Religion in Work/Activities Section

[obtain-all-strength]

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[CliveStaples]

It is very common for people to have volunteer or work opportunities at faith-based organizations. I think as long as your description in written form and verbally during interviews is focused on the work you did, I do not think you should worry that this will be held against you.

 

[LizzyM]

I agree with this ^^. Memories are short. I could not tell you the names of any faith-based organizations that were in hot water for the way they handled things at the start of the pandemic and I was glued to the coverage in the early weeks. If you were employed for two years, leaving that off of your application would raise more questions (what were you doing then?) than will be raised because you worked as a childcare worker for a mega-church.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Long story short, I was employed as a childcare worker at a local megachurch for 2 years. I was responsible for *literally* hundreds of children at a given time and helped coordinate other staff member’s/volunteer’s schedules to ensure the proper safety of the children. I worked with kids anywhere from 0-12 years old. I quit this job at the start of the pandemic as the administration/pastors had some very unsettling and irresponsible attitudes toward COVID-19 (they made nationwide news for how irresponsible they were).

I loved this job and loved the children I worked with. However, I’m afraid including this activity will hurt my application due to the controversial nature of the church I worked at.

I have strong stats (4.0 GPA, 516 MCAT, and I work as a scribe in the ED) but I’m worried including this will ruin my application. Any help/advice is appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Include it. Focus on your responsibilities and impact, not the church's policies, politics, or theology.

 

[obtain-all-strength]

I agree with this ^^. Memories are short. I could not tell you the names of any faith-based organizations that were in hot water for the way they handled things at the start of the pandemic and I was glued to the coverage in the early weeks. If you were employed for two years, leaving that off of your application would raise more questions (what were you doing then?) than will be raised because you worked as a childcare worker for a mega-church.

Thank you for the advice. Should I include in the description that I resigned from my position due to my disagreements with the administration? Or should I just leave out that thought and focus on the impact I made?

 

[obtain-all-strength]

Include it. Focus on your responsibilities and impact, not the church's policies, politics, or theology.

Thank you! Do you recommended I explain in the description why I resigned? Or just focus on my responsibilities and impact completely?

 

[drstranger]

Thank you! Do you recommended I explain in the description why I resigned? Or just focus on my responsibilities and impact completely?

No need to explain why you stopped. Just focus on responsibilities and impact.

 

[m1redsox]

Thank you! Do you recommended I explain in the description why I resigned? Or just focus on my responsibilities and impact completely?

No! Use every second of your app to talk about you, not the policies of x organization

 

[YCAGA]

As long as it wasn't Westboro Baptist Church I think you are good.

Like @LizzyM, I couldn't even name a megachurch that was in hot water over COVID stuff. Worst case someone brings it up in an interview and you say you quit when they started being anti-science during the pandemic. If anything that shows you have integrity. You chose potential unemployment over working for people who reject modern medicine.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Thank you! Do you recommended I explain in the description why I resigned? Or just focus on my responsibilities and impact completely?

Just focus on your responsibilities and impact. And if asked, you can answer that you didn't like their COVID response, or even better say you wanted to work in something clinical and got a job as a scribe. in other words, focus on the positive in your application.

If you job change was a matter of moving away from something (the negative) and going towards something more directly related to medicine (the positive) focus on the positive.

Unless asked specifically about something, you don't have to reveal every detail or decision point in your application. You need to respond honestly and with integrity, but you can, should, and do choose what to include.