How do I tell my boss that I wanna quit...

[hopefulM.D.]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I have a "two year contract", but I am barely finishing my first year. I absolutely have no more interest in my PIs research, and I feel confident with the number of interviews I have at this point, that I'll hear by Oct. 18. Waddya guys suggest?

Letter? email, a plain old conversation?

Also, btw, my boss probably seems bitter that I am spending workdays to interview...even though i told her that I'd gladly take those days off as work without pay.

 

[YupGypsy]

ask for a raise

 

[WitchDoctor]

I have a "two year contract", but I am barely finishing my first year. I absolutely have no more interest in my PIs research, and I feel confident with the number of interviews I have at this point, that I'll hear by Oct. 18. Waddya guys suggest?

Letter? email, a plain old conversation?

Also, btw, my boss probably seems bitter that I am spending workdays to interview...even though i told her that I'd gladly take those days off as work without pay.

i'm actually in a similar predicament. i personally am going to wait until i have at least one acceptance in my hand (hopefully, i'll know my first by october 15th) then i'll see how long i can wait before i quit. but i have to quit my job before march 2007.

in your situation, i would definately recommend just having a conversation with your PI. you don't have to give a reason, only give 2 weeks notice. i would personally wait until you are accepted into at least one school. you never know if your PI knows someone at the schools you are applying to and will say negative things about you. the academic world of medicine is very small...

 

[cubbbie]

That's so funny, because I started thinking about this today too. Except I have not acceptances under my belt, and I think I have several months before hearing anything. Would it be possible for my boss to sabatoge every application I've put out there?

 

[BrownianMotion]

see but u put down on ur app for what ur doin this comin year instead of being skool as doin what ur doin so if it comes up in interviews, better have a solid reason and explain what u will be doin for the rest of the yr...

 

[hopefulM.D.]

I don't have to give her like a month? I just really can't stand the job...she's also sort of creepy.

 

[Rafa]

I just really can't stand the job...she's also sort of creepy.

Is she coming onto you?

 

[hopefulM.D.]

no seriously, she's a middle age woman who is single, and is probably going through menopause. She also keeps on accusing me of things that arent true. Anywho, i deserve a raise, but would gladly quit to get away from her and from research.

 

[el.harpo]

no seriously, she's a middle age woman who is single, and is probably going through menopause. She also keeps on accusing me of things that arent true. Anywho, i deserve a raise, but would gladly quit to get away from her and from research.

Accusing you of what? Maybe you can get her to fire you.

 

[ClockworkDoc]

Same boat as you all. I've been working in pharma for 1.2 years now. I cannot wait for it to be over.

 

[mintendo]

Accusing you of what? Maybe you can get her to fire you.

eh..i would much rather quite than be fired.

plus if you quite, she can't really say no, unless if you signed a two year contract, which is actually really rare in the research field.

 

[Sarg's kid]

no seriously, she's a middle age woman who is single, and is probably going through menopause. She also keeps on accusing me of things that arent true. Anywho, i deserve a raise, but would gladly quit to get away from her and from research.

Wait until you have your acceptance in hand, then give her a two, or even a three, week notice. Find a plausible and somewhat true enough reason to quit and just do it. (e.g. "I'm leaving the state for graduate school and I've found a really great job in [state] that I want, but I'd have to start right away.") I'm sure that there are plenty of premeds out there who would gladly take your place in order to get another resume notch. It's not like you're leaving her high and dry without anyone to take your job.

 

[mlcal06]

why are you working somewhere you hate?
doesn't help you or her - like the person said above, i'm sure there's someone who would rather do it

if they are a reasonable person, sit them down and say you're not getting what you thought you would out of the job.. that you've gotten all you can, i don't know
if they are not, maybe just say you have another opportunity that has come up. that you'll gladly stay and train the next person to make the transition easier, but it's an opportunity you cannot pass up

(russell peter's asian man voice)
'be a man!'

 

[NY Musicologist]

DO NOT say anything until you have an acceptance in hand.

 

[TexasFool]

make an mdapplications profile for us to view.

 

[dcolon_et06]

If you work around others, go out with a bang do this: On some random day and no matter what kind of mood you are in at the time, if she happens to pass you and says something like "good work" or "keep it up", just come spontaneously come out and say "HOW DARE YOU, NO I WILL NOT SLEEP WITH YOU!! I QUIT!"

 

[FamousPotatoes]

There was a girl in a lab that we were working with who walked in one day last spring and quit on the spot as soon as she got accepted to her top choice. Because she was working on some of the research that our labs were collaborating on, her sudden departure and the turmoil it caused literally set my research back months. (I had to learn the procedures that she had been doing for us, and the PI who needed to teach me was unbelievably busy.) Needless to say, both her and my PI were extremely pissed, and I can guarantee you that she will never be getting a good recommendation from anyone at NIH ever again. That said, as far as I know she is still attending her top choice in the fall.

Would quitting right away make you a huge dick? Yes. Could you get away with it? Most likely. But you are (hopefully) getting accepted based partly on what these med schools think you are going to be doing for the rest of the year, so doing something else without notifying them is dishonest. Medical schools do not like dishonesty, and there is a tiny tiny chance it will come back to bite you in the ass.

Can you email your premed adviser and see what he/she thinks?

