Quitting a job?

[sunflower18]

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Hey guys,

I have a job that I don't enjoy and that is incredibly draining and exhausting. However, it is one that carries a lot of weight and responsibility within my university. I am basically running the pre-health program at my school, doing what a full time faculty member should be doing if we had one. I was hired at the very beginning of my freshman year (actually hired the day before classes started) and I'm a sophomore now, so I've been in this position almost two years. I have learned a lot and it's been a really good experience in that I have been exposed to a lot of people and information. I've been working under and alongside an older student who is now graduating, and it's my turn to take over the program. However, I am not happy with the job for a variety of reasons -- I don't like administration, I don't like the atmosphere, I don't like how much time it eats up, etc. It's simply not what I am passionate about doing. I am trying to decide if I should leave now and risk the program spiraling into disarray, or just grin and bear it and continue on for the next two years despite it exhausting me. I don't want to look like a flake to everyone in my university, as I work closely with deans and faculty members. I don't want them to think that I'm irresponsible.

But, I really want to focus on working as a scribe and doing research the next two years. I don't feel like I can do that to the best of my ability with this very time consuming job. I will scribe and do research no matter what (if I quit this job or not), but I'm worried about my personal health as well as my grades and performance at all three aspects of my life if I don't quit.

What do you think? Keep a unique leadership position to maintain commitment and be responsible, even though I don't like it? Or quit, train a replacement, and focus on clinical work and research (risking important faculty & adcoms thinking that I'm irresponsible for quitting)?

Ugh help. Stressin'.

 

[BABSstudent]

Hey guys,

I have a job that I don't like and that is incredibly draining and exhausting. However, it is one that carries a lot of weight and responsibility within my university. I am basically running the pre-health program at my school, doing what a full time faculty member should be doing if we had one. I was hired at the very beginning of my freshman year (actually hired the day before classes started) and I'm a sophomore now, so I've been in this position almost two years. I've been working under and alongside an older student who is now graduating, and it's my turn to take over the program. However, I am not happy with the job for a variety of reasons -- I don't like administration, I don't like the atmosphere, I don't like how much time it eats up, etc. I am trying to decide if I should leave now and risk the program spiraling into disarray, or suck it up and continue on for the next two years despite it exhausting me. I don't want to look like a flake to everyone in my university, as I work closely with deans and faculty members. I don't want them to think that I'm irresponsible.

But, I really want to focus on working as a scribe and doing research the next two years. I don't feel like I can do that with this very time consuming job. I will scribe and do research no matter what (if I quit this job or not), but I'm worried about my personal health as well as my grades and performance at all three aspects of my life if I don't quit.

What do you think? Keep a unique leadership position to maintain commitment and be responsible, even though I don't like it? Or quit, train a replacement, and focus on clinical work and research (risking important faculty & adcoms thinking that I'm irresponsible for quitting)?

Ugh help. Stressin'.

The least you could do is train the next person to take over.

 

[sunflower18]

The least you could do is train the next person to take over.

Absolutely. If I quit, I absolutely would do that. We're currently training two people to help me once my coworker graduates, and I might just be able to train those students to take over for me as well.

 

[cinamin]

Hey guys,

I have a job that I don't enjoy and that is incredibly draining and exhausting. However, it is one that carries a lot of weight and responsibility within my university. I am basically running the pre-health program at my school, doing what a full time faculty member should be doing if we had one. I was hired at the very beginning of my freshman year (actually hired the day before classes started) and I'm a sophomore now, so I've been in this position almost two years. I have learned a lot and it's been a really good experience in that I have been exposed to a lot of people and information. I've been working under and alongside an older student who is now graduating, and it's my turn to take over the program. However, I am not happy with the job for a variety of reasons -- I don't like administration, I don't like the atmosphere, I don't like how much time it eats up, etc. It's simply not what I am passionate about doing. I am trying to decide if I should leave now and risk the program spiraling into disarray, or just grin and bear it and continue on for the next two years despite it exhausting me. I don't want to look like a flake to everyone in my university, as I work closely with deans and faculty members. I don't want them to think that I'm irresponsible.

But, I really want to focus on working as a scribe and doing research the next two years. I don't feel like I can do that to the best of my ability with this very time consuming job. I will scribe and do research no matter what (if I quit this job or not), but I'm worried about my personal health as well as my grades and performance at all three aspects of my life if I don't quit.

What do you think? Keep a unique leadership position to maintain commitment and be responsible, even though I don't like it? Or quit, train a replacement, and focus on clinical work and research (risking important faculty & adcoms thinking that I'm irresponsible for quitting)?

Ugh help. Stressin'.

