job choices during post-bacc

[boko0123]

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i used to work as a retail pharmacy technician, but quit my job to focus on taking pre-reqs and preparing for medical school. i had also planned on getting some sort of research experience, but it's been hard (my previous bio research experience is now 4 years old, and i was an engineering major... is that really a turn-off?).
money is now scarce, and although i didnt want to go back to pharm tech work, there's a possibility of now working in a hospital pharmacy. (no job offer yet, just going in to take a test tomorrow)

So, would working in a hospital pharmacy help my application in any way? Is it better to volunteer at a hospital, as opposed to getting paid for the work? should i still look for research positions? how much weight is given to the types of jobs held while pursuing a medical education? do most non-trads quit work altogether to focus on school?

feedback to any of those questions would be appreciated..! 🙂

 

[drizzt3117]

healthcare related experience will probably be helpful. How much and what quality of research did you do? I'm not sure that 4 years is too old really...

 

[boko0123]

thanks for the reply!

i worked as a biomechanics research intern during the summer, and was involved in preparing the specimens, testing, number crunching, abstract writing. The abstract got published in the orthopaedic research society's Transactions of the Annual Meeting.

i'd definitely choose research over pharm tech, but i wonder if i should still hold out (i've been applying for research jobs ever since i quit in may)... im quite lacking in EC's (and money!). do you have a job right now and/or are you taking classes, if you dont mind me asking?

 

[Bearferret]

Generally, I think the answer on how people make it through post-bacc work is that everyone does it differently - I still work part time (my job is very flexible), and several of my friends from my classes work full time. I'm looking at getting a job at the hospital as well. Some people, though, stop work altogether and try to get through their classes as quickly as possible.

I have a question to tack onto this one: does work experience in a hospital constitute the same thing as volunteer experience, so long as the work involves patient contact, working with doctors, etc., as far as med schools are concerned? In other words, I'm interviewing for a cool job in the neuroscience department of a hospital; if I get this job, would I still need to do volunteer work on top of it?

 

[drizzt3117]

Generally, I think the answer on how people make it through post-bacc work is that everyone does it differently - I still work part time (my job is very flexible), and several of my friends from my classes work full time. I'm looking at getting a job at the hospital as well. Some people, though, stop work altogether and try to get through their classes as quickly as possible.

I have a question to tack onto this one: does work experience in a hospital constitute the same thing as volunteer experience, so long as the work involves patient contact, working with doctors, etc., as far as med schools are concerned? In other words, I'm interviewing for a cool job in the neuroscience department of a hospital; if I get this job, would I still need to do volunteer work on top of it?

Volunteering is different, and some medical schools absolutely require it. I was told straight up by an adcom before that if you didn't have volunteering on your ECs they'd throw your application in the trash.

 

[musashi]

Has the OP considered many of the tech jobs that are avilable at hospitals and are also conducive to the post bac journey many of us take? I am just about to start as an ER tech (finally) and have been told by numerous physicians and a couple of adcom members that this one of the best premed jobs there is. Plus, when you get to third year taking b/p, and basic phlebotomy will be a cinch. Everyone has a different opinion about this, but I like this job because I can go to school full time and then pick up 2-3 night shifts a week making decent $$. Just last week I was volunteering at the ED and I witnessed (albeit a few feet away) a thoractemy sp? and saw an ER tech assist (minimally) the attending EM physician. I know many of you will stop and say whoa, an ER tech does not do that! This attending has been an an EM physician for over 20 years and was trained in the Army (some say the best EM residency there is). So, if you are good, as a tech you can do more than the average tech does. Just my .02

 

[boko0123]

Has the OP considered many of the tech jobs that are avilable at hospitals and are also conducive to the post bac journey many of us take? I am just about to start as an ER tech (finally) and have been told by numerous physicians and a couple of adcom members that this one of the best premed jobs there is.

wow, that sounds awesome ... did you need/ do you have lots of prior experience to get that job? i've looked at tech positions at hospitals, but they require certifications, etc ... are there such things as entry-level tech positions?

anyways, good luck w/your new ER tech job!

 

[musashi]

wow, that sounds awesome ... did you need/ do you have lots of prior experience to get that job? i've looked at tech positions at hospitals, but they require certifications, etc ... are there such things as entry-level tech positions?

anyways, good luck w/your new ER tech job!

Yes, I had to attain an EMT-B license, which was not too difficult. I took the course over the summer but I believe at most places you can do this over 1 semester. I knew it would be an investment (time) but worth it in the end. Remember who won the race; it wasn't the hare, but the tortoise. This is a marathon that I'm running 1 mile at a time. Good luck to you! Oh, and btw, I had/have no health care experience at all, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night. All you have to do is want to learn. I may be not be smart like a lot of premed's out there or have a background in science, but this doesn't mean I won't get in to medical school and become a physician in the next 5-6 years.

 

[boko0123]

Volunteering is different, and some medical schools absolutely require it. I was told straight up by an adcom before that if you didn't have volunteering on your ECs they'd throw your application in the trash.

thanks for sharing that, good to know that now rather than after it's too late to start ...

Yes, I had to attain an EMT-B license, which was not too difficult. I took the course over the summer but I believe at most places you can do this over 1 semester. I knew it would be an investment (time) but worth it in the end. Remember who won the race; it wasn't the hare, but the tortoise. This is a marathon that I'm running 1 mile at a time.

1 semester to get a license is not bad at all, i'm gonna look into that. and yeah, this is quite the marathon, sometimes i think i'm crazy for having started it in the first place >_<

so, for those of you who have jobs while doing post-bac work or whatever, did you tell your potential employer you were pre-med? is that a good or bad idea or does it matter? i guess it depends a lot on the type of work, but i told the interviewer for the hospital pharm tech position that i was, and now i'm starting to wonder if that was a bad idea ...

 

[waytogo]

I am finishing my masters in bio and I have to get a job for a couple of years while I get ready to take the MCAT... I had an interview for a job I really want. My advisor told me that I would never find any job for just a year or two. Well, in the interview, I was asked how long I would be there. I said that I was thinking about 2 years because I want to go back to school. He was positive. He had people there for much less time and two years was good.

I had to be honest for me. Also the jobs that are going to be supportive of your goals are also going to be the ones that help you out the most towards your goals. If given the opportunity in an interview, by mentioning your goals, you may learn of additional aspects of the job that will help your career.

 

[omelette1230]

i worked in a neuroscience lab and coauthored 10 publications while doing full time post bacc work. i hope it helps. i took the hardest courses i could find in upper level biology.