Gap Year Job

[anxiouspineapples]

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Hi!
I have received two job offers, and I was wondering which would be better to take for two gap years. They're both full-time offers, so I can't do a part-time job on the side. Currently, I have over 1500 hours for research and a couple of publications as a middle author to go with that. In addition, I have around 150 clinical hours, which I know is on the lower end, and I know I have to boost those hours during my gap year.

Option 1: Research Assistant at a top university
- The research is nonclinical but allows for publication/poster opportunities, and the people I've talked to seemed to think that there's more prestige in this position, which I don't know if that's true or if it matters
- If I take this job, I'll definitely have to find some clinical volunteering on the weekends or the evenings, which would take away a lot of time
- The pay is pretty high for a gap year job ($12 more per hour than the other job)

Option 2: Medical Assistant at Planned Parenthood
- This one seems more meaningful + has lots of opportunities for patient interaction, and I need the clinical experience, but the reviews I've read for the job say that the MAs here are often overworked and the office is often understaffed.
- The pay is a lot lower here ($12 less per hour compared to the research job)

Thank you so much for your help and insight!

 

[lockon7]

Option 2, but keep looking for better MA jobs with better pay and lifestyle. Address your deficiencies, which is low clinical hours.

 

[redtrain21]

Option 2, but keep looking for better MA jobs with better pay and lifestyle. Address your deficiencies, which is low clinical hours.

If you have substantial hours in all fields, would adcoms care about what job ur doing during you gap year?

 

[lockon7]

If you have substantial hours in all fields, would adcoms care about what job ur doing during you gap year?

AFAIK you should really be continuing the typical activities during the gap year (underserved volunteering + something medicine related). Could you do something non-medicine related as your main job? Absolutely. But make sure you still continue serving your community by volunteering and stay in touch with the medical field (clinical or research) in some way.

 

[redtrain21]

AFAIK you should really be continuing the typical activities during the gap year (underserved volunteering + something medicine related). Could you do something non-medicine related as your main job? Absolutely. But make sure you still continue serving your community by volunteering and stay in touch with the medical field (clinical or research) in some way.

I switched from doing clinical research to doing research + volunteering + data analytics for a health tech. The only thing is I am lacking patient interaction, would that show my lack of commitment to medicine?