part time work in med school?

[dancingdoctor13]

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I'm not in medical school quite yet, but since many of your are I was hoping to get some feedback about doing other things while in med school. Is it possible to have a part time job? Or is it unwise? Something like working at a restaurant, fitness manager, pro cheerleader, coach, etc? Thanks for the input!

 

[phospho]

I'm not in medical school quite yet, but since many of your are I was hoping to get some feedback about doing other things while in med school. Is it possible to have a part time job? Or is it unwise? Something like working at a restaurant, fitness manager, pro cheerleader, coach, etc? Thanks for the input!

Everyone's going to tell you that it would be crazy to have a part time job.

My favorite poster on SDN (Tired) had a part time job in med school. He's a resident now. I can't think of anyone else on this board who had one. Maybe that's why his handle is "Tired" 😀 I'm having a hard time finding time for sleep, let alone get a part time job.

Personally, even if a job paid me 100 bucks a week (after tax), I'd rather use that time to study and get ahead with the material, or even go do something fun and relaxing (i.e. drinking, sports, sleep, etc...) Besides, what you will make working part time over the 4 years of medical school can be made within a few months of being an attending (unless things keep progressing the wayu they are at the moment😉). Don't make the 4 years more miserable than they should be.

But then again, you have different things that work for different people. For some it comes easier than others. I'd say start medical school first, then start worrying what you're going to be doing with your "free" time.


good luck!

 

[Law2Doc]

...
Personally, even if a job paid me 100 bucks a week (after tax), I'd rather use that time to study and get ahead with the material, or even go do something fun and relaxing (i.e. drinking, sports, sleep, etc...)...

Exactly. The smart move is to go to med school without a job, and see how you do after a test or two. If you still have lots of free time then great, get that part time job. Most people don't have part time jobs in med school, and there's a reason for this. The volume of the material is so intense that even with no job or outside activities you go into tests feeling like you only are really solid on a fraction of the material. So most wouldn't risk cutting that fraction down further with a job. Best rule, assume you won't have time until you get there. If you have time great, if not, well then at least you expected it.

 

[Bartelby]

Professional cheerleading is a part time job?

Anyhow, I know one person who worked part time. She seemed to handle it well. I agree with phospho, though, that you should just enjoy your free time and take a little more out in loans.

 

[red10]

Professional cheerleading is a part time job?

hahah i noticed that too... wtf?

i'm sure your (male) classmates would appreciate having a dallas cowboys cheerleader among them hahaha

 

[drizzt3117]

I know a number of people who do stuff like teach Kaplan one night a week. I think that's generally manageable. Isn't being a professional cheerleader pretty time-intensive?

 

[tremulousNeedle]

I had a job during medical school where I worked as needed (and when it was convenient for me). Before medical school I worked as an EMT in an ED. When school started I became a "pool' employee, with no real shift obligations besides a couple a year, but I could pick up as much as I wanted to. I also taught CPR a couple times per year.

My situation was rare; there was only one other person in my class of ~200 that worked (and she used to be a radiology tech).

I agree, there is a lot of other med school related things to do in place of working and in the grand scheme of things the extra cash doesn't mean that much.

However, I enjoyed my part-time job in healthcare because it allowed me to continue to have meaningful clinical experiences during my first two years of medical school as well as earn some extra cash (over the 4 years of medical school, I probably made around $5000, which definitely came in handy as extra spending money). The continued dedication to EM and EM related education also looked good when I was applying for EM residencies.

-senior medical student (T – 45 days)

 

[FirefighterDoc]

I had a job during medical school where I worked as needed (and when it was convenient for me). Before medical school I worked as an EMT in an ED. When school started I became a "pool' employee, with no real shift obligations besides a couple a year, but I could pick up as much as I wanted to. I also taught CPR a couple times per year.

My situation was rare; there was only one other person in my class of ~200 that worked (and she used to be a radiology tech).

I agree, there is a lot of other med school related things to do in place of working and in the grand scheme of things the extra cash doesn't mean that much.

However, I enjoyed my part-time job in healthcare because it allowed me to continue to have meaningful clinical experiences during my first two years of medical school as well as earn some extra cash (over the 4 years of medical school, I probably made around $5000, which definitely came in handy as extra spending money). The continued dedication to EM and EM related education also looked good when I was applying for EM residencies.

