when asked by someone in medicine this question I told her my reasoning: short commute, about the same money as things like scribe, previous experience already, flexible scheduling, more family time, and a few more thing. They told me I shouldnt say what I said at say...a medschool interview. Apparently my reasoning, while it made perfect sense, was too 'self-serving.' Are there really any "acceptable" reasons to work a non-med job during gap yr?
Reason to work non-medically related job
- Thread starter asdf123g
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2014
- Messages
- 88
- Reaction score
- 137
Think about what skills you use at your job. Do you deal with people all day? Do you have to use critical thinking and make decisions? Do you have to multitask? Just because a job isn't medically related doesn't mean you can't learn anything that would later apply to medicine.
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2012
- Messages
- 95
- Reaction score
- 102
Dude(tte), what if you just need the money so you don't starve or get kicked out onto the street? Adcoms will probably cut you some slack if your whole life isn't devoted to medicine. Yes, a medically related job would be the best case scenario, but sometimes you just have to get paid.
It's completely okay to like something other than medicine.
Transferable skills can be learned from a lot of non-medically related jobs.
For example, I was an auditing intern once; this helped me learn to pay attention to small details.
Transferable skills can be learned from a lot of non-medically related jobs.
For example, I was an auditing intern once; this helped me learn to pay attention to small details.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2005
- Messages
- 28,717
- Reaction score
- 53,784
If the wages you earn at your non-med job are the same as the wages as a scribe, then wages aren't really an issue. So what you value in the job you've chosen are: 1) short commute, 2) using skills you already have, 3) flexible schedule 4) family time
Does it feel as if this would align with what a medical school is looking for in a student?
Do think about transferable skills as mentioned above. There should be some knowledge, skill, or ability that you acquire and hone on this job that will make you an asset in med school and beyond.
Does it feel as if this would align with what a medical school is looking for in a student?
Do think about transferable skills as mentioned above. There should be some knowledge, skill, or ability that you acquire and hone on this job that will make you an asset in med school and beyond.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2014
- Messages
- 96
- Reaction score
- 149
I think honesty is good too- I took a non medical job because it has flexibility so I can 1. Go to all the interviews I did get, even when I only got a weeks notice. 2. Plan my wedding for the spring. When I told people this during my interviews they all seemed to respond positively to it as they know and I know next year will be crazy busy. Based on my acceptances I don't think it harmed my application.
Unless you really need a medical-based job to fill gaps for an otherwise weak application I wouldn't worry too much.
Unless you really need a medical-based job to fill gaps for an otherwise weak application I wouldn't worry too much.
A lot of the reasons given make more sense here. But how would you go about presenting these acceptable reasons when asked "Why this job?". "I chose X job because it relates to medicine in xy and z ways..." (direct approach) but then its like...why didnt you just go work in a medical job to get those skills?!
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2013
- Messages
- 223
- Reaction score
- 216
I had no idea this could potentially be an issue. I'll likely be driving a forklift come graduation in May for the duration of what is hopefully my only gap year. It seems absurd to me to take a much lower paying job for the year just because it's medically related.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2005
- Messages
- 28,717
- Reaction score
- 53,784
The OP had the choice of a non-medical job that paid the same as a medical job. You are presenting the choice of a high paying blue collar job versus a low paying job that is medically related. Will this provide you opportunities to interact with other blue collar workers. Does this give you added insights into their world, their environmental exposures, their points of view, even their dietary habits (if you eat lunch with them, for example). This can be valuable information that a physician might not otherwise have about patients/future patients.
I think you can sell it on good wages to help you afford interview cycle, flexibility to interview, and a peek into the working class world that you would not otherwise have and that may be valuable when you care for patients some day.
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2013
- Messages
- 223
- Reaction score
- 216
Ah, you're right; of course the medically related job should be taken over the other, all else equal.
I have to admit that the rest of your post made me laugh a little. "added insights into their world... their points of view... peeking into the working class world." Their world is my world, aside from the fact that I'm currently a student. I don't exactly come from what you would call a "college family" and I've worked (and currently work) blue collar jobs since before I could drive.
I'm not implying that you sounded condescending or anything, it just startled me that you would assume that working a blue collar job would place a college graduate out of his/her element. After I thought about it though, it makes sense. You sort through who knows how many applicants every year, and I would imagine that a rather small percentage of them come from lower income backgrounds. So I understand the assumption.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2005
- Messages
- 28,717
- Reaction score
- 53,784
Precisely! And with an enormous proportion of applicants coming from families where at least one parent has a professional degree (MD, DO, DDS, JD, MBA, etc) an applicant with life experiences such as yours is very rare and sometimes highly valued.
I definitely think its ok to choose a non-medical job as long as you are still involved with medical experiences like hospital volunteering and shadowing. As many others have stated, you can talk about transferable skills from your non-medical job.
Last edited:
