Too soon to leave?

[Mooseforkicks]

I'm a non-trad who has been working as a CNA in a hospital full time for about 6 months. I'm planning on applying to medical school next year. I originally took the job because I wanted the clinical and patient contact experience, and exposure to a hospital setting. I've had many interactions with patients, families, nurses, and some doctors, and also got some shadowing opportunities from it.

However, what I do day-to-day doesn't change. About 1000 hours in, I feel I've gotten to the point where it is no longer a learning experience. Its just a job (which isn't bad, most everyone needs to make money), and it's a job I'd like to be done with. I could probably make as much money at a different job, and be less unhappy. I know every job is going to have repetition to it, especially entry-level positions, but not every job would involve regularly wiping up feces.

I know lots of ad coms like to see long-term commitment. I've only worked at the hospital for 6 months, but it has been full-time. Would leaving now make the experience look like "box checking" or like I can't commit?

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[Planes2Doc]

I would leave it and make sure you leave in good standing without burning bridges (give a two-week notice). I would replace it with clinical volunteering once weekly. It sure beats the far more significant commitment required by these entry level jobs. Also, if you have volunteering going for you, I don't think they will question this. Even so, possibly wrecking your GPA or MCAT would do more damage than ADCOMs wondering about it.

 

[LizzyM]

You need to get a new job that pays as much or more and/or has better hours and is related to patient care or research. That would be considered a lateral or upward job move which would be good. Quitting to take a job in food service or retail sales would give the appearance that you lack the commitment to clinical service.

 

[Mooseforkicks]

Thanks for your replies. Would it be okay if I kept a CNA job part-time or PRN, and also did substitute teaching?

 

[elitehacker1337]

very interesting question OP. You have to really weigh the pros and cons and determine if the grass is greener on the other side. As LizzyM mentioned, leaving the job for a lesser entry job could be a major red flag. However, going to part time and working another job or even just part time without another job should not raise any flags, in my opinion.

How much are you paid hourly? Annual average rate off google says 11.54 so that shouldn't be too hard to beat.

 

[Planes2Doc]

You need to get a new job that pays as much or more and/or has better hours and is related to patient care or research. That would be considered a lateral or upward job move which would be good. Quitting to take a job in food service or retail sales would give the appearance that you lack the commitment to clinical service.

What about transitioning from CNA to hospital and non-clinical volunteering?

 

[Planes2Doc]

very interesting question OP. You have to really weigh the pros and cons and determine if the grass is greener on the other side. As LizzyM mentioned, leaving the job for a lesser entry job could be a major red flag. However, going to part time and working another job or even just part time without another job should not raise any flags, in my opinion.

How much are you paid hourly? Annual average rate off google says 11.54 so that shouldn't be too hard to beat.

If it's a red flag. You can leave it off the application. You don't have to list every bit of employment you have ever done. There is no way they would find out unless you were on the hospital website or had it on social media. It sucks, but at least you made money.

 

[LizzyM]

What about transitioning from CNA to hospital and non-clinical volunteering?

If this person is working full-time and needs to do so to be financially stable, then going to "just" volunteering may not be an option. A gap of 6-9 months of not working f/t or going to school f/t would be a red flag for me in a non-trad who had been working f/t. It can look like someone can't keep a job. That's why going to something that either pays better or has better hours offers a way of suggesting that the employee made a lateral move for better hours or an upward move for better pay and/or better hours rather than deciding that the job sucked and it was preferable to be unemployed.

 

[stickgirl390]

Depending on where you live, if you can sub at a Title I or lower-income school, you could probably make a full time job out of it. Schools in rural areas/inner cities tend to need the most substitute teachers, but have the fewest available. You might be able to work every day, or close to it.