lot of clinical exposure, the lab manager position may allow you to see whether research is something you'd be interested in pursuing alongside clinical practice. there's a chance you may not like it, but I think it's a chance worth taking. plus that physician letter is also nice (but I recommend getting a DO letter if at all possible).

 

[epoxydine]

that's fair, and I think that honesty and authenticity will get you far.

the truth is osteopathic schools often lack research resources, but that's something that many are working towards improving because they understand that it's something very important to push healthcare and their institutions forward. that's why research won't hurt you and may actually be beneficial.

the other question is what the lab manager position actually entails. would you be doing research? administrative duties? is it clinical or more nitty gritty?

since you like research and have a lot of clinical exposure, the lab manager position may allow you to see whether research is something you'd be interested in pursuing alongside clinical practice. there's a chance you may not like it, but I think it's a chance worth taking. plus that physician letter is also nice (but I recommend getting a DO letter if at all possible).

It's definitely mostly nitty gritty labwork with a couple of administrative-y things like ordering supplies/chemicals, being in charge of a few undergrads, etc. The research is medical in nature for sure (studying a particular cancer and potential pathways to target for drugs, wee) but not clinical. The doc I'd be working with does clinical service but I wouldn't be working with him on the clinical side of things, though he did say I'd be more than welcome to shadow him when he does rounds at the hospital. The fact that he's not a DO sucks in terms of the letter but like I said, I don't know any physicians in the new town I just moved to, so anything is good.

Do I actually have a lot of clinical exposure? Is 600 hrs a lot? I was really under the impression that this was a mediocre amount, esp for DO applicants who sometimes have more clinical/less research. Could just be my impression of it though, and my super dramatic premed advisor.

 

[Alienman52]

Hi all, so I've been offered two really great jobs. The first is a nurse's aide gig at an awesome children's hospital, 3 shifts a week only. I've been a CNA for about 8 months now in skilled nursing facilities, so I have about 600 hrs of 'clinical experience' already, but the more the better, right? Not to mention that working at a children's hospital is much MUCH better than at a nursing home.

The second offer is a lab manager position in an MD/PhD's lab at a big state medical school. The PI does cancer research but also has a clinical side of things, so he said if I took the position I'd be more than welcome to shadow him and that he'd be writing me a rec letter for med school.

I'm really struggling to decide which of these to take in terms of applying to DO schools next cycle, which is my priority. I am under the impression that DO schools care more about a candidate's actual clinical experience than they do about research, which makes me lean toward the CNA job. Then again, working for this PI would give me an immediate relationship with a physician to shadow and get a letter from, which I don't really have as of yet. What should I do?

Seems like you've already had experience with the CNA job. I'd say go for the lab tech job. That PI's LOR would probably be really helpful.

 

[gamieg]

It's definitely mostly nitty gritty labwork with a couple of administrative-y things like ordering supplies/chemicals, being in charge of a few undergrads, etc. The research is medical in nature for sure (studying a particular cancer and potential pathways to target for drugs, wee) but not clinical. The doc I'd be working with does clinical service but I wouldn't be working with him on the clinical side of things, though he did say I'd be more than welcome to shadow him when he does rounds at the hospital. The fact that he's not a DO sucks in terms of the letter but like I said, I don't know any physicians in the new town I just moved to, so anything is good.

Do I actually have a lot of clinical exposure? Is 600 hrs a lot? I was really under the impression that this was a mediocre amount, esp for DO applicants who sometimes have more clinical/less research. Could just be my impression of it though, and my super dramatic premed advisor.

600 hours is a good amount of clinical exposure. the short answer is that you could really pick either experience and if it fits your story and demonstrates a mature, understanding individual, it would go far to benefitting your application. it's often more about how you present your experiences and what they've taught you as opposed to what they actually are.

the long answer is that it borders on what kind of applicant you are most interested in presenting yourself as. are you interested in family medicine, internal medicine, geriatrics, or pediatrics? if so, continuing your clinical exposure, especially at a children's hospital would probably better fit your story and potential future goals. are you interested in being a practitioner who works in an academic environment who also conducts research or teaches? then maybe gaining research exposure and seeing some of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into a lab would give your future application that conviction. osteopathic schools want well-rounded applicants, yes, but it's my strong belief (which has been supported by this successful cycle) that they care much more about applicants who know themselves and are mature enough to understand the necessary steps/sacrifices which come with achieving their goals.

at the end of the day, you could be a really successful applicant with either exposure. your GPA and MCAT are also incredibly important, and while there is no foolproof method of gaining acceptances to medical school, you can make the better choice for yourself by being honest about what you want and being okay with potentially sacrificing a chance. if you choose research and end up loving it -- great. if you end up hating it -- it'll have taught you something about yourself, but you might be forgoing some sanity and happiness. if you choose clinical and end up loving it -- fantastic, but only you will know if you would regret not branching out into unknown territory via the "grass is greener on the other side" syndrome. either way, I still really recommend that DO shadowing letter; it's worth it.

good luck with whichever you choose. and last piece of advice: your personal statement really, really matters. start on it early, have anybody and everybody read it and give you feedback, and really tell your story in a way that shows the best of who you are.

 

[epoxydine]

600 hours is a good amount of clinical exposure. the short answer is that you could really pick either experience and if it fits your story and demonstrates a mature, understanding individual, it would go far to benefitting your application. it's often more about how you present your experiences and what they've taught you as opposed to what they actually are.

the long answer is that it borders on what kind of applicant you are most interested in presenting yourself as. are you interested in family medicine, internal medicine, geriatrics, or pediatrics? if so, continuing your clinical exposure, especially at a children's hospital would probably better fit your story and potential future goals. are you interested in being a practitioner who works in an academic environment who also conducts research or teaches? then maybe gaining research exposure and seeing some of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into a lab would give your future application that conviction. osteopathic schools want well-rounded applicants, yes, but it's my strong belief (which has been supported by this successful cycle) that they care much more about applicants who know themselves and are mature enough to understand the necessary steps/sacrifices which come with achieving their goals.

at the end of the day, you could be a really successful applicant with either exposure. your GPA and MCAT are also incredibly important, and while there is no foolproof method of gaining acceptances to medical school, you can make the better choice for yourself by being honest about what you want and being okay with potentially sacrificing a chance. if you choose research and end up loving it -- great. if you end up hating it -- it'll have taught you something about yourself, but you might be forgoing some sanity and happiness. if you choose clinical and end up loving it -- fantastic, but only you will know if you would regret not branching out into unknown territory via the "grass is greener on the other side" syndrome. either way, I still really recommend that DO shadowing letter; it's worth it.

good luck with whichever you choose. and last piece of advice: your personal statement really, really matters. start on it early, have anybody and everybody read it and give you feedback, and really tell your story in a way that shows the best of who you are.

Thank you for your advice, I really do appreciate it. I'm very torn but it is comforting to hear that both of these options are good. They really are, I'm lucky.

 

[epoxydine]

took the lab job, wish me luck ya'll! thank you for your help and advice!

 

[AlteredScale]

took the lab job, wish me luck ya'll! thank you for your help and advice!

Congrats and good luck!


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[doctorbob23]

My personal opinion..even though lab manager sounds a lot better for your goal I'd say being a cna is smarter. You'll be able to say iv been a cna for x amount of years vs 8 months. Medical schools especially DO schools love applicants with patient contract experience like that. Good luck

 

[MrFixIt]

took the lab job, wish me luck ya'll! thank you for your help and advice!

Good choice! Keep those connections you'll make.