Would you take this glide year job?

[Tofurkey]

Hello,

I am looking for jobs for my glide year (next year). I am a post-bacc student whose only real medically-related experience is a lot of volunteering and a semester of clinical research (this semester).

I applied for medical assistant and clinical research assistant jobs. After sending out 40 resumes, I got one bite. But I wanted to ask your opinion on this: it's a clinical research assistant position in the department of cardiology at a major university. Problem is, it pays only $10 per hour with no benefits. Personally, I think this is low, what do you guys think?

Since I am 27 with a husband to support, I feel I'd be poverty-stricken if I took this job, especially since I live in an expensive city. However, I've been looking for a long time and haven't gotten any other offers.

Should I keep looking--or snag this one? My duties would basically be interviewing patients and database work. Sounds ok, but not spectacular.

Thanks,

Tofurkey

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Eraserhead]

Hello,

I am looking for jobs for my glide year (next year). I am a post-bacc student whose only real medically-related experience is a lot of volunteering and a semester of clinical research (this semester).

I applied for medical assistant and clinical research assistant jobs. After sending out 40 resumes, I got one bite. But I wanted to ask your opinion on this: it's a clinical research assistant position in the department of cardiology at a major university. Problem is, it pays only $10 per hour with no benefits. Personally, I think this is low, what do you guys think?

Since I am 27 with a husband to support, I feel I'd be poverty-stricken if I took this job, especially since I live in an expensive city. However, I've been looking for a long time and haven't gotten any other offers.

Should I keep looking--or snag this one? My duties would basically be interviewing patients and database work. Sounds ok, but not spectacular.

Thanks,

Tofurkey

Wow, that sounds really low... but if you are truly interested in the job, go for it. Do you have savings to get you through the year at least? I work full-time in clinical research and get almost 17/hr with benefits... and I barely get by paying my loans/credit bills and high rent, etc.

It takes awhile to find a good research position, there is alot of waiting time as the turnover rate for good positions is not always high.

 

[snowbear]

Hello,

I am looking for jobs for my glide year (next year). I am a post-bacc student whose only real medically-related experience is a lot of volunteering and a semester of clinical research (this semester).

I applied for medical assistant and clinical research assistant jobs. After sending out 40 resumes, I got one bite. But I wanted to ask your opinion on this: it's a clinical research assistant position in the department of cardiology at a major university. Problem is, it pays only $10 per hour with no benefits. Personally, I think this is low, what do you guys think?

Since I am 27 with a husband to support, I feel I'd be poverty-stricken if I took this job, especially since I live in an expensive city. However, I've been looking for a long time and haven't gotten any other offers.

Should I keep looking--or snag this one? My duties would basically be interviewing patients and database work. Sounds ok, but not spectacular.

Thanks,

Tofurkey

This is quite a predicament, and although this would be very difficult to pull off financially, I almost think that you should take the job. I had a horrible time trying to find clinical/research position earlier this year and I finally gave up when I couldn't wait any longer and took an admin job. It sounds like it would definitely help your application and give you some solid things to speak about during interviews. I am kinda upset I didn't have a clinical/admin job this year (the grass is always greener?), but a lot of people tell me that I should enjoy my time away from the medical profession. Personally, I know that I love working with patients and my admin job bites--very boring, but very professional, pays well etc.

I would take the job now, and if you and your husband are suffering financially, and you find a better-paying job, take it. Explain to the med schools the pay rate and that you were supporting your husband--they'll understand.

Just some perspective,
snowbear

 

[kristabel]

I had a horrible time trying to find clinical/research position earlier this year and I finally gave up when I couldn't wait any longer and took an admin job. It sounds like it would definitely help your application and give you some solid things to speak about during interviews. I am kinda upset I didn't have a clinical/admin job this year (the grass is always greener?), but a lot of people tell me that I should enjoy my time away from the medical profession. Personally, I know that I love working with patients and my admin job bites--very boring, but very professional, pays well etc.

I had to do the same thing. I held out for a few months looking for a clinical/research position - when I finally got an interview for a job in a peds hem/onc unit the pay was going to be $11/hour. I would have taken the job anyway, but I got passed up because they knew I was applying to med school (I volunteered in another unit of the hospital). So, I ended up taking an admin job that pays decently (no benefits, though). While I was still looking, I got a job in retail that I have kept even with my fulltime position just to earn a few extra dollars. Maybe you could do the same thing to pad your income from the clinical research asst position?!? Good luck!

 

[GTea]

I'm working as a medical assistant in a clinic now. Pay is really low, but I took the job for the experience. But, if I was in the OP's position, I would not take such a low paying job (unless you have some $ saved). It'll probably be hard just to get by, plus applying to medschool is so expensive. If you decide to take the job, you might want to augment it with a part-time tutoring job or something. You can earn much more per hour tutoring. I'm single and still have no money left with my MA and tutoring jobs. Good luck.

 

[LoneCoyote]

I'd take the job and try to look for someone else. Like others have said clinical research jobs are very hard to get. One of my friends who was in that position sent out close to 100 resumes, got a couple of interviews and no positions. She had to work in retail and keep looking and the job she finally got, she got through a connection. Many of the jobs that are posted are already promised to someone, but they have to run a search to avoid breaking the law. They interview and then offer it to the person they had waiting all along. That was the siutation she found and in the end it worked to her benefit.

 

[Eraserhead]

I'd take the job and try to look for someone else. Like others have said clinical research jobs are very hard to get. One of my friends who was in that position sent out close to 100 resumes, got a couple of interviews and no positions. She had to work in retail and keep looking and the job she finally got, she got through a connection. Many of the jobs that are posted are already promised to someone, but they have to run a search to avoid breaking the law. They interview and then offer it to the person they had waiting all along. That was the siutation she found and in the end it worked to her benefit.

Yep, this is very true. Its the law to post an ad, but its easiest to hire someone that has volunteered in the lab first and who already has been training on X, Y, and Z tasks.