 

[chable]

Wow. After hearing all this, I'm glad I have a pretty good relationship with my boss (also owner of company). I work my butt off for that company and handle very important cases/accounts for a relatively low pay but never complain. I don't feel the need to because everyone there knows that I'm only there until I (hopefully) go off to medical school next fall. However, I have been working there over 4 stints for about 2 years combined and I have been handling a heck of a lot of more responsibilities than I used to. I've contemplated asking for a raise never went through with it.

I was thinking how it would be great to finally quit the job and say goodbye to everyone there but now I actually feel bad that I would have to leave because they are all extremely supportive of me during this application process. I already have my departure from the company planned out by documenting every single thing I do there when I learn them. It's the least I can do for them since my boss have always welcomed me with open arms when I needed a summer job or any form of work I've needed in the past.

 

[hopefulM.D.]

I did research in two labs. the first, I got a publication. The second lab, the one i am currently griping about, has nothing on the plate for me. I could care less if they churn out a publication. I just want to go home and help out with my father's medical practice. Thats it.

 

[NY Musicologist]

I did research in two labs. the first, I got a publication. The second lab, the one i am currently griping about, has nothing on the plate for me. I could care less if they churn out a publication. I just want to go home and help out with my father's medical practice. Thats it.

I thought the debate was whether or not to quit before your 2-yr contract in order to go to med school, not so you could work in your dad's practice for a few months before school starts. If I were the PI and you told me in October that you'd be quitting in June to start school in July/August, that would be one thing. Telling me in October that you're going to quit in...October...not so that you can start school but so that you can have a better/more appealing job would be much less acceptable.

Regardless of whether or not you "need" this publication, a LOR from the PI, or anything else, I think it's a question of following through on your professional commitments. If you didn't need the lab gig, why did you take it in the first place? Couldn't you have worked for your dad at that point? I agree with the poster who said you never know when something like this can come back and bite you. It might not ever...but backing out on commitments because "I changed my mind" or "something better came along" is probably not a good habit to form.

 

[hopefulM.D.]

mind you, but because I need to help out with my parents. I have family issues to take care of. Thanks for preaching about backing out of my commitments and all, but hey, to me making money is much less important than helping my parents out.

 

[mlcal06]

i'm sure she will understand a commitment to your family. i think that's more reasonable (esp if you give notice before leaving) than just leaving because you have an acceptance. i think as long as you are gracious and respectful when discussing your situation you should be fine.

since you'd be leaving early, offer to train the next person/atleast stay for 2 weeks since that is the traditional ammount of notice you should give someone (then you can avoid issues such as someone else had to deal with an abrupt departure).

 

[NY Musicologist]

mind you, but because I need to help out with my parents. I have family issues to take care of. Thanks for preaching about backing out of my commitments and all, but hey, to me making money is much less important than helping my parents out.

I really didn't mean to sound "preachy" and I'm sorry you took it that way--but in my defense, you didn't say anything about "family issues" in previous posts, and you DID say "Anywho, i deserve a raise, but would gladly quit to get away from her and from research" and "I just really can't stand the job." Also, while I certainly understand that not all docs are raking in the big bucks, "helping out with my father's medical practice" doesn't necessarily carry connotations of "I need to help my folks stay out of bankruptcy" and the like. So...I stand with my original advice--for you and all others in similar situations--if you can avoid backing out of commitments, do so.

 

[Chuckwalla]

Just stop going into work. That way she initiates the end of the working relationship. When she calls ignore them (memorize her caller ID, this is also good idea for jobs that call you into work on your days off). You will be free of her before you know it.

[/sarcasm, except for the jobs that call you in on your days off, YOU AREN'T HOME]

 

[FloridaMD]

I have a "two year contract", but I am barely finishing my first year. I absolutely have no more interest in my PIs research, and I feel confident with the number of interviews I have at this point, that I'll hear by Oct. 18. Waddya guys suggest?

Letter? email, a plain old conversation?

Also, btw, my boss probably seems bitter that I am spending workdays to interview...even though i told her that I'd gladly take those days off as work without pay.

A contract is a contract! talk to him frankly and if you are not interested in this kind of work, chances are he has figured that out and will not be too disappointed to let you go. In future before you sign the dotted link think if you can fulfill the commitment, if you have hesitation don't sign it. That is the right thing to do for both parties.

 

[FloridaMD]

Just stop going into work. That way she initiates the end of the working relationship. When she calls ignore them (memorize her caller ID, this is also good idea for jobs that call you into work on your days off). You will be free of her before you know it.

[/sarcasm, except for the jobs that call you in on your days off, YOU AREN'T HOME]

I could not expect that kind of suggestion from a potential doctor!!! Honesty is the best policy.

 

[premedgeek]

mind you, but because I need to help out with my parents. I have family issues to take care of. Thanks for preaching about backing out of my commitments and all, but hey, to me making money is much less important than helping my parents out.

I need to speak to you ASAP. Find me in the lab and we will discuss this issue.

P.S. - I didn't know you hated working in my lab so much.

 

[premedgeek]

Kidding of course🙄

 

[WitchDoctor]

again...my vote is to quit only when you have to, and preferably after you have been accepted places.

i've been on two interviews so far and at both, they definately ask you what type of research you are doing (i'm out of school, so they assume you are working) and different people at both schools new my PI! i do research in the north east and my first interview was in ohio, the second in georgia and people STILL new my PI. you just never know....

2 weeks notice is ample time too 😉