This probably isn't the answer you are looking for, but I think you should stick with it. I think something crazy like 95% of people hate their jobs (hey I am sure a lot of us reading this thread are right there with you)... I myself have wanted to quit my job.. but the fact of the matter is that it is better to have a long-term employment with someone because like you said you don't want to seem like a flake.. I believe this is true even if you are not a pre-med. Stick it out for at least another year. Then maybe start applying elsewhere.

 

[487806]

This probably isn't the answer you are looking for, but I think you should stick with it. I think something crazy like 95% of people hate their jobs (hey I am sure a lot of us reading this thread are right there with you)... I myself have wanted to quit my job.. but the fact of the matter is that it is better to have a long-term employment with someone because like you said you don't want to seem like a flake.. I believe this is true even if you are not a pre-med. Stick it out for at least another year. Then maybe start applying elsewhere.

OP's commitment is long enough. It's best to explore other interests.

 

[sunflower18]

This probably isn't the answer you are looking for, but I think you should stick with it. I think something crazy like 95% of people hate their jobs (hey I am sure a lot of us reading this thread are right there with you)... I myself have wanted to quit my job.. but the fact of the matter is that it is better to have a long-term employment with someone because like you said you don't want to seem like a flake.. I believe this is true even if you are not a pre-med. Stick it out for at least another year. Then maybe start applying elsewhere.

Valid point. Do you think it is worth it, even if it prevents me from fully committing to scribing or research? I really want to take on my own research project next semester, but I don't know if I will be able to while juggling both other jobs. Cost-benefit analysis! I do feel like it would look good to have an activity span my entire undergrad. By the time I apply, my other ECs will have lengths of approximately 7 years, 2 years, 1.5 years, 1.5 years, 1 years, 1 year, 1 year, and 1 semester. Having something in there that was 3 years instead of another 2 year activity might look good. I just don't know if it's worth my sanity/perhaps my grades. Thoughts?

OP's commitment is long enough. It's best to explore other interests.

Yeah, I guess that's what gets me. I feel like I've put so much energy and time into this job over the last two years, and I am worried it will prevent my full immersion in other interests over the next two years.

 

[cinamin]

Valid point. Do you think it is worth it, even if it prevents me from fully committing to scribing or research? I really want to take on my own research project next semester, but I don't know if I will be able to while juggling both other jobs. Cost-benefit analysis! I do feel like it would look good to have an activity span my entire undergrad. By the time I apply, my other ECs will have lengths of approximately 7 years, 2 years, 1.5 years, 1.5 years, 1 years, 1 year, 1 year, and 1 semester. Having something in there that was 3 years instead of another 2 year activity might look good. I just don't know if it's worth my sanity/perhaps my grades. Thoughts?



Yeah, I guess that's what gets me. I feel like I've put so much energy and time into this job over the last two years, and I am worried it will prevent my full immersion in other interests over the next two years.

Well that's kind of why I think three years would be good. It's long enough of time to consider it "long-term." I think if you are able to find a way to juggle this for another year, while perhaps slowly getting involved in research, that would be good. Try to do things that make you happy too.. I know that sounds cliche, but you don't want to be miserable. I also think its cool to have an activity that spans entire undergrad, or the majority of it.. I don't think many people can say that they have stuck with something for that long. IMO it shows character as well as your ability to commit to something long-term, which I think med schools look for. But do try to get some research in...maybe you can lessen your work hours. Idk how many you work per week but cut it down by 1/3 to get the research going, even if the research isn't a huge project, just to start it now would be good. edit- then when you quit, you have the research in place and can go at it full force.

 

[sunflower18]

Well that's kind of why I think three years would be good. It's long enough of time to consider it "long-term." I think if you are able to find a way to juggle this for another year, while perhaps slowly getting involved in research, that would be good. Try to do things that make you happy too.. I know that sounds cliche, but you don't want to be miserable. I also think its cool to have an activity that spans entire undergrad, or the majority of it.. I don't think many people can say that they have stuck with something for that long. IMO it shows character as well as your ability to commit to something long-term, which I think med schools look for. But do try to get some research in...maybe you can lessen your work hours. Idk how many you work per week but cut it down by 1/3 to get the research going, even if the research isn't a huge project, just to start it now would be good. edit- then when you quit, you have the research in place and can go at it full force.

Sorry, I should be more clear. I am already involved with research and have been since August (I did a different research internship over last summer as well). I am also starting a job as a scribe (16-24 hours a week) in a few weeks. Those things are already lined up and in action, and I refuse to give them up.

I agree that it would show character and commitment to stick with my job... However, I feel that it's probably now or never as far as quitting goes. I think this would be an ideal transition point. I could quit later, but it would probably be more stressful and less clean.

 

[d12]

Sorry, I should be more clear. I am already involved with research and have been since August (I did a different research internship over last summer as well). I am also starting a job as a scribe (16-24 hours a week) in a few weeks. Those things are already lined up and in action, and I refuse to give them up.

