If you’re in the process of completing your undergraduate studies, you might be wondering what premed jobs will help your medical school application stand out. Knowing how to prepare for your medical school application will give you an advantage not only when you’re searching for jobs, but when you’re compiling your materials. The most valuable jobs will be clinical or clinical-adjacent positions, but there are also many other jobs that can help you develop the skills you need as an entering medical school student. In this article, we discuss the best premed jobs and where to find them.
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The Importance of Premed Jobs
Your medical school resume is an opportunity to show an admissions committee that you’ve spent the last few years targeting specific employment opportunities that benefit your medical school candidacy. Most admissions committees are looking for applicants with clinical experience on their resumes. Premeds who have difficulty finding clinical positions will often turn to clinical research opportunities for premed students. It all depends on what’s available, and in most cases, you’ll have to do some research and networking to find the best opportunities.
Want to learn about the best premed gap year jobs? Watch this video:
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), there are four categories of key competencies for entering medical school students: interpersonal, intrapersonal, thinking and reasoning, and science; these are similar, in some ways, to CanMEDS roles. When you’re looking for jobs to start during your premed studies, you should refer to this list to help you decide if a position will prepare you to meet the expectations of admissions committees. Here are some of the skills listed by the AAMC:
To summarize: premed jobs are an opportunity to develop these skills in an environment that simulates some of the responsibilities or competencies that you’ll encounter in medical school. Job experiences can also give you more options for what you might discuss in your AMCAS work & activities and your medical school secondary essays; and, if you’re wondering how to make your medical school application stand out, premed jobs are a sure way to do that. Keep in mind that you can also mention certain premed jobs in a medical school letter of intent in certain circumstances.
The Best Premed Jobs
1. Medical Scribe
A medical scribe is someone who collaborates with health care workers, mainly physicians, to ensure that patient documentation is accurate and organized. Scribes will often accompany a physician directly to the patient room to transcribe medical information. The core of this position is to maintain records and keep information accessible and updated. In some cases, medical scribes will answer phones or patient inquiries at the front desk. Scribes typically work in clinics, hospitals, or other medical facilities.
Why this is a great job:
Medical scribe is a great premed job because you will observe clinical procedures and learn how physicians communicate with patients. Having experience in clinics or other health care settings can instantiate several of the AMCAS skill prerequisites, such as ethical responsibility.
Developing a good understanding of the standards physicians and clinics must comply with demonstrates an appreciation of the health care structure and procedural acumen – two attributes that are difficult to develop prior to medical school.
Where to find this job:
If you inquire, you can find medical scribe opportunities at your local hospitals or clinics. There are some organizations that post positions regularly, such as Medical Scribes of Canada or Scribe America that you can explore if this premed job interests you.
2. Tutor
As a premed job, it’s best if you can find opportunities to tutor other students at the undergraduate level in medical school prerequisites: biology (or anatomy and physiology), organic chemistry, biochemistry, statistics, and humanities/social sciences. Tutors must also create lesson plans, assign homework, prepare practice tests, and evaluate client progress to make recommendations for improvement.
Why this is a great job:
Tutoring allows you to practice your collaboration and communication skills. If you’re teaching subjects that are relevant to medical school, you can demonstrate advanced knowledge; just make sure you fulfill your medical school GPA requirements with strong grades. Also, because you will need to evaluate and identify a student’s weaknesses, you’re engaging another core competency in critical thinking.
One potential con of this position that you should consider is that you won’t likely have an opportunity to gain a medical school letter of recommendation, so you’ll need to secure other viable options, such as professors or supervisors.
Where to find this job:
You need to have a strong GPA in your tutoring subjects to appeal to employers. You could also start your own tutoring service and advertise your services on social media or at the school you’re attending if you possess the required certification or a teaching license. The best way to find tutoring jobs is to type the keyword into various job boards to find openings in your area; if it’s more convenient for you, you can also search for virtual positions.
3. Research Assistant
A research assistant’s job is to provide support for the development of a research question through each phase. At the start of the empirical study, research assistants typically gather and review relevant literature. They may also prepare survey questions or help determine a reasonable population sample. During the testing or experiment phase, assistants will help gather and organize equipment while collecting and maintaining the data. Once the research is complete, assistants summarize the findings and discuss the implications of the results with other researchers.
Why this is a great job:
Many applicants will ask themselves “how important is research for medical school?” The answer is that research is a very important component of any application, especially for those who wish to enter a research career after medical school.
