Should I get a job?

[stayathomemom]

---

Members do not see this ad.

As my name implies, I am a homemaker. Much of the last 13 years that I have been one have been spent volunteering in my community, ramping up within the last few years as my youngest went to school and I have been preparing for my application. I consider volunteering to be part of my role as a homemaker.

Although application season just began, I will assume I will need to reapply next year until notified otherwise. I am trying to decide between getting a part-time job in a medical/research related field (and cut back on the bulk of volunteering), or to continue with all of the volunteering.

While I do have an acceptable amount of clinical volunteering and shadowing, I don't have any paid clinical work. I have been told my research experience was less research and more paid employment, so I guess I'm screwed there.

My question is simply should I get a job doing research (probably clinically-related) to show I am serious about my decision to become a doctor? I am afraid that if I don't ramp up my medicine-related activities, I will be seen as non-committal. I do enjoy my current volunteering activities, as they encompass leadership, variety, serving the less fortunate, and spending time in my kids' activities.

 

[Cornfed101]

If you like research then a research job would be fine, but don't settle for a job you don't want in the hopes that it will look good to adcoms. You do you. Maybe consider a job as a medical tech or something similar. It is really fun getting paid to interact with patients and learn cool medical stuff before I have even started med school. Just a thought.

 

[Nugester]

I'd scale back the volunteering and do some clinical/research work (paid or unpaid). Adcoms can put two and two together and understand why your volunteering hours went down and your clinical hours went up. Also, may I ask why you only applied to one school?

 

[stayathomemom]

I'd scale back the volunteering and do some clinical/research work (paid or unpaid). Adcoms can put two and two together and understand why your volunteering hours went down and your clinical hours went up. Also, may I ask why you only applied to one school?

Thank you.
My reason is to lessen the impact on my kids. My parents live next door to us, and if we don't have to move then I get free childcare at any hour of the day and night. My husband is (currently) our only income and I want to make sure he has job stability. Am I cutting myself off at the knees? Yes. Am I doing I think is best for the balance between myself and my family? Yes.

 

[Nugester]

Thank you.
My reason is to lessen the impact on my kids. My parents live next door to us, and if we don't have to move then I get free childcare at any hour of the day and night. My husband is (currently) our only income and I want to make sure he has job stability. Am I cutting myself off at the knees? Yes. Am I doing I think is best for the balance between myself and my family? Yes.

Based on your ECs and stats, you shouldn't have problems getting interview invites to a lot of schools, but stranger things have happened. What school did you apply to?

 

[stayathomemom]

Based on your ECs and stats, you shouldn't have problems getting interview invites to a lot of schools, but stranger things have happened. What school did you apply to?

My state school, which both highly favors in-state applicants and non-trads (avg age is 26 on matriculation)

 

[Nugester]

My state school, which both highly favors in-state applicants and non-trads (avg age is 26 on matriculation)

*Crosses fingers* I'd say you are fine this cycle. Good luck!

 

[Cornfed101]

Thank you.
My reason is to lessen the impact on my kids. My parents live next door to us, and if we don't have to move then I get free childcare at any hour of the day and night. My husband is (currently) our only income and I want to make sure he has job stability. Am I cutting myself off at the knees? Yes. Am I doing I think is best for the balance between myself and my family? Yes.

That makes me really nervous for you... best of luck! I wish I had family that lived close to a medical school... The closest school to my family is like 500 miles away haha