I agree that it would show character and commitment to stick with my job... However, I feel that it's probably now or never as far as quitting goes. I think this would be an ideal transition point. I could quit later, but it would probably be more stressful and less clean.

Is there a way you could transition to a lighter workload for the current job? This might free up some time for your other activities and you'd also be able to see thru what you've started, which sounds very impressive by the way.

If not, I'd say you should move on to another experience. You're an undergrad and you deserve to spend time on what you feel is important/interesting. You won't always have the opportunity to put this much time into so many different and interesting things.

 

[sunflower18]

Is there a way you could transition to a lighter workload for the current job? This might free up some time for your other activities and you'd also be able to see thru what you've started, which sounds very impressive by the way.

If not, I'd say you should move on to another experience. You're an undergrad and you deserve to spend time on what you feel is important/interesting. You won't always have the opportunity to put this much time into so many different and interesting things.

That's possible. There will be three people helping next year instead of two, with any luck, which might mean lighter loads. Then again, I will be supervising students, which will bring a whole host of other issues.

True. I agree with that, which is why I feel that I should resign, but I also want to finish what I've started and continue on this program that has really defined my college life. So I guess your post hit the nail on the head as far as how torn I am!

Thanks for your input 👍

 

[shipseki]

Sorry, I should be more clear. I am already involved with research and have been since August (I did a different research internship over last summer as well). I am also starting a job as a scribe (16-24 hours a week) in a few weeks. Those things are already lined up and in action, and I refuse to give them up.

I agree that it would show character and commitment to stick with my job... However, I feel that it's probably now or never as far as quitting goes. I think this would be an ideal transition point. I could quit later, but it would probably be more stressful and less clean.

Commitment is huge. This is something that many medical school look out for. Especially when you're investing 4 years in med school, 2-4 years residency, and 30+ years of your life practicing, it definitely goes a long way to show the adcoms that you're more than committed.

However, if you feel like your current job is getting in the way of your studies, social life, other ECs, etc, then I'd advise you to quit. The fact that you already got yourself committed with something BEFORE starting your freshman year means a lot.

 

[sunflower18]

Commitment is huge. This is something that many medical school look out for. Especially when you're investing 4 years in med school, 2-4 years residency, and 30+ years of your life practicing, it definitely goes a long way to show the adcoms that you're more than committed.

However, if you feel like your current job is getting in the way of your studies, social life, other ECs, etc, then I'd advise you to quit. The fact that you already got yourself committed with something BEFORE starting your freshman year means a lot.

I've been volunteering at a hospital since I was 14, so 7 years by the time I apply. I am hoping that my commitment to the medical field will come across in that regard... But you're right, commitment is huge, and I don't want to look like someone who dabbles but doesn't stay involved with anything.

I guess my overall worry is that I don't want to do all of my jobs poorly. I don't want to be a bad research assistant, bad program runner, bad scribe. I'd rather do the things that I am doing really well. I am confident that I would be very good at each one individually. I also think that I can keep up with the bare time commitment required for each even if I do them all together. But I don't feel like those two concepts go hand in hand -- you have to go above and beyond the minimum in order to do a stellar job, and I just don't think I can be a quality employee in all three jobs along with keeping my grades up and staying sane. So I guess this job isn't getting in the way of anything, per se, it's just causing the quality of it and the other ECs to drop. What is your perspective on that?

 

[Izzyi]

Commitment is good, but you have to set your priorities: i.e commit to something that you really enjoy not to something that you feel forced to do. Leave the superwoman mentality for later, you will have more important things to do and many more things to juggle later on in life. For now, focus on getting stellar grades and experiences for medicine.

I don't think that the program will "spiral into disarray" if you leave. Most likely, they (or you) will train someone else. It's an institution after all not just a student-run club. You don't want to compromise the quality of your work with your divided attention just because you feel guilty of leaving your admin job. If anything, you'll be doing them a favor of finding someone else who is more dedicated and happier in doing that particular job.

Just focus and prioritize for now--these are crucial skills as well.

 

[sunflower18]

Thanks for all of your help, guys! I talked to my advisor, a woman in my office, and my boss this week. My boss and I decided that it was best for me to take this semester off to focus on maintaining my grades and starting as a scribe. He didn't want me to leave, but completely understands my rationale and backs my decision. I think this is a good compromise. He was so nice about it -- he told me that even if I decide I don't want to come back, he'd write me a letter of rec for medical school!

I really got the best possible situation, because if I change my mind and regret leaving, I can always go back and resume working next year. I am really glad to know such supportive people, since this was a very difficult choice.

Thanks for all of your feedback and advice! 👍