What are y'all doing with your lag year? Cos mine's not going as planned

[WanderingDave]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Moderators, feel free to move this one over to Nontraditional Applicants if you feel it's more appropriate there.

Since I have a New York State CNA license and a girlfriend who lives and works in New Jersey, I decided that after I finished my prerequisites and started applying, I'd get a CNA job in the world's greatest city. This, I figured, would kill lots of birds with one stone:
* be close to my g/f -- it's been a long distance thing for a year
* get paid lots more in the Big Apple Core for the same job
* work with a diverse group of patients, and coworkers who weren't jealous that I actually planned on 'going places', unlike in my hick home town
* make enough money to have a little fun my last year before med school, and not have to travel very far to find it!

I've been in NYC for 2 months now. Sure I've gotten offers. But it's all per diem, per diem, per G$% D@&%$ M@&#*% F@!*&n' diem!!! Unlike my home town, absolutely no one is willing to offer me a position with a schedule and benefits, and the pay they offer me is much lower than CNAs with positions, and the hours so sporadic and unpredictable, that I can't make ends meet or have much of a life. Just today, the likes of Memorial Sloan Kettering dangled a well-paid fulltime position with benefits in front of my face, only to snatch it back once they found out, in the course of checking my references, that I was planning on matriculating into med school in 1 or 2 years. I was fit to be tranquilized. 😡

Normally in a case like this, I would leave the country, because I despise this country's sit-around-for-months job market. I'd go to Asia or Latin America and teach English for a semester, like I've already done in the past. Hey, at least I'd have money to burn and affordable fun things to do. I love to travel around exotic places. That's how I got my nickname Wandering Dave. But now that I have a girlfriend who's a schoolteacher, that's not so feasible. Also, I get the feeling being abroad would make the secondary application and interview process difficult to say the least.

So what are you guys all doing with your 'lag year'? Have any recommendations for what I might do with mine? If your answer is 'volunteer', please point me in the direction of volunteer positions that provide a stipend or room and board, because any other type won't pay the bills I'm afraid.

 

[Rafa]

Dave - this is sort of off-topic, but which languages have you studied, and where have you traveled?

 

[WanderingDave]

Chinese and Japanese. I've traveled all over East and S.E. Asia, Russia, Mexico, and Guatemala.

 

[MaiPenRai]

I am working in Thailand. It is my fourth "lag year", I guess. Despite the military coup d'etat it's actually really wonderful and I would highly recommend it. If you have TEFL certification, you're in. The pay isn't amazing (anywhere from about $300-$1000 a month; don't expect $1000 unless you work at an international school or live in Bangkok) but an apartment is also $100 a month (not a great one, but acceptable) and food is about $0.50 from the market. And the travel is world class.

 

[searun]

I am working in Thailand. It is my fourth "lag year", I guess. Despite the military coup d'etat it's actually really wonderful and I would highly recommend it. If you have TEFL certification, you're in. The pay isn't amazing (anywhere from about $300-$1000 a month; don't expect $1000 unless you work at an international school or live in Bangkok) but an apartment is also $100 a month (not a great one, but acceptable) and food is about $0.50 from the market. And the travel is world class.

school, I am heading to Thailand.


Searun

 

[Quix]

Teaching philosophy and technical writing, working with a critical care research lab (a few studies, some ethics publications, a critical care nephrology textbook), revising my dissertation for publication, and finishing a book about working at a psych hospital for two years.

Keeps me busy. 😉

 

[Xypathos]

Teaching philosophy and technical writing, working with a critical care research lab (a few studies, some ethics publications, a critical care nephrology textbook), revising my dissertation for publication, and finishing a book about working at a psych hospital for two years.

Keeps me busy. 😉

So what all do you have degrees in again and to what level (MA, PhD, etc)?

Just a curiousity question --- I'm in the process of an Anthropology class, my 5th one and I absolutely love it. I was thinking of going for my PhD before I head to med school, dunno --- but an idea.

But I've taken enough courses in history, philosophy, religion, and anthropolgy to declare a major/double major and minor in most of them. That's one thing I do like about the college I'm in. You take one course at a time and can switch as much as you like as your interests change. As such, you could do a Chemistry major in one year (and some change) if you wanted to take 9 chemistry courses back to back and the fact that we're really lax on the Gen. Ed. requirements.

 

[gujuDoc]

Ok so I know this isn't clinical but what about getting a job as a teacher and then using the volunteer to get clinical so you can still maintain both clinical relations and hold a job??????

There's always a need for teachers in the school system and I've known people with all sorts of degrees not just college of education certified degrees that have gotten teaching jobs post graduation.

 

[Xypathos]

Ok so I know this isn't clinical but what about getting a job as a teacher and then using the volunteer to get clinical so you can still maintain both clinical relations and hold a job??????

There's always a need for teachers in the school system and I've known people with all sorts of degrees not just college of education certified degrees that have gotten teaching jobs post graduation.

If that's what you want, go for it. I don't see why it would be a problem.

 

[Rafa]

If I don't get in, this might be something to try. Perhaps I could get a job teaching English in South America, or in Europe.

 

[Xypathos]

If I don't get in, this might be something to try. Perhaps I could get a job teaching English in South America, or in Europe.

