Hi, does your job matter or basically what you do during your reapplication matter? I'm just working jobs to pay rent, basically get by while preparing for the MCAT. I am trying to get a job in Healthcare but it's not that easy.
Does your job while you wait to reapply matter
- Thread starter hypnix
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I agree with making sure you cover the big things first - food, rent, and some flexibility to take and prepare for the MCAT. If you can swing a clinical or research job, then go for it, but don't stress if you can't (assuming you've got the other parts of your application in place).
Yeah, my job is pretty good pay and I'm definitely able to save money to pay for the application cycle and save a little towards med school. But like I said, there's nothing to do with Healthcare. I do want to use my EMT-B certification for something. I got that last semester while working to strengthen my app.
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Maybe do a shift a week as an EMT? You could take an evening shift after work on Friday. Yeah, it would be tough, but Fridays and Saturdays are when most of the crazies come out.
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I just got into school, and I think that my job that I've had since I applied last year helped. I'm working in a genetics lab. I needed to get my MCAT up, and it only went up 2 points, yet I got accepted in their first round. I wasn't expecting that at all. I'm pretty sure my job kinda helped..
Very interesting. I talked to ambulance company I took my EMT class through and they said I can do some more ride time to gain experience. I'm thinking this will help my application a little bit. Maybe something like 100+hrs of ride time versus 10 hours. Do you think this would look bad, i.e. why didn't he get paid for it?
I do hope to get a tech job in the ER or something. However, the job I hold allows me to get about an hour of studying at work and they are giving me days off as the MCAT gets closer. I don't think the hospital will be as flexible.
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There might be some confusion - I meant take one shift every week. Over a year, 52 ten-hour shifts would be 520 hours on your app.
But in any case, these are the sort of thoughts you need to have. You need to weigh what you can gain with each path - EMT or MCAT - with what is weakest in your application. If you need clinical experience, then go EMT. If you need a MCAT boost, then keep your job. My suggestion above was a sort of "mean between the extremes."
I really appreciate all the quick replies by the way.
However, does EMT count as clinical experience? I know it's still healthcare, but more of a pre-hospital healthcare setting. I feel like more than anything besides taking baseline vitals, EMTs transport patients. I do need to improve my MCAT and the studying is going very well. I do wish I was further along, but things will be slowing down in my life after this week.
Got any suggestions for LORs? I think I have a weak one from a professor who agreed to write one solely because I bombed exam 1 and still got an A in his class.
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Yes, EMT does count. The best thing I can suggest about LORs is get them from people who know you. Letters should give information about you that an ADCOM won't get from other places in your application. Good luck.
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i would say yes... i'm convinced that the research work i did between application cycles, and subsequent publications and experiences therein, helped secure me a place. i talked about this a bit in my personal statement, how the transition from undergrad into research shaped my desire to not only practice medicine, but how to interact with a variety of health professionals, and taught me how to reason and think like a physician or scientist does (evidence-based!). gl!
B
Blade28
Hang on a sec. If you're going to get your EMT certification (and not just do ride-alongs), you'll be doing a lot more than just taking vitals and riding the bus! 🙂
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As a reapplicant you want to do as much as you can to improve your application. How much your job matters depends on why you didn't get accepted the first time around. Was the reason mainly academic or did it involve your clinical experience?
Having a job that allows you to interact with patients or something that improves your scientific knowledge base (like research) could only help to make you a stronger applicant.
Having a job that allows you to interact with patients or something that improves your scientific knowledge base (like research) could only help to make you a stronger applicant.
Well, my MCAT wasn't that great. My GPA is average for matriculants. I did research for almost 2 years in my undergrad including one summer as well. I did some volunteer work, just one semester and shadowed three doctors. I don't know..I did not get that job but I am still looking for a job in the hospital setting. I just don't think the hours since they probably won't be a steady 8-5 job, it'll be hard to have set times to study.
