What are the benefits of working as a Medical Assistant during Pre-Med?

[Wiesal]

I'm going to be about $10,000 in debt through my vocational school. I believe I could get letters of recommendation from MD's/DO's and it would look excellent on my resume. What do you guys think?

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[mimelim]

Helpful? Yes. Depending on what you are doing, it can expose you to a lot of medicine fairly quickly. At the same time, you could be completely sheltered from physicians/patients at some offices. If you are simply working the waiting room, there are limits to what it will do for you. Regarding letters of recommendation. Always think before targeting people to write your letters. "What is the best possible thing that they can say about me?" In this case, "They were the best MA that I ever had." Does that impress admissions committees? No particularly. Is it a bad thing? No. Will it hurt your application? No. But, I certainly would not become an MA because you think it will be a source of strong letters.

 

[Goro]

I concur with my learned colleague, but OP should keep in mind that MD LORs carry less weight at MD schools as compared to your professors.

DO schools require clinician LORs, so an MD LOR will fulfil a requirement. But getting a DO LOR will help your app more.

I recommend taking the job because it's a job, and you want to pay that debt down. Work experience is always helpful, and if this gives you exposure to patients, even better.

I'm going to be about $10,000 in debt through my vocational school. I believe I could get letters of recommendation from MD's/DO's and it would look excellent on my resume. What do you guys think?

 

[Wiesal]

I see. Even though, gaining 4 years of clinical experience and hours as an MA should be beneficial at least. That's my primary reason for doing it, to be honest.

 

[mimelim]

I see. Even though, gaining 4 years of clinical experience and hours as an MA should be beneficial at least. That's my primary reason for doing it, to be honest.

An afternoon shadowing is equivalent to a couple of weeks worth of being an MA at your average practice. I say this with two pre-meds sitting next to me in my office right now. While clinical experience is a nebulous concept, when you are working, you are being distracted. When you are an MA, you have less exposure than those who work directly with a physician constantly.

As @Goro said, if you want to do it as a job, great. But, there are better things to do with your time for all other purposes.

 

[Wiesal]

An afternoon shadowing is equivalent to a couple of weeks worth of being an MA at your average practice. I say this with two pre-meds sitting next to me in my office right now. While clinical experience is a nebulous concept, when you are working, you are being distracted. When you are an MA, you have less exposure than those who work directly with a physician constantly.

As @Goro said, if you want to do it as a job, great. But, there are better things to do with your time for all other purposes.

I'm not starting Pre-Med for another 2 years for personal reasons. What else could I do?

 

[mimelim]

I'm not starting Pre-Med for another 2 years for personal reasons. What else could I do?

Depends on the "personal reasons", what you are doing with the rest of your time and what your goals are...

 

[Wiesal]

Depends on the "personal reasons", what you are doing with the rest of your time and what your goals are...

• Personal reasons: Family conflicts that need to be sorted out
• Rest of my time: Volunteering to boost clinical hours and fill up free time, shadowing if it's possible, and basically get a head start on my EC's
• Goal: Get into a what would be considered "top-tier" medical school, but in reality a school where I'll be happy.

 

[mimelim]

• Personal reasons: Family conflicts that need to be sorted out
• Rest of my time: Volunteering to boost clinical hours and fill up free time, shadowing if it's possible, and basically get a head start on my EC's
• Goal: Get into a what would be considered "top-tier" medical school, but in reality a school where I'll be happy.

Okay, now we can really go...

First and foremost, you need to sort out your family conflicts (duh, you know this). Anything that is delaying you from starting undergrad is going to get in the way of studying for the MCAT, the application process, medical school, residency, etc. You may have heard about adversity secondary prompts. This is what they are talking about. Deal with this and deal with it well. Don't even think about medical school, chances of getting in or improving your application. Focus on getting through this as best you can. I promise you, by doing that, you are preparing yourself for undergrad, medical school and beyond far more than worrying about what a bunch of people sitting in a room 5 years from now reading your application think. Depending on what is going on, it could be a long road.

Your focus needs to be on finding a job that will allow you to take care of the above. Being an MA is perfectly fine for this. So is working just about any other entry level job. Since you are interested in medicine, being an MA has the perk of potentially helping with future contacts for shadowing or connections for future research or even a LOR. Just remember that that letter is from your employer, which is the important part, not the MD or DO behind their name. If they can say good things about you as a hard working employee, it will help. But, other options would be administrative positions in a hospital, research labs, scribing, etc. Just depends on what is available in your area.

 

[doc05]

• Personal reasons: Family conflicts that need to be sorted out
• Rest of my time: Volunteering to boost clinical hours and fill up free time, shadowing if it's possible, and basically get a head start on my EC's
• Goal: Get into a what would be considered "top-tier" medical school, but in reality a school where I'll be happy.

1. If your goal is a career as a physician, get started on school. You will always have family responsibilities (everyone does), so arbitarily delaying things by 2 years doesn't make sense.
2. Work as an MA if you really enjoy it, not because it will help you get into medical school (because it won't).
3. The best MA I have worked with... is a very good MA. It's not a stepping stone to medical school.

 

[Wiesal]

1. If your goal is a career as a physician, get started on school. You will always have family responsibilities (everyone does), so arbitarily delaying things by 2 years doesn't make sense.
2. Work as an MA if you really enjoy it, not because it will help you get into medical school (because it won't).
3. The best MA I have worked with... is a very good MA. It's not a stepping stone to medical school.

Unfortunately, starting Pre-Med with my family issues would be quite devastating. I rather wait 2 years or however long it takes instead of watching my GPA plummet due to emotional stress and unfinished business. I am not in a good place right now. And I actually do want to be an MA; I like this kind of work.

Okay, now we can really go...

First and foremost, you need to sort out your family conflicts (duh, you know this). Anything that is delaying you from starting undergrad is going to get in the way of studying for the MCAT, the application process, medical school, residency, etc. You may have heard about adversity secondary prompts. This is what they are talking about. Deal with this and deal with it well. Don't even think about medical school, chances of getting in or improving your application. Focus on getting through this as best you can. I promise you, by doing that, you are preparing yourself for undergrad, medical school and beyond far more than worrying about what a bunch of people sitting in a room 5 years from now reading your application think. Depending on what is going on, it could be a long road.

Your focus needs to be on finding a job that will allow you to take care of the above. Being an MA is perfectly fine for this. So is working just about any other entry level job. Since you are interested in medicine, being an MA has the perk of potentially helping with future contacts for shadowing or connections for future research or even a LOR. Just remember that that letter is from your employer, which is the important part, not the MD or DO behind their name. If they can say good things about you as a hard working employee, it will help. But, other options would be administrative positions in a hospital, research labs, scribing, etc. Just depends on what is available in your area.

You Sir, are amazing. Thank you.