Same here actually, I had intended to do it some during my lag year or for a semester break in college --- go and get a CELTA certification and teach for a year, then return and finish college.

 

[Dr.who]

I am doing AmeriCorps for my lag year. The pay blows (I moved in with my parents), but the job is the perfect thing for me in the year before I enter med school. I work at a community health center and was lucky enough to be offered a six-month contract, which means I get to go play and travel after interviewing season is over. Apart from living with my parents (whom I love, just feel a little too old to live with), it's a pretty darn good deal.

I'd recommend the same for you, only it's a bit late in the game to apply. Plus I don't think my parents would want a complete stranger to move in.

Maybe work in something that serves the "public good" but isn't directly related to medicine...? It might be easier if you expand your employment options a little...

Good luck!

 

[alwaysaangel]

Yeah Americorps works - but it pays awful. Here in Cali its like $800 a month stipend and a $4500 educational award at the end of the 10 month term. But you can usually get foodstamps with that income (most of the people I know did that) - which makes it a lot easier to make ends meet.

 

[sara3426]

I feel ya dude. Plan was, graduate from college, work in a lab while living with parents and make a hell of a lot of money cause i didn't have to pay for anything. Lab thing didn't work out correctly, and I'm still looking for a job, although i feel like a jerk for looking for a fulltime position while i need to take off all the time for interviews and won't be working for long, anyway. no one's looking to hire a researcher for a nine-month project anymore!
also my parents have left the country.
if anyone has any failsafe ideas, let me and wandering dave know. otherwise, we will be getting drunk at the nearest bar. or at least, i will.

 

[Quix]

So what all do you have degrees in again and to what level (MA, PhD, etc)?

Just a curiousity question --- I'm in the process of an Anthropology class, my 5th one and I absolutely love it. I was thinking of going for my PhD before I head to med school, dunno --- but an idea.

But I've taken enough courses in history, philosophy, religion, and anthropolgy to declare a major/double major and minor in most of them. That's one thing I do like about the college I'm in. You take one course at a time and can switch as much as you like as your interests change. As such, you could do a Chemistry major in one year (and some change) if you wanted to take 9 chemistry courses back to back and the fact that we're really lax on the Gen. Ed. requirements.

BS - Psychology
BSLA - German/Philosophy
MA - Philosophy
Ph.D. - Health Care Ethics

I've been looking at some cultural anthropology books, and I hung out with an anthropology graduate student before she went off to finish her research in Mexico, so I've had an armchair interest in it. I may pick up a few of the books when things calm down a bit.

 

[ahhh123]

I feel ya dude. Plan was, graduate from college, work in a lab while living with parents and make a hell of a lot of money cause i didn't have to pay for anything. Lab thing didn't work out correctly, and I'm still looking for a job, although i feel like a jerk for looking for a fulltime position while i need to take off all the time for interviews and won't be working for long, anyway. no one's looking to hire a researcher for a nine-month project anymore!
also my parents have left the country.
if anyone has any failsafe ideas, let me and wandering dave know. otherwise, we will be getting drunk at the nearest bar. or at least, i will.

maybe you should look into becoming a substitute teaching at a local elementary or high school.. At least in the state that I'm from.. the pay is pretty good..

 

[ahhh123]

I am working in Thailand. It is my fourth "lag year", I guess. Despite the military coup d'etat it's actually really wonderful and I would highly recommend it. If you have TEFL certification, you're in. The pay isn't amazing (anywhere from about $300-$1000 a month; don't expect $1000 unless you work at an international school or live in Bangkok) but an apartment is also $100 a month (not a great one, but acceptable) and food is about $0.50 from the market. And the travel is world class.

wow.. that's really amazing.. i wanted to leave the country this year too! But like the poster, I was worried about the whole coming back for interview/ secondary application process. soo i decided against it and went for a job in a lab..boring.. eh

 

[Lulu8]

For my lag year I'm working as an Ophthalmic Tech. The pay is good and the job is interesting and gives me something to talk about in interviews. I think it's helped my apps out a lot because I can talk about what its like to have regular patient contact, take histories, yadda yadda yadda...

 

[Xypathos]

BS - Psychology
BSLA - German/Philosophy
MA - Philosophy
Ph.D. - Health Care Ethics

I've been looking at some cultural anthropology books, and I hung out with an anthropology graduate student before she went off to finish her research in Mexico, so I've had an armchair interest in it. I may pick up a few of the books when things calm down a bit.

How long did all of that take you? How much in debt did it put you?

Reason being - I love to learn and have contemplating continuing doing such after med. school, esp. if I work a field that gets me as close to 9-5 as it can or work private practice. Continue on with night classes or take 1-2 courses a semester when capable and continue getting degrees throughout my life. I like the idea of continuing to learn and advance myself.

My Latin instructor does the same thing as I would like to. He originally got his PhD in Classics and as an exchange for teaching at the college and being paid, they let him take courses and continue on with getting degrees and learning. I think he told me he has 7 Bachelors and is in the process of finishing a MA in Art History at another local University. He's led a really cool life, was a traveling Jesuit priest for a long time before he settled into academia. Really nice guy, give you the shirt off his back.

 

[Quix]

About $50K between undergraduate and graduate (and took me 12 years). I was working throughout graduate school (mostly clinically) which off-set some of the costs.

I try not to think about what medical school costs will do to my debt. 😱