Offered two jobs - both ideal for med application

Not sure if this is the most sensible place to post this, but I'm not in a completely rational mood right now!

I'm just finishing Year 13, about to start my gap year, applying for Med in Oct for 2008 entry.

I've just been offered a job as a Medical Data Input Clerk at a GP surgery, the contract came through today for me to sign and all the references and everything are done, I have a start data and a work schedule and everything. I'm ecstatic cos I really thought I mucked up the interview.

However, in the same mail delivery as my contract was an invitation to interview for a Bank HCA position at the hospital. I applied back in February and heard nothing, so assumed I hadn't got it, and now they've sent through Occ Health and CRB forms and confidentiality stuff to sign and I have no idea what to do!

The Data Input job is 18hrs/week, just four mornings a week, but up to 25hrs/week to cover holidays/sickness/etc.

Do you think its possible for me to do both? I also do voluntary work at a hospice and at the hospital that takes up my weekends and I was going to do AS Physics at school as well.

If I forget the physics, is it realistic that I could do 4 jobs? Obviously with the HCA bank work I can choose how many hours I do. Just completely confused about the whole thing. HCA-ing sounds ideal for a med application because of the hands-on aspect, but I already have tons of work experience (total of 1 month in hospital, week in GP, 2 days in NHS labs, hospice voluntary, hospital voluntary, customer service-type job previously). I'm not exactly thrilled about the prospect of sitting at a computer for 18hrs/week.

Any advice would be really really appreciated! Sorry, I realise how bad it is that some people are posting complaining they can't get work exp/ med related jobs and I'm sat here worrying about having too many.

Reply 1

digitalis

Well you got to ask yourself, will it actually help your medicine application? Work experience is to show that you know the realities and challenges of medicine and if you have done all that you have done and its made you realise medicines what you want to do...then it may not help your app.

But gut feeling says HCA, it would be more fun.

Reply 2

iolaus

HCA work as long as I do 1 shift every 3 months I stay on the bank for when I want the shifts, so I'd do that occasionally - you will learn a lot which comes in after you start the training, never mind the application

Reply 3

*Princess*

Data entry is boring!

Reply 4

Future Doc

Which ever one pays the most :wink:

but seriously if you've already done work experience and have got the voluenteering then you don't really need a job in a health care situation just for the sake of it. You can use the job in your PS to show what qualities you have developed and toned without even setting foot in a hospital. You can show ability to commit, confidentiality and responsiblity with most jobs so pick the one you like the most. You wouldn't want to get over worked and then have to explain why you gave up some jobs 3 months into the gap year. I'd suggest one job and throwing yrself into it!