-senior medical student (T – 45 days)

Ill preface this with ( i know everyone says that there's no telling what specialty you want and not to pick until you do rotations).....but

I was planning on doing something similar to what you did because i am very interested in EM. I currently work part time as a Firefighter/EMT(usually on the ambulance but go to the engine if we have a fire call) and i also work as a tech in the ED. I would very much like to keep my firefighter job if i go to med school in the area ( being out in the suburbs, 3 calls in one shift is a lot for us so there is generally a lot of down time after training). The max amount of shifts i can sign up for is 4 12 hr shifts a month being only an EMT, so i can easily stay hired doing lets say 1-2 a month. How would you think this might compare to you showing interest in EM with your ED job?

Also i want to keep my FF job because it is a big part of who i am and it is something i enjoy. I would like to continue even as an attending ( if not for a few shifts a month). How will this look to adcoms, would it be ok to mention this in PS/secondaries and what not? What do you think

 

[URHere]

A number of my classmates hold down part time jobs in medical school...although I'd say we're definitely in the minority. In my class, most working students just held onto their old jobs (working as paramedics, personal trainers, or physical therapists for the school, etc). A couple have even kept up with running personal businesses, and teaching MCAT classes is not uncommon.

Personally, I've held down a part time job through med school so far without too much trouble...although it is definitely easiest for me when I can mold the hours to my schedule and plan them far in advance.

My first year, I worked at a theatre downtown and pulling late nights every night wore me down pretty quickly. I imagine this problem would carry over to bartending and other late-night-centric jobs as well. This year, I teach MCAT bio and do some freelance writing and the flexible, predictable hours have been fantastic. The extra money is great, and it provides a nice, productive break from medical school. As others have said though, don't jump into a job from day 1. Get used to medical school first, and if you still want a job after a month or so, then go find one.

 

[tremulousNeedle]

Ill preface this with ( i know everyone says that there's no telling what specialty you want and not to pick until you do rotations).....but

I was planning on doing something similar to what you did because i am very interested in EM. I currently work part time as a Firefighter/EMT(usually on the ambulance but go to the engine if we have a fire call) and i also work as a tech in the ED. I would very much like to keep my firefighter job if i go to med school in the area ( being out in the suburbs, 3 calls in one shift is a lot for us so there is generally a lot of down time after training). The max amount of shifts i can sign up for is 4 12 hr shifts a month being only an EMT, so i can easily stay hired doing lets say 1-2 a month. How would you think this might compare to you showing interest in EM with your ED job?

Also i want to keep my FF job because it is a big part of who i am and it is something i enjoy. I would like to continue even as an attending ( if not for a few shifts a month). How will this look to adcoms, would it be ok to mention this in PS/secondaries and what not? What do you think

My apologies to the OP for hijacking your thread for the moment:

It sounds like the whole FF/EMT gig is a little more than a job for you, something that holds intrinsic enjoyment for yourself. It won't be a big selling point for your EM residency application (just as my continued ED work was not a huge selling point for me). What it does is create a background for what kind of person you are and where your passions lie. On top of this, is where you place your board scores, med school grades, and letters of recommendation.

It sounds like you love the whole FF/EMT thing, so keep doing it. However, once you're in medical school, don't let your commitment there negatively affect your grades or board preparation. You'll also have to consider what you'll do doing third year of medical school (when I worked the least) because this is when you have the most time commitments with school. You potentially only have 4 days off per month amongst 10-12 hr days (if not longer). You'll have to decide if you really want to spend your time off at a job, even if it is something you love to do.

Adcoms will like this clinical exposure, dedication to underserved patients (large percentage of ED patients), and compassion for others. Some would recommend against being too presumptuous in your PS/interview about the specialty you are going into. If you do this, be sure to acknowledge that you are aware that things may change, but currently this is where your passion lies.

If you have any other questions about med school and EM, specifically, just send me a message. Good luck.

 

[boydn]

Id say, although admittedly Im no expert (!) That if you could find a job that could be flexible around your needs and Med School obligations it should be fine if your prepared to have very little free time!

Ive known people to do things like tutoring, language lessons even dog walking but only a few hours per week when it suited them