I want to quit my job!

[soprano]

So, I was fortunate enough to be accepted to my top choice school relatively early, which sounds great, I know, but I've lost all my motivation to do anything but sit around and watch TV until August! Problem is, I have a horrible, boring job as an underappreciated, overworked, lab technician! I want to quit SO BADLY! I can't even tell you how uninterested I am in doing thousands more western blots, or in battling with a sequencer that refuses to work correctly, or in pretending to be excited about some random protein structure. UGH! If it wasn't for the rent I have to pay, I would be showing myself the door in a second. Anyone want to commiserate with me? Anyone want to give me advice on HOW I'm going to survive the next 6 months?? Let the ranting begin!!

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[bbaek]

haha, i'm actually glad i understand with the western blot and sequence and such. just took my midterm for biochem. and when i read that stuff, i said that most be one of the dullest things in life to research about. hahahaha sorry, but i would quit 🙂

 

[virilep]

quit the job, get a job as a waiter or a bartender. u'll be happier, and u'll be doin science stuff for the rest of ur life.

 

[Acherona]

So, I was fortunate enough to be accepted to my top choice school relatively early, which sounds great, I know, but I've lost all my motivation to do anything but sit around and watch TV until August! Problem is, I have a horrible, boring job as an underappreciated, overworked, lab technician! I want to quit SO BADLY! I can't even tell you how uninterested I am in doing thousands more western blots, or in battling with a sequencer that refuses to work correctly, or in pretending to be excited about some random protein structure. UGH! If it wasn't for the rent I have to pay, I would be showing myself the door in a second. Anyone want to commiserate with me? Anyone want to give me advice on HOW I'm going to survive the next 6 months?? Let the ranting begin!!

OHMIGOD I SOOO know what you are talking about. My eyes just glaze over when I think about analyzing yet another data set. I feel like some input/output device. Doesn't matter whether I understand what's going on, as long as everyone gets the results they asked for. Then at my last interview I was asked why I didn't have any publications (wtf!) which got me P.Oed about having my lifeblood sucked out by an unproductive, stingy lab. I've been fantasizing about quitting and going to work at Dunkin' Donuts until the summer, then running off to Europe. Unfortunately Europe is expensive and I have Boston rents to pay 🙁

 

[Erli]

So, I was fortunate enough to be accepted to my top choice school relatively early, which sounds great, I know, but I've lost all my motivation to do anything but sit around and watch TV until August! Problem is, I have a horrible, boring job as an underappreciated, overworked, lab technician! I want to quit SO BADLY! I can't even tell you how uninterested I am in doing thousands more western blots, or in battling with a sequencer that refuses to work correctly, or in pretending to be excited about some random protein structure. UGH! If it wasn't for the rent I have to pay, I would be showing myself the door in a second. Anyone want to commiserate with me? Anyone want to give me advice on HOW I'm going to survive the next 6 months?? Let the ranting begin!!

I've been working as a research tech in the same lab for roughly 2 years now. Believe me 6 months is drop in the ocean compared to that 😉 However, I know how boring and (often times) thankless a technician job at a lab could be and I can see myself quitting in a heart beat if I was in your position. However to the however, you do need to pay the rent so I'd advise you not to quit your job until you have either (1) saved up enough funds to pay your rent these next 6 months--something that just doesn't happen with most if not all lab tech jobs or (2) have a job lined up that you are either okay with or can enjoy.

 

[NorCalGirl]

So, I was fortunate enough to be accepted to my top choice school relatively early, which sounds great, I know, but I've lost all my motivation to do anything but sit around and watch TV until August! Problem is, I have a horrible, boring job as an underappreciated, overworked, lab technician! I want to quit SO BADLY! I can't even tell you how uninterested I am in doing thousands more western blots, or in battling with a sequencer that refuses to work correctly, or in pretending to be excited about some random protein structure. UGH! If it wasn't for the rent I have to pay, I would be showing myself the door in a second. Anyone want to commiserate with me? Anyone want to give me advice on HOW I'm going to survive the next 6 months?? Let the ranting begin!!

I am totally in the same situation, Soprano! I seriously feel like poking my eyes out while I'm at work. At least you're DOING something at work. You know what I do? I'm a research assistant for a behavioral science research team and I sit around in an exam room all day long (with no windows, no internet, NOTHING) waiting for doctors to refer their patients to our study. I get about 1 patient a day... that's one time I get to interact with a human being in 8 hours. I do crossword puzzles all day long. It's the saddest thing I've ever done. I'm bored to tears and want to leave so badly but I've committed to 4 more months and I need to pay rent (San Francisco rent at that). I know I should stop complaining because there are others out there without work, but geez ....... I'm counting the days...

