Minority Program Science Tutoring Job or Innovative Business/Science Center

[MDNomatterwhat]

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Hey guys,

This is my first time posting, but I have somewhat of a difficult decision to make, so I would appreciate any feedback.

I am in incoming junior, neuroscience major, at a prestigious public university. I have two opportunities available to me for a job for my last two years, and I really want to make it count. Here they are:

1. Minority Program Tutoring (15-18$/hour)
Tutor underprivileged students in a range of subjects, most importantly the core life sciences, chemistry (orgo and inorganic), physics, and math. Perfect prep for the MCAT

2. Assistant at an Innovative Business/Science Center
This center recently just got off the ground, has a lot of funding coming in, is run by a bigshot executive and focuses on the commercialization of scientific discoveries at my university & their translation into marketable products.

Pros of Tutoring:
-Great MCAT prep to review core material, going to take MCAT in a year
-Great pay 15-18/hour
-Noble ideals (tutor underrepresented, low-income, first generation etc)
Cons:
-Paid tutoring: a little too generic?
-Location: farther than right next to my research (look below)

Pros of Business/Science Center
-Literally right next to place I conduct my neuroscience research
-Flexible scheduling AND can do a lot of work from home
-Innovative idea! Lots of possibilities of expansion, and doors open for me, including ability to shadow physicians in clinical settings to understand if new scientific technologies are being implemented well
Cons:
-Lower pay 10-13$/hour
-Will include some administrative tasks/ not as intellectually stimulating
-No MCAT prep!

What do you guys think? I want to make the right decision here, although i'm sure both paths are great.

Thanks so much!!

 

[patineurMD]

I can't really tell you what I would do in this situation because there's a 50/50 chance it wouldn't be the right answer (I imagine why no one has really posted here so far) but I'll give my $0.02 anyway.

I think either one would be a neat option. I would probably more strongly recommend the tutoring if you feel like you need MCAT prep, but if you're feeling pretty solid on it, you're right, it is pretty generic. The innovative business thing sounds pretty awesome and even though it's lower pay, you're about to go $200,000 in the hole anyway so what difference will a few dollars an hour make? If it were me, I'd lean toward the business and try to squeeze some tutoring in somewhere else.

 

[MDNomatterwhat]

Yeah, I'm an efficient kind of guy so the tutoring/year-long prep for the MCAT thing really grabbed my attention. But in terms of a cohesive, appealing application, a lot of pros seem to be aligning for the business/science translational opportunity. I mean, I chose medicine instead of neurological research path because I'd like to see science applied to society, so this job matches that perfectly haha.

Thanks for advice pat!