Research has shown engagement in medical school to be positively associated with overall learning outcomes, which is why having research experience on your resume has strong persuasive power.
Where to find this job:
Research assistants can work in a variety of settings, including medical research centers, universities, market research firms, and consulting firms. However, as a premed job, some research positions are more valuable than others – to find job openings that are scientific in nature, talk to your professors and academic advisors about available opportunities. You can also locate laboratories or hospitals specializing in research; send them an email or check the careers section of their websites to find out more.
4. Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy assistants fill prescriptions, talk to customers about medication, handle transactions, organize medications, and retrieve a patient’s relevant medical records. As a technician, you will practice valuable communication and learn about your patient’s needs. Handling patient queries and learning about how various prescriptions work will develop your sense of how physicians and pharmacists collaborate to promote patient health.
Not all states require the completion of a pharmacy technician educational program, but you should inquire. Pursuing the educational pathway is likely too time-consuming for a premed student. For places that don’t require certification, you will still need to provide proof of a high school diploma and perform a background check. Some states that don’t require national certification will still have employers that supersede the state requirements, so make sure to verify what’s needed before you apply.
Why this is a great job:
Patient interaction is the main benefit of becoming a pharmacy technician. If you work in a hospital setting, you might have the opportunity to observe operations or procedures; and by proximity to physicians and pharmacists, you will learn how they communicate with patients and each other.
You will also have access to information regarding medical insurance companies, background that is hard to come by in premed jobs. Demonstrating cursory knowledge of this critical aspect of health care shows commitment, which will certainly stand out on your application.
Where to find this job:
Because you will need to find employers who don’t require a national or state/provincial license, you should inquire at specific locations. You can also check job boards for available openings, but again, you will have to make sure the requirements are clear before applying. Check hospitals or local clinics to ask if there are any technician openings; these environments will give you more opportunities to engage with the patient population.
5. Home Health Aide
A home health aide is responsible for providing patients with personal in-home care, delivering medication, and supporting patients who are ill or disabled. In this position, you may also pick up patients from their homes and escort them to doctor’s appointments or assist the patient with daily activities such as showering, getting dressed, eating, or exercising. Becoming a home health aide is a great way to work directly with patients whose needs can vary considerably. In many ways, transitioning from a home health aide to a medical school student is like going from nurse to doctor.
The state and provincial laws for home health aides can vary, so you should make sure you don’t need education beyond a high school diploma before you start job searching. In most cases, however, you will need 120 hours of coursework combined with 40 to 60 hours of clinical training to receive your certification. Most community colleges offer a training program that you can complete during the summer when you have more free time.
Why this is a great job:
The most pertinent aspect of your role as a home health aide is direct exposure to a patient population. You will enter homes in which patients are injured or suffering from various ailments. Typically, you will work under the supervision of a nurse. Having established background experience working directly with patients will help you gain an appreciation for their complex needs and how various conditions are treated. Admissions committees will like that you’re showing signs of being passionate and committed to health care, which is what makes this job particularly influential on your application.
Where to find this job:
Community health centers will typically post home health aide positions in a careers directory. Alternatively, find openings on job boards by typing in the keyword and adjusting the range in which you’d be willing to travel.
6. Medical Assistant
A medical assistant serves a supportive function in clinics or hospitals. Common duties include administrative tasks like answering phones, showing patients to exam rooms, updating medical histories, preparing laboratory samples, and helping doctors during patient examinations.
A potential drawback of becoming a medical assistant is that you will almost always need to meet certain educational requirements. Medical assistant programs, which you can find at community colleges, can range between 10 months and two years. If you’re early enough in your premed studies, completing the training can help you start working in this field sooner. Otherwise, licensure or certification isn’t a requirement in Canada or the US, so you can still apply for jobs if you have other clinical experience.
Why this job is great:
A medical assistant position allows you to gain direct experience with patients. You will also observe or “shadow” (sometimes virtual shadowing) doctors as they collect samples, discuss medication, and answer questions about symptoms or treatment. Work experience as a medical assistant will also give you an opportunity to enhance your AMCAS most meaningful experiences, and you will likely acquire a strong letter of recommendation from a physician who can endorse you as an applicant.
Where to find this job:
Medical assistant positions are, again, ideally found at your local clinics or hospitals. You can either call, email, or visit them directly to ask about vacancies. Alternatively, visit their websites if they have one and navigate to the “careers” or “jobs” tab to see active listings.
