Should I leave a medical job to work at a camp? Will it hurt my app?

[doctorbetty]

So I'm 30 years old and applying to medschool. No kids, never married...

I have a question for anyone who can give me some advice.....

My b/f is always away working (oil and gas), and he was hoping that I would join him this summer in a camp. This would mean leaving a caregiving job (which is considered "clinical experience."). I have had this job for the past 6 months and also had similar clinical experience for a few years.

My interviews are over for this application cycle, and I am just wondering what I should do!!! Go with my b/f and drop my current job or would that be really dumb? If I go with my b/f, I will be able to spend more time with him before and if I go back to school (fingers crossed)!

[Jochi1543]

Well, I'd go there! It's gonna be a cool experience. If I weren't applying this summer (I'm applying to the US, so different timeline), I'd prolly go to the oilfields to work anyway - I'd make more money there in 3 months than at my current job. But I don't want to leave my 3 cats behind. However, for you even if you don't intend on working there, it will be an opportunity to spend more time with your BF, which is especially important considering that in a short while you might be in med overloaded with work and have even less time to see him.

[drcave]

Personally, I would not want to be a woman in an oiler camp. Yikes!

 

This really comes down to priorities. Which is more important to you, your boyfriend or your job? If your boyfriend is someone you could see yourself marrying then by all means go with him, it won't affect you this application cycle and you already have 6 months clinical experience. To me, the fact that you are waffling on this decisions suggests that perhaps he is not that important to you. What is there for you to do in the camp? Could you get a job? If he is not absolutely serious about your relationship then it seems a bit selfish of him to ask you to give up something so important to you just so you can sit around all summer and wait for him to get home from work. Can't you just take a week off work and visit instead?

 

Relationships involve compromise you should only give up something so important to you if the relationship is more important and your partner also compromises to meet your needs.

[celeria]

Here's a question: do you think that the relationship will survive once you begin medical school and have to face all the challenges of relocating, etc., that come with that?

[doctorbetty]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Actually, if I go to the camp I will be working in the kitchen, so at least I won't be sitting on my $#@ all day. I think it would be good to be with my boyfriend (thanks for the input everyone).... I am waffling over this decision because I finally feel pretty good about my caregiving job (It's been an uphill battle until now...) and I feel like I'm learning more about myself (working with clashing personality types). I also dread the idea of quitting (giving 2 weeks notice of course) because my employer is already short staffed!

 

That's a very good question, Celeria.... will our relationship survive medical school with all the relocations, etc? I don't think my b/f fully comprehends all of the sacrifices that we will have to make, and I will have to give him a better picture.

[Jochi1543]

OK, I have to ask - how do you feel about working in the kitchen? Are you a chef by profession? Because I know *I* would hate it, lol.

[doctorbetty]

Actually, I'm a secret cooking/baking fanatic. So that doesn't scare me in the least (except for maybe the hot stoves).

[wanttobedoc]

not as grueling as medicine, but in my small OT class only about 30 percent of the boyfriend/girlfriend relationships survived through out our 3 years of training. I can't imagine what strain medicine puts on relationships!

 

I love to cook and bake too, however, I believe doing it for mass consumption is quite a bit different. I worked in restaurants and catering for years while I was in school. It can be pretty high stress and definately sweaty and hot as Jochi indicated. Perhaps you will find it a nice break though from the caregiving. good luck. I'm sure you will be fine either which way you choose:)

[Jochi1543]

Actually, I'm a secret cooking/baking fanatic. So that doesn't scare me in the least (except for maybe the hot stoves).

Yeah, but it's a little different when you're cooking at home and when you're working in a large prep area. I've seen enough kitchen action as a delivery driver, lol.

[Jochi1543]

not as grueling as medicine, but in my small OT class only about 30 percent of the boyfriend/girlfriend relationships survived through out our 3 years of training. I can't imagine what strain medicine puts on relationships!

LOL, I'm not even in med, and none of MY girlfriend/boyfriend relationships have survived. Single, baby!

[Jazzie]

It's hard to find someone who will understand the life of a pre-med and/or med student. They usually end up feeling underappreciated and taken for granted. If we pick people who are undergoing the same things we are, for sure they'll understand but sometimes it gets a bit too competitive. I'll either stay single until I'm done and be an old fart when I start dating seriously or find someone who's asping to become a lawyer. j/k!

[Jochi1543]

It's hard to find someone who will understand the life of a pre-med and/or med student. They usually end up feeling underappreciated and taken for granted. If we pick people who are undergoing the same things we are, for sure they'll understand but sometimes it gets a bit too competitive. I'll either stay single until I'm done and be an old fart when I start dating seriously or find someone who's asping to become a lawyer. j/k!

Well, I thought my problem was that I'm a self-absorbed whiny assh0le, but I like your approach much more.

[Talon01]

Ultimately, I think you should do whatever will make YOU happy and not worry about how it will affect a future application. I am a firm believer that you shouldn't (and that you don't need to) be doing something just because it would look good (better) on an application than something else.

 

Personally, I worked at a summer camp for my summers between undergrad for 6 years straight and got into medical school. I had no hospital experience, physician shadowing, or any type of previous 'medical' experience.

 

There is no right way to get in. Just do what you think will make you happy because ultimate, if you don't get into medical school it would be horrible to look back at all the things you did just for the hell of it; especially the things you DIDN'T do.

 

Good luck

[Jazzie]

Well, I thought my problem was that I'm a self-absorbed whiny assh0le, but I like your approach much more.

 

 

 

Haha. I had to rationalize or I'll start thinking that there is something wrong with me. Actually there dfinitely is but this way I get to put some of the blames somewhere else.