What job should I take during my time off?

[chappystick393]

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Hey everyone,

I'll be done with my MBS this semester and will applying next cycle. I was wondering what job(s) you think I should work at in the meantime? These are my options

Scribe per diem for EMA
Medical assistant at a PCP - they will train me and then hire me to work part time
Phlebotomist per diem - they will train me onsite

I will also be studying for the MCAT and taking it in April. So I am willing to take on up to 2 of the above jobs to make some extra money (especially in preparation for the application cycle), but I do not want to overwhelm myself because the MCAT needs to be my priority. My first aid squad also wants me to go to EMT school at some point, but I think it's best to put that off until after the MCAT because then it would all be too much. What do you all think?

 

[de Ribas]

Medical assistant at a PCP - they will train me and then hire me to work part time

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[Cath Up]

Hey everyone,

I'll be done with my MBS this semester and will applying next cycle. I was wondering what job(s) you think I should work at in the meantime? These are my options

Scribe per diem for EMA
Medical assistant at a PCP - they will train me and then hire me to work part time
Phlebotomist per diem - they will train me onsite

I will also be studying for the MCAT and taking it in April. So I am willing to take on up to 2 of the above jobs to make some extra money (especially in preparation for the application cycle), but I do not want to overwhelm myself because the MCAT needs to be my priority. My first aid squad also wants me to go to EMT school at some point, but I think it's best to put that off until after the MCAT because then it would all be too much. What do you all think?

Agree that MA with a PCP would be a solid clinical experience- particularly if you are targeting schools that value primary care in their missions.

I scribed and found it to be a fascinating experience and gave me plenty of fodder (although it is probably considered somewhat cookie cutter given the prevalence of scribing nowadays) for my application. It also made me 100% certain that I want to go into medicine and taught me what doctor's actually do when working, in a variety of specialties. So I recommend that as an alternative. But it pays very poorly, is somewhat cutthroat given all the premeds and large scribing companies that don't care about individual employees. So the MA thing is probably slightly better.

Phlebotomist is hardly doctor-interfacing as far as I know. It is a technician position working with blood. Would avoid. EMT is apparently highly variable and is sometimes/often considered a glorified taxi driver by adcoms (per an adcom user on here, Goro). Plus, as an EMT, you're not really working with doctors as much as an MA would or scribe would.

 

[chappystick393]

Agree that MA with a PCP would be a solid clinical experience- particularly if you are targeting schools that value primary care in their missions.

I scribed and found it to be a fascinating experience and gave me plenty of fodder (although it is probably considered somewhat cookie cutter given the prevalence of scribing nowadays) for my application. It also made me 100% certain that I want to go into medicine and taught me what doctor's actually do when working, in a variety of specialties. So I recommend that as an alternative. But it pays very poorly, is somewhat cutthroat given all the premeds and large scribing companies that don't care about individual employees. So the MA thing is probably slightly better.

Phlebotomist is hardly doctor-interfacing as far as I know. It is a technician position working with blood. Would avoid. EMT is apparently highly variable and is sometimes/often considered a glorified taxi driver by adcoms (per an adcom user on here, Goro). Plus, as an EMT, you're not really working with doctors as much as an MA would or scribe would.

Thanks so much! I appreciate the input. I'll definitely go for the MA job then, and maybe the scribing one if I feel like I have the time. And I can see why people think that about EMTs, but I enjoy it and will probably get my certification anyways once I get some time after the MCAT (I like it but it's definitely not what I want to do for the rest of my life - but it's interesting to me for the time being)

 

[treatem-and-streetem]

I was a phlebotomist for 2.5 years and then a patient care tech in the er for the last year. I mean I would also take the MA job but phlebotomy is a skill you can become very proficient at and I would make the case it is a good way to get comfortable with motor skill in front of patients.