7. Community Support Worker
A community support worker advocates for individuals and families in the community seeking housing, employment, medical or legal help, or the mitigation of crisis situations. A community support worker will typically liaison between local authorities such as police offers, health care workers, or social workers. Community support workers will typically work in shelters, youth group homes, supported living facilities, and residential care organizations.
Why this job is great:
There are few jobs that emphasize leadership as much as community support, which is one of the skills that admissions committees will be on the lookout for; in addition to the leadership skills you should demonstrate in your extracurriculars for medical school, volunteer experiences, and research, you can develop this quality in a way that translates to any medical specialty. Also, it’s a significant advantage to show that you’re concerned with the well-being of your community, especially for schools that emphasize community health care.
Where to find this job:
The best place to find this job is to visit your local community support network either online or in person. Typically, you can find listings on job boards or on the website of your municipal government. If you’re in Canada, the Government of Canada centralizes all job postings for community and social service worker positions and organizes them by province. For US applicants, you can find a similar resource in USAjobs.gov.
8. MCAT Instructor
An instructor with an MCAT private tutoring service is someone who had a strong performance on the MCAT and is therefore prepared to give advice on how to study for the MCAT. MCAT tutoring jobs typically take place in the following format: the instructor and the student review materials in distinct categories that will appear on the actual test; they simulate the testing environment and provide feedback on the student’s approach to specific answers; and they provide general strategies for improving their MCAT timing from the perspective of someone who succeeded on it.
Why this job is great:
Like most tutoring jobs, MCAT tutoring entails a great deal of communication, which is perhaps one of the most medically relevant aspects of this job. Helping other premeds work toward their goal of entering medical school can also show compassion and advanced knowledge of pertinent MCAT concepts.
Where to find this job:
MCAT instructors typically work for academic consulting companies; occasionally, you can find freelance instructors through various social media channels. You can also sometimes find open positions affiliated with your school, so check with your advisor to find out if there are any available openings.
9. Premed Student Brand Ambassador
A premed student brand ambassador is someone who promotes the brand of a company on social media. You will be responsible for endorsing various products or services, maintaining the reputation of the company by embodying their values, and substantiating the success of the company’s program. You will need experience using the tools and strategies of the company to help other students connect with these resources.
Why this job is great:
This is an ideal position for students who are:
In terms of your medical school application, showing that you can disseminate a message aimed at improving outcomes for premeds shows that you can communicate effectively and that you care about the success of your peers.
Where to find this job:
You can find this position on academic consulting websites. You can also search for student brand ambassador positions on job boards; be sure that you can commit at least 10–15 hours a week and that you have active social media channels that you can use.
FAQs
1. What qualities should I look for in a premed job?
Ideally, you should be looking for jobs that give you clinical experience. You can also look for jobs where you will be active in research in various ways. Both job categories will help you develop transferable skills that benefit a career in medicine, such as leadership.
2. Are there any required jobs to get into medical school?
There are no employment requirements, but having a work history with clinical experience or research can help your application stand out.
3. Do I need a certification to be a pharmacy technician?
In some states/provinces, yes. Some employers, regardless of licensure or certification requirements, will still ask you to show proof of training from an accredited institution, so make sure you verify what you need before you apply.
4. What’s the difference between a medical assistant and a home health aide?
The main difference is the work environment. As a home health aide, you will be working in the homes of patients. As a medical assistant, you will be working in a hospital or clinic.
5. Should I include all work experiences on my resume or just the relevant ones?
You should prioritize the most relevant positions, but you don’t have to eliminate items if they say something about the skills that are transferable to medicine. For example, include clinical and research experience first, and then other positions that are valuable mainly for the skills.
6. Should I list publications and other research experiences on my resume or a portfolio?
This depends on how extensive your research background is. If you have many projects you worked on, it can help to provide an overview in a separate document. However, you can list your research experiences and your role in each project on your resume if it fits within two pages.
7. I’ve been wondering how to get into medical school with a low GPA. Is it possible?
Clinical work experience can’t make up for a low GPA, but high-quality premed jobs can increase your chances of getting invited for an interview; admissions committees like to see that you’re committed and passionate about the field, and getting a head start in a clinical environment accomplishes that.
8. If I don’t have a lot of work experience, should I bother submitting a resume?
Yes, you should always submit a resume, even if it isn’t as comprehensive as it ideally should be. A resume is one of the medical school requirements, so you can’t forget it when you’re applying.
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