Volunteer or Work

[muirite1]

I have been doing volunteer hours at a community low income/free clinic for a few years. I have been offered an admin type job, NO patient contact. With the job (low pay) I would have to keep my other job and I would not be able to do any other volunteer hours between 2 jobs and school.

The question
Is it better to take the job and not be able to do more or just keep as a volunteer and look for other options to volunteer (IE non medical).

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[italiancowgirl]

Choose options that will help you build skills and grow as a person. Will the job give you insight into some part of the medical community? Will it help you build important skills? If not than find something that does. You aren't volunteering/working just because you have to, you are doing it to grow and learn about things you never considered. So the "right" answer is what do you need to do to be more proficient, insightful and impressive.

Also you did not give enough information to let us evaluate if your EC's are in a competitive range. (which is a different question then what you "should" do)

 

[muirite1]

The job is an office job in a different building than the clinic. I would be working in outreach (financial outreach) and other office work. I am sure it would expose me to the money part of the medical world in a limited way.

I have been volunteering there about 8 to 16 hrs a month for 3 years.

I am not sure that it would help me in the long run, its an office job. It's not much different than my current career that I am trying to leave. I do have strong feelings for the medically undeserved community. I hope to work in that area as a MD/DO. I do think it will show me the administrative part of that world.

 

[futuremdforme]

Personally I'd keep the volunteer gig since it's probably fewer hours and it gives you more time to focus on other things, and it doesn't sound like the money would make a difference. Plus you'll have a long stint of volunteering in one place which shows commitment and you'll get a great LOR. (Assuming you get patient contact in the volunteer position -- otherwise find one that does.)

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I might have missed it, but do you need the job? I'm assuming no since you're asking.

 

[muirite1]

I might have missed it, but do you need the job? I'm assuming no since you're asking.

I do have a job. If I worked for the clinic I would still have to keep the other job to pay bill and school. The clinic's job is pretty low pay.

 

[muirite1]

Assuming you get patient contact in the volunteer position -- otherwise find one that does.)

Yes I basically do MA work minus injections

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I do have a job. If I worked for the clinic I would still have to keep the other job to pay bill and school. The clinic's job is pretty low pay.

I'd stick with the voly gig then.