Working while pre-med

[pastas]

Hello, I am a Freshman in a biology major and I was wondering if it's doable to get a part-time job as an EMT and still maintain a 4.0 GPA in school.

I've heard from some people that being a pre-med is basically a full time job in itself because of the sheer amount of studying and going to class. However, I still need to get a job as I need to pay bills (I won't be living with my parents sophomore year).

So for the sophomores, juniors, and seniors in pre-med, is it doable to work 20-25 hours a week and maintain perfect grades while going to school full time? As a freshman now, I feel that I can balance both, but I know the classes get progressively harder and I would have to spend more time studying for classes.

If not, I'm considering going to school part time or taking a gap year so I can save up money. I really don't want a bad GPA.

And I'm considering working as an EMT or a CNA so I can get some experience in the medical field while getting paid! It just makes sense for me financially than shadowing and volunteering. I think it's better than working as a cashier. Or maybe it's not, please correct me if I'm wrong.

If this question has been asked already, I apologize, I really did try to find a forum on this topic.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[11BtoMD]

I work 36 hours a week as an EMT. Am in school full time and have been maintaining a 3.8-4.0. And I am not even a great student. You can do it!

 

[deleted1077948]

I had my best semester this fall (3.88 gpa) while working 20 + hours a week and volunteering 10 + hours a week.

 

[Lasofloxabuterol]

Its all about the balance between the type of job, volunteer/research commitments, and course load you have. I personally work around 56 hours a week overnights in addition to volunteering and research, however, I am able to study at work unless it gets busy. Of course as an EMT you cannot do that. Balance is key!

 

[M&L]

I worked 3 jobs totally 50 hours a week , 2 of which required “thinking”, one was overnight . School full time (chemistry degree). You can do it .

 

[Lasofloxabuterol]

I worked 3 jobs totally 50 hours a week , 2 of which required “thinking”, one was overnight . School full time (chemistry degree). You can do it .

Do you think that your extensive employment while in school was ONE major consideration in your eventual acceptance? Did it come up in interviews, ect.? Thanks!!

 

[M&L]

Do you think that your extensive employment while in school was ONE major consideration in your eventual acceptance? Did it come up in interviews, ect.? Thanks!!

Well yeah it came up a lot, because it does reflect an ability to multitask, etc. plus my “thinking” jobs had a certain level of responsibility for projects . Like, I was responsible for something big .

 

[M&L]

Do you think that your extensive employment while in school was ONE major consideration in your eventual acceptance? Did it come up in interviews, ect.? Thanks!!

My grades were average, my mcat was average . So it had to be veteran status and my jobs that got me in .
Don’t take me wrong - I wish I didn’t have to work that much and I was jealous of classmates who didn’t have to , but ultimately it turned into an advantage .

 

[Rachapkis]

As the old adage says, “necessity is the mother of invention.” If you need to work 20-25 hours per week, you can still excel In your classes. However, it will require you to manage your time wisely and live a disciplined life. If possible, I would ease into your work schedule—building the time you spend working—to make sure that you are still doing well in school before adding additional work hours to your schedule. Good luck!

 

[HouseJC]

Yes, as others described above, it is possible. However, it depends on whether you have the proper habits and discipline to achieve success. You'll need these systems in place to balance academic rigor with your EMT job. If it's possible, maybe do 1 shift part-time and see how it goes. If it goes well, then you can add more shifts. If not, then it's a sign to focus on school first.

For reference, I maintained a part-time job (working Saturdays and Sundays) year-round as a full-time undergraduate and current Ph.D. student. It was initially hard to balance, so I cut back on my other ECs and developed good habits and routines. Then, as I got more comfortable, I slowly resumed my ECs. Good luck!

 

[DNAJB6]

It depends on many factors including the school you attend and its rigor.

 

[LiveLoveMedicine]

Hello, I am a Freshman in a biology major and I was wondering if it's doable to get a part-time job as an EMT and still maintain a 4.0 GPA in school.

I've heard from some people that being a pre-med is basically a full time job in itself because of the sheer amount of studying and going to class. However, I still need to get a job as I need to pay bills (I won't be living with my parents sophomore year).

So for the sophomores, juniors, and seniors in pre-med, is it doable to work 20-25 hours a week and maintain perfect grades while going to school full time? As a freshman now, I feel that I can balance both, but I know the classes get progressively harder and I would have to spend more time studying for classes.

If not, I'm considering going to school part time or taking a gap year so I can save up money. I really don't want a bad GPA.

