Gap Year Job Advice

[DaBrownBoss]

Hey yall,

So Im currently in my second gap year and in my previous year I was a CRC for a small private company and was able to work very closely with my PI and a bunch of other physicians. It was great experience because I was able to gain a bunch patient care experience, clinical research experience, and work closely with physicians to provide care. However, it didn't really pay that well, so going into my second gap year I'm hoping to find a better paying job that will still help with my med school apps. While working at that job I learned about clinical research associates and have luckily been able to get a job offer at one of these companies. Will this job help with my medical school apps or should I look for my patient care oriented position?

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[IlDestriero]

If you have adequate patient exposures or plan to get more via shadowing or whatever just take the highest paying job you’re qualified for. Presumably your college degree set you up for something?

 

[DaBrownBoss]

If you have adequate patient exposures or plan to get more via shadowing or whatever just take the highest paying job you’re qualified for. Presumably your college degree set you up for something?

Yeah so for patient care experience I worked as a patient transporter through out high school and college and during my time as a CRC I worked for about a year around 40-45 hours a week. I majored in biomedical science so I guess it set me up for research or a health profession.

 

[flasheroonie]

If you're going for an MD/PhD, then having research experience will be helpful, but the more gap years you have, the far worse it will be for you when you apply for med school. They will want to know why you had gap years at all.

A clinical research associate is good experience in specifically clinical research, and I'm sure you can explain that this provided you with additional patient contact when applying.

 

[DaBrownBoss]

If you're going for an MD/PhD, then having research experience will be helpful, but the more gap years you have, the far worse it will be for you when you apply for med school. They will want to know why you had gap years at all.

A clinical research associate is good experience in specifically clinical research, and I'm sure you can explain that this provided you with additional patient contact when applying.

I mean for the CRA role I won't have much if at all any direct contact with patients. I would be managing clinical trials and working with the PI to ensure that the site is following GCP guidelines for patient safety. Do you think its still a good gap year job even though there is no direct patient interaction involved?

 

[flasheroonie]

Hmm... look for that patient contact.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Hey yall,

So Im currently in my second gap year and in my previous year I was a CRC for a small private company and was able to work very closely with my PI and a bunch of other physicians. It was great experience because I was able to gain a bunch patient care experience, clinical research experience, and work closely with physicians to provide care. However, it didn't really pay that well, so going into my second gap year I'm hoping to find a better paying job that will still help with my med school apps. While working at that job I learned about clinical research associates and have luckily been able to get a job offer at one of these companies. Will this job help with my medical school apps or should I look for my patient care oriented position?

Some of the answer depends on how much clinical exposure and community service you had in college. I basically agree that it makes sense for you to get the best job you can for the upcoming year, but don't entirely stop being involved with patient care. If this position is one where you won't be interacting with sick people, perhaps you can volunteer at least once a week in a hospice, clinic, ER or something. If you are passionate about medicine, you should want to continue on a minimal basis just to keep doing something that you enjoy.

And that continuity will also help your med school admissions chances.