 

[scrappysurfer]

ditto, except I'm just on waitlists.

one word of advice: bartending. it pays very well and you can get certified online

congrats on acceptances. i'm dying to finally get in somewhere

 

[Without Wax]

So, I was fortunate enough to be accepted to my top choice school relatively early, which sounds great, I know, but I've lost all my motivation to do anything but sit around and watch TV until August! Problem is, I have a horrible, boring job as an underappreciated, overworked, lab technician! I want to quit SO BADLY! I can't even tell you how uninterested I am in doing thousands more western blots, or in battling with a sequencer that refuses to work correctly, or in pretending to be excited about some random protein structure. UGH! If it wasn't for the rent I have to pay, I would be showing myself the door in a second. Anyone want to commiserate with me? Anyone want to give me advice on HOW I'm going to survive the next 6 months?? Let the ranting begin!!

patience is a virtue, it does not look good to say, well since I am accepted to a top medical school and i will be MD making more money than you, I am going to quit. May be you should work for 4 months and then rest. That is what I am doing. I am a tech also, and I plan to travel

 

[DMBFan]

I am in the same boat as most of you guys! I absolutely hate my job as a research assistant. I do grunt work basically that a 5 year old could do. At least a western blot requires some sort of skill. I check salinities of our salt water, give our crusteceans food, and other boring stuff like that. My problem is not that I have to pay rent since I only get about a 100 dollars every two weeks (and that's in a good week!), but that I feel bad quitting midway through the semester. I want to quit once I get an acceptance but would feel bad quitting bec. I have already committed. What do you guys think?

 

[Without Wax]

I am in the same boat as most of you guys! I absolutely hate my job as a research assistant. I do grunt work basically that a 5 year old could do. At least a western blot requires some sort of skill. I check salinities of our salt water, give our crusteceans food, and other boring stuff like that. My problem is not that I have to pay rent since I only get about a 100 dollars every two weeks (and that's in a good week!), but that I feel bad quitting midway through the semester. I want to quit once I get an acceptance but would feel bad quitting bec. I have already committed. What do you guys think?

I think unless you have a legit reason, you should work. It is not good to piss these people off, they remember and they may contact medical schools to fu*k you up. I think you should try to be a professional, and live up to your promises. If you think you life is miserable now, it is only going to get worse with whining patients, arrogant bosses, dick classmates. 80 hrs work per week for residents... you gotta be tough

 

[gomizzou]

Deleted

 

[JonnyG]

I would love to quit my job in the pharmaceutical industry, but I would really miss the pay. Just do what I do, Do everything really half-a$$ and then they will stop asking you to do anything. They will not fire you since it is too much of a hassle when you will be gone in six months anyway.

 

[yessir]

I can certainly sympathize with your predicament. I am also stuck in the lab tech. med school applicant situation. However, I would complain of not having enough to do, not too much. I know some people might find it enjoyable to be paid to check SDN, but I would rather do some productive work. Anyhow, I would tend to agree with the tough it out approach. It's important to build some resilience and resolve to stick with boring drudgery. I think it's a skill that will serve everyone well at some point in their life. I'm sure that there will be times in the future as a physician when I'll be somewhat frustrated at the position I'm in and I'll be able to draw on my past experiences to deal with the situation.
But then again, maybe it's just sour grapes because I don't have an acceptance yet...

 

[DrYo12]

I know what you mean people! We all have to hang in there and get through this couple months. 😳

 

[Reckoning]

I know what you mean people! We all have to hang in there and get through this couple months. 😳

If I could only get paid, with benefits of course, for reading this damn forum, I would have retired by now. Hang in their everybody and try to enjoy the idle, no-consequences, pre-med life... Pick up a hobby, design your next/first tatoo...

 

[rockstar2525]

OMG I TOTALLY relate. I work at a BORING 😴 health administration job, where all I do is surf the web all day. I've decided to start my MPH the summer before med school, and so I've decided I can justify quiting my job in May. Still, that leaves me four more months. . . 😳

 

[lorelei]

Man, I'm in the opposite boat from all you guys. My job is a little boring, but I'm living in a city I love, with plenty of free time AND plenty of money to enjoy it with. I mean, I'm really looking forward to medical school, getting started with all my plans, but I'm a little sad about leaving the carefree twentysomething life.

(It doesn't help that my boyfriend is applying to law school and we may not manage to end up in the same city.)

 

[sidewalkman]

If I could only get paid, with benefits of course, for reading this damn forum, I would have retired by now.

 

[sidewalkman]

It's also funny how I'm desperate to get a lab job - any lab job, let alone one that's paid - and here are people around the country sitting on lab jobs disliking them with a passion. I'm not saying anyone should quit without considering money/PI reasons, I'm just saying to remember that you are fortunate, and that some people would really like to be in your shoes. Maybe I should put off my lab job search until May, when disgruntled grads will be dropping their lab jobs in spades 🙂

 

[i77ac]

my friend, though i agree it is hard to keep your motivation, but if you have to pay the bills as i do, we have no choice...

 

[cornflakesguy]

hey soprano,

i totally totally know what you mean...i was actually in the same position as you were almost three weeks ago. i decided that enough was enough (i mean, my PI was making me come in every weekend, christmas, and even new year's!). anyway, once i decided to submit my resignation notice, she totally went crazy and pretty much told me to quite immediately, as she didn't want to see my face in the lab anymore! can you believe that?! anyway, it's been nice not working, and i just got an interview for a library job, that i think will be a bit better.

anyway, just relax, and try to find work that might not be too stressful.

oh, i'll be going to cornell also!

take care.

 

[Hersey]

I just left my full-time job recently. A couple of things to think about before becoming unemployed:

- Finances. (Pretty obvious.)
- How to fill your time. Is it a good idea to get used to LOTS of leisure time right before med school?
- CV in four years. We'll be applying to residencies, and a huge gap in a timeline with absolutely nothing in it will get noticed. I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this.

For myself, I made sure I had plenty of coursework lined up.