Hello,
I work full time at a medical school on an NIH funded grant to study rare auto-immune diseases, and I also work part-time as a medical assistant in a small local hospital.
I consider myself very fortunate to have this balance in my working life: I have a good understanding of the rigors and YES, tribulations of academic medicine while at the the same time, I can see how these advances can be applied to the treament of disease processes--When I ask "What's the point of all this?" I usually get my answer of practical, vivid terms.
This is all a balancing act and I devote two weekends a months (32 hrs.) to my part-time job, go to school, work full time, enjoy a relationship, friends and hobbies---I have learned to juggle, and fulfill all at the same time--it has been worth it, and it will be in the future.
Good Luck