Scribe vs Research vs Job

[Mr_Churchill]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm currently a lifeguard and hospital volunteer. I was offered an unpaid research position in a lab at the med school next to my campus. However, I was also just offered a paid scribe position....

Lifeguarding & clinical volunteering = 16 hours a week

Scribe = 16-24

Research = 10

I really only have time for one of the above per semester.

Needless to say, I'm pretty damn conflicted on what path I should take. Any thoughts?

 

[CyrilFiggis]

what year are you?

 

[Dagrimsta1]

If money is a requirement, then go get paid bro, no one else is gonna pay bills. Scribing will get old real quick (it did for me). Research is cool but if you aren't actually making legit progress, it can feel very grueling and difficult to actually commit to.

If you're a sophomore or younger then stick to what your currently doing until Junior year and then get into some research while quietly reducing volunteer hours and life guarding.
If you're a Junior with no research, you need research bro...
If you're a Senior, then u late as F dog

 

[Mr_Churchill]

what year are you?

If you're a sophomore or younger

Starting my sophomore year this fall.

If money is a requirement, then go get paid bro, no one else is gonna pay bills. Scribing will get old real quick.

How many credits did you take while scribing?

 

[JB50]

Don't lose the volunteering. That'll be gold on the app as it's a continuing commitment of volunteering. Apparently adcoms like that better than sporadic volunteering.

Money is money though. Research is overrated, especially unpaid. You can get paid 5k a summer to do research.

 

[numbersloth]

In a 2013 AAMC survey* where 127 medical admissions offices responded, found research experience is only of medium importance at private schools and of low importance to public schools as an experiential factor in offering both interview invitations and acceptance. Healthcare experience, community service/volunteer experience, experience with underserved populations, navigated through cultural barriers or challenges, leadership experience were considered of higher importance in factors for interview invites and offers of acceptances. This was further borne out in the 2015 AAMC Survey** where 130 medical school admissions found that both community service or volunteer in both medical and non-medical settings ranked higher in importance than physician shadowing


*https://www.aamc.org/download/434596/data/usingmcatdata2016.pdf#page=7
see page 3 (pdf p7) Table 1. Mean Importance Ratings of Academic, Experiential, and Demographic Application Data Used by Admissions Committees for Making Decisions about Which Applicants to Receive an Interview Invitation and Offer Acceptance (N=127)

** https://www.aamc.org/download/462316/data/2017mcatguide.pdf#page=9
See page 4 (pdf page 9) Table 1. Mean Importance Ratings of Academic, Experiential, Demographic, and Interview Data Used by Admissions Committees for Making Decisions about Which Applicants Receive Interview Invitations and Acceptance Offers (N=130)

I'm curious what their view is on tangentially-related work experience vs. research vs. volunteering. For example if a student had to choose b/w health care consulting (which is really just glorified accounting + business management), summer research, or taking some classes and continuing volunteer experience. Its one thing to rank importance and another completely to judge an applicants CV.

 

[Mr_Churchill]

Don't lose the volunteering. That'll be gold on the app as it's a continuing commitment of volunteering. Apparently adcoms like that better than sporadic volunteering.

Money is money though. Research is overrated, especially unpaid. You can get paid 5k a summer to do research.

So as of right now, this is my game plan; let me know what you think:

• Shadow this summer entering my sophomore year; find summertime non-clinical volunteer role.
• Continue lifeguarding and hospital volunteering sophomore year; join college mentors club (mentor elementary school kids).
• *Possibly* scribe junior year; if not scribing, do what I did sophomore year. Apply that spring.

Following that plan, assuming I continue my current clinical volunteer role, I'll have ~200 hours clinical and however many nonclinical (hopefully a similar amount).

* EDIT:

Healthcare experience, community service/volunteer experience, experience with underserved populations, navigated through cultural barriers or challenges, leadership experience were considered of higher importance in factors for interview invites and offers of acceptances.

So, sticking with my current volunteer role, finding non-clinical roles, and keeping my current leadership positions would be higher yield than research?

 

[Dagrimsta1]

Starting my sophomore year this fall.



How many credits did you take while scribing?

I never took over 16 credits a semester with 16 being my freshman year... it's better to organize a schedule where you are not overloaded with work. Spread out classes over winters and summers to accommodate time for work