Jobs for gap years?

[foreverlearner02]

Hi guys! I've read through some posts on here but would still like to post my inquiry: I've been a medical assistant since I graduated with by Bachelor's 3 years ago. I love working with patients, but the drama at small practices (i'm not certified so I can't really get hired at hospitals) and the lack of growth is pushing to make some job changes. Also, not to mention, I make peanuts. Literally someone working at mcdonalds would make more. Any advice as to what other jobs I could pivot to? Clinical is great, although non clinical but still having to do with science, healthcare etc would be great too. I've looked into clinical research positions but haven't been met with much success yet (not sure why. I'm qualified. Guessing they might be hiring internally).

Thanks!

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[chicandtoughness]

What’s keeping you from getting certified?

 

[8YearsLate]

Hi guys! I've read through some posts on here but would still like to post my inquiry: I've been a medical assistant since I graduated with by Bachelor's 3 years ago. I love working with patients, but the drama at small practices (i'm not certified so I can't really get hired at hospitals) and the lack of growth is pushing to make some job changes. Also, not to mention, I make peanuts. Literally someone working at mcdonalds would make more. Any advice as to what other jobs I could pivot to? Clinical is great, although non clinical but still having to do with science, healthcare etc would be great too. I've looked into clinical research positions but haven't been met with much success yet (not sure why. I'm qualified. Guessing they might be hiring internally).

Thanks!

I'm not being rude or ironic here, but delivering pizzas. You make a base of $5 or $6 and then $40-$80 per night average, more on busy weekends. It's easy as ****, you can listen to music and podcasts most of the night, and you learn your town like the back of your hand. If I didn't have a lot of CC debt and reliant on my loathesome salary job, that's what I'd be doing. In fact I'd actually quit if I didn't think it would screw over my work partner completely. I am going from a high-stress environment to another one and I'm pretty sad about it.

 

[justaregularperson]

Apply to anything that you're interested in or makes sense financially. I'd argue that working jobs outside of healthcare can teach you a lot more about life anyway (granted, I'm not sure that the gatekeepers in academia will agree).

 

[Girl on the Move]

Apply to anything that you're interested in or makes sense financially. I'd argue that working jobs outside of healthcare can teach you a lot more about life anyway (granted, I'm not sure that the gatekeepers in academia will agree).

I agree with this, but with a bit of a caveat. On applications and in interviews you may get grilled on why you chose to leave your job to take one that is not related to medicine at all (if you take a non clinical position). I'm a little different than you in that I came out of undergrad with a job that was not at all clinically related, but in every single interview I got asked why I didn't take a job in a healthcare field. It will ultimately come down to being able to justify why you did it (and potentially you keeping up a clinical volunteering position if you totally move away from a clinical setting).

 

[foreverlearner02]

I'm not being rude or ironic here, but delivering pizzas. You make a base of $5 or $6 and then $40-$80 per night average, more on busy weekends. It's easy as ****, you can listen to music and podcasts most of the night, and you learn your town like the back of your hand. If I didn't have a lot of CC debt and reliant on my loathesome salary job, that's what I'd be doing. In fact I'd actually quit if I didn't think it would screw over my work partner completely. I am going from a high-stress environment to another one and I'm pretty sad about it.

Lol I'd be a bartender if I was just trying to make $$. Luckily I've got a couple interviews in research comping up. Most are salaried positions of 40k which is good enough for now. I'll be more aggressive about $ after I take the MCAT and have more time.

 

[foreverlearner02]

I agree with this, but with a bit of a caveat. On applications and in interviews you may get grilled on why you chose to leave your job to take one that is not related to medicine at all (if you take a non clinical position). I'm a little different than you in that I came out of undergrad with a job that was not at all clinically related, but in every single interview I got asked why I didn't take a job in a healthcare field. It will ultimately come down to being able to justify why you did it (and potentially you keeping up a clinical volunteering position if you totally move away from a clinical setting).

Definitely. I ask myself this question to make sure I'm moving out of my clinical job for the right reasons. It basically boils down to lack of growth. I absolutely love working with patients and the physician but I've been at this practice for 3 years and have completely plateaued in terms of growth. I do the same things daily and have trained close to 10 MAs. I'm eager for a challenge and good ol learning curve. I could move to another practice/specialty and I'm sure that'd spice things up but financially speaking, research pays more and I still interact with people as I do patient questionnaires daily. Planning to keep volunteering at a free clinic (I have since 2018). I'm going to miss the clinical aspect but after the MCAT, i could pick up weekends at an urgent care or something hopefully