Medical Which job should I pick?

[TheBoneDoctah]

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I recently decided that I want to go to med school so I started to volunteer at the hospital and hospice. So for now my plan is apply to post bacc or SMP for 2021-2022 cycle and I want to apply to med school for 2022-23 cycle. So I'm assuming that I will be in post-bacc or SMP in August/September of 2021. So before that I'm trying to get a job.

I do not have much clinical experience obviously so I applied to a scribe job at Urgent care. It doesn't really seem like I will get a lot of experience from there since the interviewer told me that tbh we're mostly doing covid testing stuff.

I got another job offer as a clinical research associate for a big biotech company. They didn't describe very well on what I will be doing but I'm assuming that it will be beginner clinical research job involving clinical trials with patient interactions. This pays couple dollars more than the scribe job.

I really don't care about the money I will be earning but I wasn't sure what will be better experience for me.

Do the scribe job and NOT the research job. Scribe gets you money, shadowing, and clinical hours.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Also, for your post bac to be useful you need to do at least a year of courses, not two months.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

ohh I meant to say that I'm planning to take a whole year for post bacc (2021 sept to 2022 June). Sorry for the confusion and thank you for your reply!

Oh ok. In that case ya that works. Make sure you ace your courses. A year of mediocre grades would be the end of your chances basically.

 

[AlteredScale]

I would pick the scribe job. You won't understand what is really being done in a health care setting doing a clinical trials which can be very rigid and structured.

Even if you are doing just Covid screening stuff, you'll still get other experiences, and will understand the general dynamic between patient and provider by doing so.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

might be a little irrelevant question from this topic, but what is your opinion about SMP?

my current overall gpa is 3.4 (BCPM 3.2 wish) and if I successfully finish classes I registered for next semester, by June of 2021 my overall gpa will be 3.47 (BCPM gpa 3.35ish). If I do post bacc for one more year (from 2021 fall to 2022 summer) my overall GPA will be 3.55 and BCPM will be 3.54.

I feel like it is still low for an MD school so I was not sure if I should do SMP or just post bacc. Thank you so much for helping me out!

A year of post-bac courses will show that you can excel in rigorous courses. SMP are usually much more pricey and I don't think it's needed for you.

 

[AlteredScale]

What did you major in in undergrad? usually SMP are better for those from a science background as they build off those courses you took and sometimes allow for integrated research time. A post-bacc is usually better for those who have not completed alot fo science courses and as @TheBoneDoctah said, shows you can handle a rigorous science curriculum.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

I studied Chemistry. I took lots of unnecessary math courses too bc I like math lol. I took all the pre requisites and I didn't do very well on some of them so that's why I was considering SMP. Also I have lots of science class units so its hard for me to improve gpa through post- bacc. I'm not very worried about the money. SMP is scary bc its expensive but thinking about all the debt I will have after med school its just not that much in my opinion. (although I'm poor haha) but If SMP can get me in a better position I would def do SMP.

What is your GPA?

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

my current overall gpa is 3.4 (BCPM 3.2 wish)

Your checklist:

Complete a post-bac and do very well
Do well on MCAT
Gain more clinical experience

When you apply, add in some DO schools.

 

[Goro]

Read this:

1. • Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention
2. I lean to SMPs given at a host med school. Higher risk, but higher reward.