Should I quit my job in pursuit of better ECs?

[thechasman]

I want to first thank all of you who participate on the forums. You have helped me tremendously already by providing valuable information in regards to the medical school application process.

Let me start with one of my questions and then I will provide some relevant information. Should I quit my job and look for work in a bigger city doing some more relevant clinical work, or should I take advantage of the large chunks of time I have in my current position to prepare for the MCAT?

I graduated three years ago from college where I consistently volunteered, was an academic all-American athlete, and conducted independent research not related to medicine. I am currently living in a rural county that I thoroughly enjoy. I have a job that provides me great flexibility, but it is isolating and hardly related to medicine. I was volunteering at a group home for at-risk youth until recently. The woman who ran the home passed away in February, which terminated the program. I now provide bereavement support for her husband and another man who lost his wife in hospice. Unfortunately these are the only clinical type related activities that I currently partake besides shadowing a local physician and observing surgeries on Youtube.

I began worrying that medical schools will not think that I have enough clinical experience after reading the “Non-Trad Secrets of Application Success” thread and comparing my ECs to what others have done. I could quit my job, but it provides a very valuable and unique opportunity: four months off paid to take my final medical school prerequisite courses this spring. The following spring I could again take four months off paid to study for the MCATs. I don’t know of many positions for which I qualify that provide such an opportunity. What I would be giving up staying in my job is time that I could spend developing my clinical experience. My neighbor asked me if I would be willing to mentor her autistic child next summer, but even with such an opportunity, I don’t know if I will be an attractive candidate for medical school.

There is a part of me that feels that I should do what it takes to get into medical school (i.e. quit my job and move to a place with better opportunities). Another part of me believes that, if I am mentoring and volunteering at hospice, I am doing good in this world, and my ambition should not keep me from these opportunities. I hope that medical schools would appreciate my commitment to this county. But maybe they will frown upon me staying in a job that is not related to medicine.

Would medical schools consider mentoring, shadowing, and volunteering sufficient experience for a non-trad? I have also thought about quitting my job and moving into one of my relative’s home this summer to study for the MCATs. Such a plan may make it possible for me to apply to schools next year, but I would be out of a job this next fall and wouldn’t have much time except for this spring to volunteer and shadow. Is there any advantage in trying to speed up the application process?

I also have a small question about biochemistry. I am planning to take biochemistry and Organic II this spring (as well as physics II). Would I be better off just taking biochemistry and using the extra time to volunteer or shadow? I read on “Things I wish I knew at the Beginning” thread that Organic II might not be necessary.

Thank you for any input you may have to offer.

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[ShoTyme]

It looks like you have a good thing going yet you seem eager to quit your job in order to work for free. It sounds like your EC's are good to me (but what the hell do I know anyway). If I were you I would stay put. Help out the neighbor. Trust that I did the best in every arena possible. Write good essays. Also, I am about to take Organic 2 and physics 2 as well. I thought organic was a prerequisite for biochem. Also most med schools require a year of inorganic and a year of organic chemistry. So I'd also stay on that track as well. Calm down. Breathe. I think you are doing just fine. At least I hope so, because you sound like me.

 

[UpwardTrend]

Don't count on Organic 2 not being required at the schools you apply to. Check the CIB at http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/cib/Pages/default.aspx if you're applying to DO school. There are only 3 schools that require less than 8 hrs of Organic (2 semesters). Many "recommend" Biochem. If you were to leave off a class, it should be Biochem not Organic 2.
Keep doing what you're doing. Adcoms want to know that you're volunteering in areas that you feel passionate about. It sounds like you enjoy what you're doing and that should make it easier to convey your passion in an essay and interviews. If you can't get any clinical type volunteering then just make sure you have plenty of shadowing hours over the next 2 years.

 

[ghostman]

If you're volunteering at a location that provides hospice care and you interact with the patients, I would say that you have plenty of clinical experience. Granted, I don't know the details of what you do, but if there are health professionals around (nurses, doctors, etc.), that seems relevant to me.

You should also be aware that adcoms look at the duration and commitment of your volunteer experiences as well. Everyone volunteers. The longer you volunteer, the more you stand out as being committed to the service rather than padding your qualifications.

If you want to look for more opportunities, ask the doctor that you are shadowing, visit free clinics or small clinics near your location, etc. Or see if you can work with local professors on research. Don't bother mentioning "observing surgeries on YouTube" on your application or interviews though; I doubt that has any weight.

Also, as others have stated, DON'T skip out on Orgo II. If I'm not mistaken (and I just applied to med school this past summer), there are more schools that require a full year of Orgo than those that will take Biochem in place of Orgo II. Some schools require Biochem in addition to a full year of Orgo (Johns Hopkins, Mayo), but most will only recommend it.
http://www.swarthmore.edu/Documents/slife/pre_med/Advanced_Science_Requirements.pdf

 

[thechasman]

Thank you all for the feedback. It sounds like the best things is for me to take organic II and stay committed to the volunteer work I have already started. I appreciate the assurance and will be sure to take a few deep breaths.

 

[notdeadyet]

Would I be better off just taking biochemistry and using the extra time to volunteer or shadow? I read on “Things I wish I knew at the Beginning” thread that Organic II might not be necessary.

Wow, that's criminally bad advice. Most med schools I applied to required 2 semesters of Organic Chemistry. And I applied to 36, so that was a fair sampling. A handful required biochemistry, but almost all required OChem II.