Working in med school

[nickster]

Is is possible to work 20 hours a week while in school ( 2 hours per day tutoring a high school kid).

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[Law2Doc]

Is is possible to work 20 hours a week while in school ( 2 hours per day tutoring a high school kid).

Depends. Some students could do it no problem, others couldnt. It pays to wait until after your first exam or so, so you have a better sense of what's what. Then if you find you are doing well and have tons of free time, you can take on other obligations. However I note that the best jobs while in med school tend to be those in which you have a lot of down time, and can study while at work.

And hopefully you are not tutoring him in math, as 2 hours a day doesn't equal 20 hours/wk.

 

[Scottish Chap]

Is is possible to work 20 hours a week while in school ( 2 hours per day tutoring a high school kid).

I work, but not 20 hrs per week. If you're a new MSI, I would strongly advise against it until you've had a few exams and you know where you stand. Some people work more than 20 hrs, believe it or not. My graduate school mentor did a Ph.D. before medical school and actually did a research postdoc. simultaneously with MSI and MSII. He said he didn't find it hard to stay in the middle of the class (at Wash U) and he was happy with that!

 

[hale-bopp]

I worked both first and second years, but doing things that were very fexible around my schedule. First year I worked about 7 hours a week as a high school sailing coach (2 afternoons plus a 30 minute commute each way, and an extra weekend day if I wanted to) But it was something I loved doing and it was right near my parent's house, so I could have dinner at home and see my family after work if I wanted to. And my boss was really understanding so I wouldn't go to work for a day or two before exams.

Second year I did lab research. It was really flexible because it was my own project. The amount of time I spent in the lab was inversely related to how much time I had left till the next exam. I found that second year I had to work a lot harder than first year.

I played a sport in college and I've always been happy and more productive when I'm busy, so working in med school worked for me, but it's not for everyone. I think it's important to make sure that there's a little flexibility built into whatever you do, because around exam time, med school is really demanding.

 

[nickster]

I worked both first and second years, but doing things that were very fexible around my schedule. First year I worked about 7 hours a week as a high school sailing coach (2 afternoons plus a 30 minute commute each way, and an extra weekend day if I wanted to) But it was something I loved doing and it was right near my parent's house, so I could have dinner at home and see my family after work if I wanted to. And my boss was really understanding so I wouldn't go to work for a day or two before exams.

Second year I did lab research. It was really flexible because it was my own project. The amount of time I spent in the lab was inversely related to how much time I had left till the next exam. I found that second year I had to work a lot harder than first year.

I played a sport in college and I've always been happy and more productive when I'm busy, so working in med school worked for me, but it's not for everyone. I think it's important to make sure that there's a little flexibility built into whatever you do, because around exam time, med school is really demanding.

Thanks for the responses. The hours are not flexible but the are good. I've worked for the same family going on 3 years, 5-7PM Sunday thru Thursday. I forget to say that I tutor a high school kid @ $32 an hour (easy job). Actually I currentally work 3 hours a day but I know they will let me cut it down to 2.

 

[Saqqqq]

2 hours a day tutoring high school kids is 14 hours a week?

But anyhoo, anything is possible! 20 hours a week is doable, but it means sacrificing other things, like any scope of a social life! Or skimping on the work end, which is again doable if u can pull it off!

 

[nickster]

No wonder the kid is struggling with math!! I meant to say 10 hours, its 5 days a week.

 

[ScrubbingUp]

Hope your not prescribing medicines yet! Hehehehehe

 

[toofache32]

I worked 25-35 hours per week in med school, depending on how busy it was. But med school was never really that busy. I worked about 25 hours a week on rotations with lots of call, and closer to 35 hours a week during "classroom" years where you never really have to go to class.

 

[BOHICA-FIGMO]

Is is possible to work 20 hours a week while in school ( 2 hours per day tutoring a high school kid).

I know a guy in our class who moonlights as a PT on the weekends (training he received in a past life).

 

[Anka]

I worked through basic science and still work (although at reduced hours) in my clinical years. My recommendation would be doing something that contributes pretty directly to your career goals, not just your pocket book. Like work in a lab and get some publications out of it, or at least a good letter of recommendation and some mentorship. With few exceptions, there is no way mere money can substitute for time detracted from studying (or from playing video games, if that's how you pull yourself back together to throw yourself at it again). If tutoring is something that helps give you energy, you should totally do it, though. Personally, I found working helped give me balance.

Best,
Anka

 

[bjackrian]

I work ten hours per week with no problems. It's just a matter of what else you're willing to give up to make it work. I love my job (I referee flag football and basketball), so it's worth it for me to give up my personal time for it.

 

[airferret]

Some students seem to get away with it, either jobs related to past life (we have a pharmacist working nights in our class) or something they enjoy (yoga teacher). It all depends on how organized of a student and how well you use your study time.

If you are doing it for a little pocket change, then don't, your studies are more important. If you need it to survive (the $30 check from Financial AId that year somehow didn't covering all my rent/food/gas/etc) and you aren't one of the 60% of medical students coming from the top quintile of the socioeconomic ladder (AAMC stats) then you have no choice.

I worked as a bouncer my first year, not exactly a job you could study at but it paid well and I was able to take out my frustrations from classes . Although I still go in if they are short-handed (I admit it is a strip club and has 'other' benefits), I try to spend more time on studies now and save money other ways instead.

 

[Wizard of Oz]

I asked our dean what his feelings were because I previously worked for the hospital on campus before starting medical school. He said absolutely not, medical students cannot have jobs, yada yada. I've later learned that he has a Napoleon complex and is not likely to help students if their goals differ from what he thinks their goals should be. Truth be told, administrators really have no right to bully students like this. To bar a student from working would be like barring them having a family or spying on them at the pub on Friday nights.

With that said, I have spoken to classmates who work a little here or a little there (even at my hospital). It is doable but not that common. I am personally going back to my job on a prn basis because the research potential and contacts that I make will help me in the long run. I'll quit when I hit third year.

 

[NERDY]

When I took Kaplan for the MCAT, several of my teachers were med. students. It seemed to work out ok for them.

 

[QofQuimica]

When I took Kaplan for the MCAT, several of my teachers were med. students. It seemed to work out ok for them.

I was just going to suggest this. I taught for Kaplan during grad school and am continuing teaching as a med student. It's a very flexible job and it pays well too. I think if I had the OP's tutoring job though, I'd keep it....especially if you're being paid that much under the table with no taxes being taken out.