I was offered a tutoring position...input needed!

[EdCLS]

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Hello, all.

I was offered a tutoring position (general chemistry and algebra) at my college for next semester. I have tutored before and enjoyed it, and I'm sure adcoms equate tutoring with "leadership ability."

I'd like to take the job, but the problem is that it conflicts with some hospice volunteering I had planned to do next semester. Both the college and the hospice are pretty firm on the time slots, so I won't be able to do both. I have a lot of healthcare employment and on-the-job "shadowing" of physicians, but I don't have much unpaid volunteer experience from the past several years.

I like the idea of tutoring in chemistry because I've found that tutoring increases my own knowledge of the subject I tutor in, and it would be nice to know my chemistry better for the MCAT. It'd also be a nice opportunity to pick up a bit of extra cash. But I won't be gaining any volunteer hours until I can line up some other kind of volunteer experience.

What do you guys think I should do? Should I take the tutoring job even though I've done it before or should I do the volunteer gig instead to round out my resume a bit?

Thanks.

 

[saylorsdad]

i tutored in college for three years and loved it. my grades improved and after a year you get some flex in schedule. i say go 4 it

 

[Flushot]

You should probably do what you seem to enjoy more, which, from your post, is tutoring. If they end up asking you about it in an interview, it'll work out better.

 

[GreenShirt]

I would think about which you would enjoy more rather than worry about what an adcom will think. You'll be able to promote either experience as beneficial during an interview. You could easily find another volunteer opportunity that doesn't conflict with your tutoring responsibilities whereas you don't have other options for tutoring.

 

[rddoms]

I had NO unpaid medical work, aside from shadowing a few docs. I worked in an operating room for two years, but that was it. Do the tutoring (seems like you would enjoy that more), because, as you said, you have had plenty of medical volunteering/work.

Good luck!

 

[EdCLS]

Thanks for the advice! I decided to go ahead and take the job. I'll be tutoring anatomy & physiology, general/organic chemistry, and precalculus. I'll also tutor genetics once I finish with that class next semester. I'd imagine it'll help me prepare for the MCAT, too. I've tutored before, and I've noticed that I learn a lot myself along the way.

Take care,