Pre-Med Jobs

[ChiefsIntern]

I am taking a CNA position at a local hospital and wanted to get some input on how they think different clinical jobs affect an applicant's resume or if they do at all... Additionally, I would love to hear some past pre-med work experiences!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DrHart]

Any sustained employment, especially in a medical setting where you get to interact with patients, is a boost to your application. Just don't forget to demonstrate service to others and altruism as well (volunteering, working for no pay).

 

[Planes2Doc]

I'm not a fan because it conflicts with grades. I have seen too many people put too much effort into entry-level clinical jobs, and then end up destroying their GPAs as a result. Then they say bye bye to medical school, and other potentially high-paying career options as well down the road. These jobs are dime a dozen. They won't set you apart.

Medical school also starts you at step zero. I volunteered in the ED, and never touched a patient. When I started my MS-1 clinical skills class, I didn't feel behind, and people with clinical job experience weren't far ahead either.

I like to compare these jobs to trying to become an airline pilot. If you want to be an airline pilot, you can become a baggage handler. Sure, you'll see the airport, see the inside of a plane, and even go into the cockpit. You'll see the environment, but you will never end up doing anything that remotely has to do with being a pilot. Same with these jobs. As a resident now, I do not do any of these tasks that are done by CNAs and etc. I'm not saying this to be an ass or to try and act superior. I'm saying this because everyone has very specific job duties.

Your best bet is clinical volunteering. It's once a week with minimal impact on grades, and will cover all your bases.

For the naysayers that tell me how amazing these jobs are, I'll say that I'm not discounting your experiences and the wonderful encounters you had. But as a physician, you have the REST OF YOUR LIFE to have these experiences. You only have a small window to get into medical school.

 

[Goro]

Any sustained employment, especially in a medical setting where you get to interact with patients, is a boost to your application. Just don't forget to demonstrate service to others and altruism as well (volunteering, working for no pay).

This!!!!

 

[ChiefsIntern]

I'm not a fan because it conflicts with grades. I have seen too many people put too much effort into entry-level clinical jobs, and then end up destroying their GPAs as a result. Then they say bye bye to medical school, and other potentially high-paying career options as well down the road. These jobs are dime a dozen. They won't set you apart.

Medical school also starts you at step zero. I volunteered in the ED, and never touched a patient. When I started my MS-1 clinical skills class, I didn't feel behind, and people with clinical job experience weren't far ahead either.

I like to compare these jobs to trying to become an airline pilot. If you want to be an airline pilot, you can become a baggage handler. Sure, you'll see the airport, see the inside of a plane, and even go into the cockpit. You'll see the environment, but you will never end up doing anything that remotely has to do with being a pilot. Same with these jobs. As a resident now, I do not do any of these tasks that are done by CNAs and etc. I'm not saying this to be an ass or to try and act superior. I'm saying this because everyone has very specific job duties.

Your best bet is clinical volunteering. It's once a week with minimal impact on grades, and will cover all your bases.

For the naysayers that tell me how amazing these jobs are, I'll say that I'm not discounting your experiences and the wonderful encounters you had. But as a physician, you have the REST OF YOUR LIFE to have these experiences. You only have a small window to get into medical school.

I appreciate the feedback, coincidentally I am volunteering in the ER every week and have a few hundred hours invested in it so far. Also, I am doing a fair amount of observing doctors in different areas of the hospital and have roughly 60 hours or so in that as well. Unfortunately, I have to provide extra support for my wife and myself while attending school or I would be 100% dedicated to school and volunteering. Great advice though.

 

[Planes2Doc]

I appreciate the feedback, coincidentally I am volunteering in the ER every week and have a few hundred hours invested in it so far. Also, I am doing a fair amount of observing doctors in different areas of the hospital and have roughly 60 hours or so in that as well. Unfortunately, I have to provide extra support for my wife and myself while attending school or I would be 100% dedicated to school and volunteering. Great advice though.

You bet! If you need to make money, I would recommend a service job like serving or food delivery. It is usually flexible in regards to the schedule, and will pay better than entry-level clinical work. You can also put it on your application, and it may be viewed as something more unique than the same EMT, CNA, phlebotomist that the ADCOMs see time and time again.

 

[ChiefsIntern]

You bet! If you need to make money, I would recommend a service job like serving or food delivery. It is usually flexible in regards to the schedule, and will pay better than entry-level clinical work. You can also put it on your application, and it may be viewed as something more unique than the same EMT, CNA, phlebotomist that the ADCOMs see time and time again.

