NIH Job?

[metalgirl14]

So I'm taking two years off before I attend medical school. One of my good friends works at NIH and can get me a clinical job there. I've also been applying for medical assistant jobs in the area (Chicago) and am very likely to be offered a job at one or two of them. I've heard that a job at NIH is very prestigious though. My question is: since I would probably be doing similar clinical work at both NIH and a hospital in Chicago, would working at NIH look any more impressive? Would it even matter whether I worked at NIH or at local Chicago hospital?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Anatidae]

I don't think a medical assistant does the same things as a clinical research assistant, correct me if I'm wrong, though.

I do think that clinical research at NIH is probably a more rewarding and more valuable experience than scut/paperwork as a medical assistant. If the job descriptions are identical at both places and you aren't taking advantage of NIH research, then I don't think it matters.

 

[beachblonde]

I don't think a medical assistant does the same things as a clinical research assistant, correct me if I'm wrong, though.

I do think that clinical research at NIH is probably a more rewarding and more valuable experience than scut/paperwork as a medical assistant. If the job descriptions are identical at both places and you aren't taking advantage of NIH research, then I don't think it matters.

You're correct. Medical assistant =/= clinical research assistant. Frankly, you don't even need a college degree to be a medical assistant. The clinical research job would be far more interesting than taking height/weight/BP all day, and NIH offers some stellar opportunities. Definitely take the NIH job. NIH is the premiere research institution for the US-there's always a chance of getting your name on a paper or at least getting an LOR from a big-time PI.