Gap Year Job: Bartender?

[HealthHare]

I'M currently a rising Junior and have made the decision to take a gap year so the app process will be a little less stressful.

I've been thinking about possible things to do during my gap year. Research, CNA, teaching come to mind. I like all these things, but they don't excite me very much.

Something that does appeal to me would be to bartend. I know this seems kind of crazy but it looks like a lot of fun and I feel like I could develop a lot of useful skills that would be applicable to the medical field. For example, thinking quickly in a loud hectic environment (sounds a lot like a hospital), developing people skills through interactions with patrons (patients), improved coordination through drink making.

What do you all think about this for a gap year job?

How would ad coms view this?

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[TheMightySmiter]

I'M currently a rising Junior and have made the decision to take a gap year so the app process will be a little less stressful.

I've been thinking about possible things to do during my gap year. Research, CNA, teaching come to mind. I like all these things, but they don't excite me very much.

Something that does appeal to me would be to bartend. I know this seems kind of crazy but it looks like a lot of fun and I feel like I could develop a lot of useful skills that would be applicable to the medical field. For example, thinking quickly in a loud hectic environment (sounds a lot like a hospital), developing people skills through interactions with patrons (patients), improved coordination through drink making.

What do you all think about this for a gap year job?

How would ad coms view this?

I'm a CNA in my gap year (between post-bac and matriculation ) and I'd way rather be working as a bartender. I do enjoy my job, though, and I'm getting more exposure to medicine. I'd advise that you be a part-time bartender and do something else that might strengthen your application if for some crazy reason you aren't accepted the first time around. So, do like part-time research or be a part-time CNA/EMT/MA/whatever. Keep up the volunteering too. But I wouldn't recommend just being a bartender. A lot of secondaries ask what you're doing the year before matriculation, and it would probably look better to be doing something that has to do with medicine at least part of the time.

 

[HealthHare]

I'm a CNA in my gap year (between post-bac and matriculation ) and I'd way rather be working as a bartender. I do enjoy my job, though, and I'm getting more exposure to medicine. I'd advise that you be a part-time bartender and do something else that might strengthen your application if for some crazy reason you aren't accepted the first time around. So, do like part-time research or be a part-time CNA/EMT/MA/whatever. Keep up the volunteering too. But I wouldn't recommend just being a bartender. A lot of secondaries ask what you're doing the year before matriculation, and it would probably look better to be doing something that has to do with medicine at least part of the time.

Yeah I'd probably only do it part-time. I could imagine that bartending must be draining work ( not that being a CNA isn't🙂). Regardless of what I do I would still want to continue hospital volunteering.

 

[ANEShopeful2018]

I'm a CNA in my gap year (between post-bac and matriculation ) and I'd way rather be working as a bartender. I do enjoy my job, though, and I'm getting more exposure to medicine. I'd advise that you be a part-time bartender and do something else that might strengthen your application if for some crazy reason you aren't accepted the first time around. So, do like part-time research or be a part-time CNA/EMT/MA/whatever. Keep up the volunteering too. But I wouldn't recommend just being a bartender. A lot of secondaries ask what you're doing the year before matriculation, and it would probably look better to be doing something that has to do with medicine at least part of the time.

I agree with this. Bartending may be good for a gap year if you can explain it to the interviewers, but you should do something that is directly related to medicine, such as clinical volunteering or some part-time medical research.

 

[Tapepsi]

Bartending part time. Although I'm biased that's something I've always wanted to do.

 

[Avoidthetiger]

OP - Bartending sounds awesome! I am jealous. Honestly, I don't know why you can't just let that be your full-time gig. Make some money in your gap year. Do some volunteering on the side. Take a night course if you want to.

Regardless, don't be stressed trying to find another more medicine-related gig though. Getting a jod in research could be tough (i've tried!), and there's no reason to be trained to become a CNA (especially if you don't want to do that). I would recommend just doing clinical-volunteering... and hope they you get in the first time.

 

[CoolWhipp]

Be a bartender. And be a good one, too many crappy bartenders.

 

[phnerd1105]

Tell me when/where you will work. I demand an SDN discount. 🙂


Haha no really, I think bartending sounds great. Definitely part time though and spend the time doing somethign to strengthen your app if needed. I think gap years should be all about doing what you want, not forcing yourself to do something you don't want to.

 

[NightGod]

I promise you, bartending is a LOT less fun that it looks/sounds like. Especially if you end up somewhere with a douchebag boss (which seems to be pretty common in that world). That said, if you end up at the right place, the money is good, the hours are hard to beat and you will find (wo)men throwing themselves at you. Sadly you probably won't be interested in 95% of them unless you have low/no standards.

 

[NoNotYouLionel]

Serving people alcohol is not all fun. Some people get pretty aggressive when you card them or if you have to cut them off.

 

[Kalamazoo]

I am a CNA now but bartended for a couple of years before deciding to pursue medicine. It is a lot of fun and you can make a ton of money doing it. As a bartender you have to work with all types of people and it helps enhance your interpersonal communication skills. It's a win-win. I say go for it, but continue to experience medicine in some fashion.

 

[Whatyousay]

Loma Linda will probably reject you if you're a bartender.

Just in case you wanted to go there or anything.

 

[sk8ngli]

I told Dr. Jim O'Connell (a pretty swell well known physician) that I was applying this year and his response was "Don't do it!"

Not because he doesn't think I'm competent, but because he spent a lot of his 20's running around the world bartending. He said he had the time of his life and he was glad he went to med school later.

Of course, not all of us can be Jim, but if you think you have a decent shot at getting in on this cycle, then I say go for it. Work nights and volunteer a few afternoons doing something you love (hopefully that thing you love involves patients). Or take Jim's advice and go bartend in Thailand.

