Working fulltime - viewed as a negative or a positive?

[SymphonyNo4]

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I work as nurse fulltime and will be returning to school for a premed path degree. With other posters talking about research, publishing (?), and various extracurricular activities - will only working (fulltime)/studying/going to school be viewed as a negative,..?

I think my experience as a nurse/pt teaching/direct patient care would be very valuable, but at the same time - is lacking (all) of the other experiences going to hurt?

 

[MedPR]

If you don't need the money, work part time (or not at all) and do other stuff.

 

[Stumpyman]

Lacking all other experiences will not be too favorable. Unless you really need the money, it may be a better idea to switch to part-time and not let grades suffer (or lack in other EC areas). I noticed the question mark next to "publishing." That's definitely not something you have to do by any means (it's nice, but far from a deal breaker).

 

[SymphonyNo4]

Even as a Nurse, and currently working directly with the patient population I would want to, as an MD?

As I see it - I'm gaining experience and seeing medicine from a different angle...

Is reducing those opportunities to learn and interact with patients truly the better option?

 

[Catalystik]

I work as nurse fulltime and will be returning to school for a premed path degree. With other posters talking about research, publishing (?), and various extracurricular activities - will only working (fulltime)/studying/going to school be viewed as a negative,..?

I think my experience as a nurse/pt teaching/direct patient care would be very valuable, but at the same time - is lacking (all) of the other experiences going to hurt?

If you can work full-time, manage to get excellent grades, a decent MCAT score, and do a bit of nonmedical volunteering (averaging 1 an hour a week) and formal physician shadowing (50+ hours total, can be done over school breaks), I think you'll have an application that many med schools will find appealing when it comes time to apply, considering your job gives you opportunities to teach, engage in teamwork, and take on leadership roles. Schools tend to be more lenient about a lack of research for nontrads, especially when they are very strong in some other category, which for you will be clinical experience.

Working full-time will not be an excuse for mediocre grades and zero other extracurriculars. Understanding your limitations and having good time management skills are important to success.

 

[wholeheartedly]

yeah, what catalystik said. check out the non-trad forum and you'll find a lot of people working while going to school and juggling various volunteer and other activities. Biggest thing is not letting your grades slip.