My experience volunteering and observing really pushed me in the direction of the CNA certification because I truly love the environment of the ER, OR, and other floors of the hospital. I worked an office job while going to school my freshman year so I can really appreciate not sitting and doing something I'm not passionate about. Certainly, a definite plus side is working alongside some great docs and getting a few LOR's. There certainly are the ups and downs about every opportunity, I try to get the most out of each decision I make, getting me 1 step closer to the ultimate goal: med school.

 

[VincentAdultman]

I worked at McDonald's.

 

[ChiefsIntern]

I worked at McDonald's.

That was a very good strategy, which enabled you to be sure that there would be plenty of patients for your future position as a cardio thoracic surgeon. Truly in it for the long run, I like it!

 

[USERX]

It's not about the quantity or the character of the job that med schools look at. It is how you progressed in each experience, how you have learned, and how you helped people.

 

[Planes2Doc]

I worked at McDonald's.

That's good. I delivered pizzas. For my first real job interview (I was non-trad), I mentioned it and said how I wasn't saving lives one pizza at a time. The interviewer laughed. I got the job.

It's better than the same stuff they hear about over and over again. If you're a stripper or porn star, then maybe you should be discreet. Haha.

 

[DoctorSnow]

I am taking a CNA position at a local hospital and wanted to get some input on how they think different clinical jobs affect an applicant's resume or if they do at all... Additionally, I would love to hear some past pre-med work experiences!

I work as a Patient Care Tech/Nursing Assistant on Cardiac ICU floor. I 100% recommend working in a hospital setting. You get to witness loads of things that you wouldn't normally see as a volunteer!!

 

[DBC03]

I really had a difficult time with a similar decision this year. I had originally considered scribing part-time until I was offered a position as a tutor for a very good hourly wage - the same as what I was making as an entry-level engineer before the recession hit. I would get to make my own schedule and determine how much I wanted to work. I could't justify going from 14 years of full-time employment to part time employment making $10/hr and having little control over my schedule while taking three classes, volunteering, doing some intense research, and hopefully attending med school interviews this year (God willing). So I ultimately went with the tutoring position. I would say that if you have the time and don't need a specific income, consider some amazing clinical options. But if you are very limited on time, tutoring often pays quite well and can give you a lot more flexibility. Tutoring has also given me communication skills that have been very helpful. It was an opportunity that made sense in the scheme of things and I'm hoping no medical schools hold it against me

 

[flyboy3]

I'm not a fan because it conflicts with grades. I have seen too many people put too much effort into entry-level clinical jobs, and then end up destroying their GPAs as a result. Then they say bye bye to medical school, and other potentially high-paying career options as well down the road. These jobs are dime a dozen. They won't set you apart.

Medical school also starts you at step zero. I volunteered in the ED, and never touched a patient. When I started my MS-1 clinical skills class, I didn't feel behind, and people with clinical job experience weren't far ahead either.

I like to compare these jobs to trying to become an airline pilot. If you want to be an airline pilot, you can become a baggage handler. Sure, you'll see the airport, see the inside of a plane, and even go into the cockpit. You'll see the environment, but you will never end up doing anything that remotely has to do with being a pilot. Same with these jobs. As a resident now, I do not do any of these tasks that are done by CNAs and etc. I'm not saying this to be an ass or to try and act superior. I'm saying this because everyone has very specific job duties.

Your best bet is clinical volunteering. It's once a week with minimal impact on grades, and will cover all your bases.

For the naysayers that tell me how amazing these jobs are, I'll say that I'm not discounting your experiences and the wonderful encounters you had. But as a physician, you have the REST OF YOUR LIFE to have these experiences. You only have a small window to get into medical school.

I think with your airline pilot analogy, being a CNA or an MA or any other entry level job is more akin to an aspiring pilot working as a stewardess. You're not a pilot, nor are you doing a pilot's job, but you are involved in the flying process, and you get valuable experience.

 

[Planes2Doc]

I think with your airline pilot analogy, being a CNA or an MA or any other entry level job is more akin to an aspiring pilot working as a stewardess. You're not a pilot, nor are you doing a pilot's job, but you are involved in the flying process, and you get valuable experience.

Yeah that's a better one! Thanks! I'll use it in an upcoming large post I'm working on.