Plans for upcoming year if not in school - Bad to have a non-healthcare job?

[Brain Whisperer]

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A lot of secondaries are asking my plans for the upcoming year, and as I have finished my courses, I'll be working + doing all my volunteering. But is it detrimental to have a job that is not related to healthcare?

 

[DrAveryMD]

Definitely not detrimental. You want to be as honest as possible, and adcoms understand that bills don't pay themselves. I would definitely mention that you're also volunteering. Basically just say everything you're doing, and explain it the same way you did here: "Given that I've finished all of my coursework, I will be using this time x to work in x job for x hours per week as well as volunteer at x organization"... you get the gist

 

[Engrailed]

Can you

Definitely not detrimental. You want to be as honest as possible, and adcoms understand that bills don't pay themselves. I would definitely mention that you're also volunteering. Basically just say everything you're doing, and explain it the same way you did here: "Given that I've finished all of my coursework, I will be using this time x to work in x job for x hours per week as well as volunteer at x organization"... you get the gist

Without being extremely specific, can you say that while you would like to continue working in XYZ (current job) you would also consider taking a different job to save money? Between your responses, what you wrote as project end dates for your AMCAS primary 15 activities, and the interview, will they quote you if your story doesn't match up exactly? Im not 1000% sure how exactly I want to spend my year. I just want to get through my secondaries for the foreseeable future.

 

[DrAveryMD]

Can you


Without being extremely specific, can you say that while you would like to continue working in XYZ (current job) you would also consider taking a different job to save money? Between your responses, what you wrote as project end dates for your AMCAS primary 15 activities, and the interview, will they quote you if your story doesn't match up exactly? Im not 1000% sure how exactly I want to spend my year. I just want to get through my secondaries for the foreseeable future.

They understand that plans change. As long as you were honest at the time of submitting the application, I don't see the issue. They can always ask during the interview, and that could be a good place to clarify that while you planned to do A, you ended up deciding to do B.

can you say that while you would like to continue working in XYZ (current job) you would also consider taking a different job to save money?

I love the way you put it here -- that way you're being totally honest in that you're not really sure and that these are the options.

 

[Engrailed]

They understand that plans change. As long as you were honest at the time of submitting the application, I don't see the issue. They can always ask during the interview, and that could be a good place to clarify that while you planned to do A, you ended up deciding to do B.


I love the way you put it here -- that way you're being totally honest in that you're not really sure and that these are the options.

Thank you for your feedback🙂