<p>Is working as a cashier at a fast food restaurant considered as one of good med school ECs that demonstrate your well-roundedness?
I'm aware that there's no one EC that's good for med school, but I just feel that this is way to irrelevant to med school and that many people accepted by top med schools didn't try such part time jobs during their undergrad careers.
The reason I started this job 6 months ago was to experience new things I never knew before, and this is my first job ever. But nowadays I often think that it would be more worthwhile to do more med school-relevant ECs than this. I'm wondering if I'd be better off quitting this job and rather doing more med school-related ECs.</p>
<p>Work experience is always a good EC since you learn to manage finances, responsibility, and all that other good stuff. However, if you can get an more academically challenging job, it would be even better.</p>
<p>If you don't like it, don't do it. Seriously.</p>
<p>I never said I didn't like it. In fact, I like this job so much. It's just that I want to look for better ways of using my limited time.</p>
<p>It depends on how you want to describe it. I don't know your situation, so I'm just making this stuff up. You could say you took a job with flexible hours to support yourself. The job required speed, accuracy, being able to work in a team, and being able to handle the challenges that arise when you serve hundreds of customers a day. You can talk those skills up as being important for being a doctor.</p>
<p>Something like that, anyway.</p>
<p>shades_children: Thanks for the suggestion. The job skills you said apply exactly to my case. I can't think of any other things that apply to being a doctor. By the way, I'm not working at this job (12 hours per week) for money, but only for work experience that can never be taught by textbooks or lectures.</p>
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I'm not working at this job (12 hours per week) for money, but only for work experience that can never be taught by textbooks or lectures.
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<p>Given your reasoning, I think you need to be looking harder for better opportunities. Volunteering in a hospital's emergency room can give you the same skills, albeit without pay, and you also pick up "clinical experience."</p>
<p>shades_children, I submitted a volunteer application to a local Cancer Agency last week, and I'm having a volunteer interview this Thursday. I'm planning on volunteering 6~8 hours per week for 2~3 years from now on. I'm unsure what task or responsibility I'll receive; I'm expecting to find it out at the interview.</p>
<p>What other med school-relevant ECs are great? Besides volunteering at the local Cancer Agency, I also want to volunteer or work in an emergency room for 2~3 years. But I think it's hard to find such an opportunity in my area. Please give me some advice.</p>
<p>Many hospitals, especially local ones, have volunteer programs for high schoolers, college students, and senior citizens. ER volunteering is like a classic "clinical experience," and depending on the style of the volunteer program and your responsibilities, you may see some pretty cool (and gross) things. I was at a so-called "rural hospital," and we saw everything from random senior citizen complaints to construction/household accidents to prisoners from the local jail to women in labor to drug-seeking addicts. And I didn't volunteer that often.</p>
<p>I have some trouble believing you cannot find ANY hospital with a volunteer program. Since you "think it's hard to find such an opportunity," stop thinking and start looking. Call up the hospitals in your area, get to the operator, and ask for the volunteer office. Be aware that some hospitals may have waiting lists for high schoolers, since a lot of them are often trying to get volunteer jobs at the same time.</p>
<p>Other relevant ECs might be working (not just training) as an EMT, working with children with disabilities, etc.</p>
<p>I think a medical related job would serve you better. I mean it is ok for your first job but most people get there first job in high school not undergraduate school. I got my first job when I turned 15. Then I got a job at a hospital cafeteria, then I worked my way up to the hospitals Pharmacy. So try to find something medicine related.</p>
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Since you "think it's hard to find such an opportunity," stop thinking and start looking.
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LOL, I think I should really do that. :)</p>
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Other relevant ECs might be working (not just training) as an EMT, working with children with disabilities, etc.
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Is it possible that your local hospital where you volunteer also has EMT positions for college students?</p>
<p>ysk1:</p>
<p>I know absolutely nothing about EMTs other than the fact they're the ones who come save you (hopefully) if you have a horrible accident. :) You'll have to ask your local hospital about that.</p>