We 🙂xf🙂 all have a long road ahead of us. Live it up.

 

[firecloak]

Bartenders tend to work long, hard hours into the night, but it does sound like a good experience.

As long as you do something medical too, it should be fine.

You can always make the excuse that you need the money! xD

 

[NightGod]

Bartending is one of the easiest jobs out there...

That depends entirely on the bar. Some places are laid back and things are easy, some are pure chaos. Of course, it tends to be the later that pay better,

 

[senorsquishie]

Serving people alcohol is not all fun. Some people get pretty aggressive when you card them or if you have to cut them off.

Just like Pts. get mad when you take away the script for the perscription they are abusing.

Bartending sounds fun! It is sure it be at leasting a mildly unique and interesting thing to put on your app too!

 

[Avoidthetiger]

Even if the bar is packed, at the end of the day you're still just pouring/mixing drinks which is laughably easy for the money you make.

You sound like you have never worked in the service-industry before.

Probably a poor tipper also. 🙁

 

[Doc of the Walk]

I guarantee I've worked for much longer than you in the service industry.

I currently work full-time as a bartender. I've also worked at several fast-food restaurants, as a line cook at a pizza place, at several retail jobs, and as a waiter in two different restaurants. I've been working in some type of service industry since I was 15 years old. I usually tip a MINIMUM of 20%, unless the service is REEEEALLY bad, then I usually tip around 15%. So kindly, stfu. 😉

I still say that bartending is laughably easy, and anyone who says otherwise is just whining.

OH SNAP!

Ska-doosh

 

[Avoidthetiger]

I guarantee I've worked for much longer than you in the service industry.

I currently work full-time as a bartender. I've also worked at several fast-food restaurants, as a line cook at a pizza place, at several retail jobs, and as a waiter in two different restaurants. I've been working in some type of service industry since I was 15 years old. I usually tip a MINIMUM of 20%, unless the service is REEEEALLY bad, then I usually tip around 15%. So kindly, stfu. 😉

well good for you. 🙄 I guess all your years in the service industry has just resulted in a nasty attitude.

but no, for reals - I respect your posts more now. Before, you just sounded like one of those young college kids that never tipped and always complained about the service. I'm sure you have experienced that the younger crowds are horrible tippers in general)... and if you haven't, man, I want to move there.

 

[FuturePharm21]

yeah this is a great idea...go for it...your supporting alcohol and liver disorders😉

I'm being sarcastic because

1. even if you did this part-time, does it matter enough to write on your application

2. they don't really care about this as it has nothing to do with medicine unless it does?

 

[NightGod]

Even if the bar is packed, at the end of the day you're still just pouring/mixing drinks which is laughably easy for the money you make.

I was thinking more about the people you work with and interacting with a belligerent public than the act of pouring drinks. Bars tend to attract ass-monkeys on both sides of the rail, more so than a lot of other jobs. But if you find the right place, it can be one of the better jobs out there, especially for the (nearly complete lack) of experience needed to perform it.

 

[juliedi]

Bartending sounds like a good idea OP. One of my friends has been working as a bartender as she's doing her post-bac, and she totally loves it.

 

[HealthHare]

yeah this is a great idea...go for it...your supporting alcohol and liver disorders😉

I'm being sarcastic because

I understand your sarcasm but could ad coms see this negatively?

Would it be equivalent to interning at a tobacco company?

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

yeah this is a great idea...go for it...your supporting alcohol and liver disorders😉

I'm being sarcastic because

1. even if you did this part-time, does it matter enough to write on your application

2. they don't really care about this as it has nothing to do with medicine unless it does?

However if you need money its a great option to pursue. Everyone realizes that many people need to have some kind of income while they're not in school. This always has to be re-emphasized on here but having normal jobs doesn't hurt you in admissions. If anything, people like to see that you're someone who's actually worked some regular jobs and hasn't just been mooching off mommy and daddy.

I personally worked random jobs during high school/college including busing at a restaurant, dishwashing at a party center, working at a call center, being a library assistant and working full time at a zoo between my freshmen and sophomore years. Lots of other people on here have also worked jobs that don't have anything to do with medicine directly...so as long as you aren't neglecting other areas there's nothing wrong with working a normal job. I also put a couple of those on my application as they took up significant amounts of my time during college years.

And no, working at a bar is not the same thing as interning for a cigarette company. I'm pretty sure many a committee member has gone down to the bar for a drink or two after a particularly boring day of looking at 100 applications.

 

[FuturePharm21]

it's good but they are still going to question his career choice, when you could have done anything besides this it all depends on the interviewer that day and if he/she's opposed to drinking, I don't see this as a favorable decision

But if this is the only job you can find and you need money, why not? just don't promote it on your application

 

[Slack3r]

it's good but they are still going to question his career choice, when you could have done anything besides this it all depends on the interviewer that day and if he/she's opposed to drinking, I don't see this as a favorable decision

But if this is the only job you can find and you need money, why not? just don't promote it on your application

You're talking out of your ass. You haven't a clue what adcoms think. End of story.

 

[Doc of the Walk]

Oh snap!

 

[FuturePharm21]

ok I'm sure all the medical schools are going to LOVE that you have bartender as one of your Work/Activities on AMCAS😀

They are going to be amazed at your interest in serving alcohol to people and your service to mankind!

 

[NightGod]

ok I'm sure all the medical schools are going to LOVE that you have bartender as one of your Work/Activities on AMCAS😀

They are going to be amazed at your interest in serving alcohol to people and your service to mankind!

Less a matter of 'love' and more a matter of 'not care one way or the other'.