And I'm considering working as an EMT or a CNA so I can get some experience in the medical field while getting paid! It just makes sense for me financially than shadowing and volunteering. I think it's better than working as a cashier. Or maybe it's not, please correct me if I'm wrong.

If this question has been asked already, I apologize, I really did try to find a forum on this topic.

I was a non-traditional student and worked full time completing my pre-reqs until I started medical school. It was definitely much easier to maintain a higher GPA in the 100 level courses versus the 400 level. In my experience, I would not stress so much about having a perfect GPA, because while an above average GPA is important medical schools care A LOT more about your MCAT score and extra curricular activities (like research, volunteer hours, shadowing). Having EMT experience is going to look way better on your application then working as a cashier, IMO.

 

[5yearstime]

I definitely support working while a premed. I worked 20-25 hours during the semester, 40 hours plus volunteer / shadowing during most of summer/winter. Someone had to pay rent and scholarships didn't cover it fully. I was able to still workout, have friends, and keep good grades (summa cum laude).

I would not recommend a full time gig though. But I think working really helps you manage your time better and helps you keep to a schedule. I wish I had continued working at a part time job in med school too, but everyone recommended against it. Maybe only 10-15 hours per week would have been good. Med school was multiple times more tough and more intense than even my 500 level chem and bio classes in undergrad.

Obviously school takes priority if that's really your goal. Now as a doctor finishing up residency, all of it was very worth it. Very rewarding field so far. But remember, at some point you'll be working 80 hours/wk and still needing to study for boards. So am in favor of holding a job in college for sure. Even if seems menial, it's not.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Very much possible! Especially if it is a job like EMT that can become a strong part of your clinical experience. I worked ~ 15-20 hours in EMS during undergrad and the leadership positions I were a part of because central to my application. I was able to get multiple 4.0s in chemistry.

It can be done. Start slow and titrate until you have a good work/school/life balance. Typically 15 hours or so per week fits snugly.

David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[GingerGurl]

Just finished my master's program with a 3.9 cGPA (first semester was rough) while working ~60 hours/week on the overnights as a Paramedic (thanks COVID), being a dog-mom (although he sometimes came to school with me, shh), and keeping like a few nights a month for me. It's difficult for sure, but doable when you're full-time. It's more than doable part-time and will help teach you excellent time management skills, which could be a big plus. Also, the clinical experience you gain actually talking to and caring for patients is really valuable and will help solidify for you that you are, indeed, interested in doing this for the rest of your life. Just my opinion though.

 

[Ganon]

In this day and age it almost seems expected to juggle ft work and difficult schooling.
It’s tough, but doable.

My caution would be not to mess up your GPA though. Taking an extra year to finish is better than getting bad grades and taking many years to do GPA repair

 

[Eye-eye]

As others have mentioned, it's doable. BUT, you need to have both the innate intelligence / ability to learn and memorize quickly and the work ethic to succeed at both. There may also be semesters when it gets to be too much, depending on your school/professors. For me, those courses were upper level Chem, mostly, but for some it may be physics or an A&P course or something - hard to know until you're there.

If you did great in high school with lots of extracurriculars or a job, I'd definitely say to go for it, but be ready to cut the cord for a few months (and potentially permanently, because who knows if you could then get your job back) if you hit a tough semester. Grades are more important - you can make up a little extra debt later on in your career.

 

[emelia]

Hello, I am a Freshman in a biology major and I was wondering if it's doable to get a part-time job as an EMT and still maintain a 4.0 GPA in school.

I've heard from some people that being a pre-med is basically a full time job in itself because of the sheer amount of studying and going to class. However, I still need to get a job as I need to pay bills (I won't be living with my parents sophomore year).

So for the sophomores, juniors, and seniors in pre-med, is it doable to work 20-25 hours a week and maintain perfect grades while going to school full time? As a freshman now, I feel that I can balance both, but I know the classes get progressively harder and I would have to spend more time studying for classes.

If not, I'm considering going to school part time or taking a gap year so I can save up money. I really don't want a bad GPA.

And I'm considering working as an EMT or a CNA so I can get some experience in the medical field while getting paid! It just makes sense for me financially than shadowing and volunteering. I think it's better than working as a cashier. Or maybe it's not, please correct me if I'm wrong.

If this question has been asked already, I apologize, I really did try to find a forum on this topic.

I am considering doing the same thing this fall! When are you planning on training to become a certified EMT?

 

[tarazzl]

I work 36 hours a week as an EMT. Am in school full time and have been maintaining a 3.8-4.0. And I am not even a great student. You can do it!

I'm thinking about being EMT, but is there a lot of lifting to do while at work?