I didn't like my clinical experience job

[jcon21]

Hello everyone, so last summer I took phlebotomy classes so I can get a job that would pay me and give me direct patient contact. However, after doing the internship at a local lab, I found myself to be mentally and emotionally drained from this experience of drawing 40+ people a day. It was very tiring for me maybe because Im usually more of a introverted person but I think took this negative experience the wrong way. I thought that since I couldn't even handle doing something simple like this that becoming a physician would be out of my league and it would be too demanding. It was a big deal for me to consider this so I felt that I needes more time to think it over and I took a semester off to work and gain some mental clarity. So my question could I compensate the negative experience from the phlebotomy job with lab research experience? Is there anyone who got into med school with just good gpa,mcat and lab experience and no direct patient care experience? Is it a big deal that I didnt enjoy my direct patient care job? Also will it look bad that I took a semester off?

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[kamakazi5]

Although some specialties may not, the vast majority of physicians have significant direct patient care. Explain a bit more as to what you didn't enjoy about the position. Purely due to patients? Too repetitive?

I'm also quite introverted but still love dealing with patients (most of them). I'm not the type of person to go out of my way to speak with patients constantly but I enjoy the interactions I have. It took me some time to get used to it but it has never been a terrible experience.

 

[jcon21]

Although some specialties may not, the vast majority of physicians have significant direct patient care. Explain a bit more as to what you didn't enjoy about the position. Purely due to patients? Too repetitive?

I'm also quite introverted but still love dealing with patients (most of them). I'm not the type of person to go out of my way to speak with patients constantly but I enjoy the interactions I have. It took me some time to get used to it but it has never been a terrible experience.

The repetitiveness was especially energy draining. I did not mind the patient interraction itself however when I did have a patient who were just plain rude and awful, it does ruin the rest of the day for me. Im having a hard to understanding if maybe Im too sensitive.

 

[Medic741]

How old are you? Age context matters!

 

[jcon21]

How old are you? Age context matters!

22 yrs old

 

[Medic741]

22 yrs old

Cool. So healthcare jobs just kinda suck when you have to 'take' a bunch of abuse with some semblance of a smile on your face. You'll just learn to not care (thick skin), and that comes with time.

Also, the work environment surrounding most healthcare systems can be pretty toxic. If you're in a toxic work environment I'd so highly suggest looking for a better professional fit.

Repetitive stuff is also boring. Depending on income goals // timing // flexibility consider EMT or training to become a paramedic, or get a job as a tech in the ED. Repetitive is boring, and there are a bunch of interesting entry jobs out there!

 

[jcon21]

Cool. So healthcare jobs just kinda suck when you have to 'take' a bunch of abuse with some semblance of a smile on your face. You'll just learn to not care (thick skin), and that comes with time.

Also, the work environment surrounding most healthcare systems can be pretty toxic. If you're in a toxic work environment I'd so highly suggest looking for a better professional fit.

Repetitive stuff is also boring. Depending on income goals // timing // flexibility consider EMT or training to become a paramedic, or get a job as a tech in the ED. Repetitive is boring, and there are a bunch of interesting entry jobs out there!

Thanks this makes me feel alot better, it did feel like a toxic environment for sure but you dont think working as a EMT would have the same feel though? Ill give it a try. Also whats your opinion on being a ER Scribe?

 

[workaholic181]

Thanks this makes me feel alot better, it did feel like a toxic environment for sure but you dont think working as a EMT would have the same feel though? Ill give it a try. Also whats your opinion on being a ER Scribe?

why do you want to be a doctor? Please don't take that as condescending at all my intent in saying that is I feel as though if you can answer that question after feeling the way you did in that job than you'll have some more clarity.

 

[Medic741]

why do you want to be a doctor? Please don't take that as condescending at all my intent in saying that is I feel as though if you can answer that question after feeling the way you did in that job than you'll have some more clarity.

Lol. Menial jobs /= why you want to be a doc at alllllll. Its totally fine to not have clarity by being the ^*=% of the healthcare system for a few shifts.

Thanks this makes me feel alot better, it did feel like a toxic environment for sure but you dont think working as a EMT would have the same feel though? Ill give it a try. Also whats your opinion on being a ER Scribe?

So EMS is gonna be toxic af 95% of the time, but it'll give you some really unique exposure. Students that are 'EMTs' w/o commercial experience really can't say they were in EMS... so this experience gets a bad rap from them b/c of the pt pops (campus or 'volunteer') -- work in an urban environment and you'll learn a ton & get really good @ BLS, decision making, and leadership in acute settings.

Being a scribe, no personal experience (6 yrs EMS // paramedic), but know a lot of folks that have done this and it seems great. But, IMO there's nothing better than diving in and getting your hands dirty.


Also, as an EMT you'll have some autonomy and will make decisions prehospitally so you won't totally be doing repetitive work like a mindless drone. Thinking for yourself rocks. No way could I have ever shadowed or been a PCT or a scribe; would have totally turned me off of medicine & wouldn't be an M1 now

 

[workaholic181]

Lol. Menial jobs /= why you want to be a doc at alllllll. Its totally fine to not have clarity by being the ^*=% of the healthcare system for a few shifts.



So EMS is gonna be toxic af 95% of the time, but it'll give you some really unique exposure. Students that are 'EMTs' w/o commercial experience really can't say they were in EMS... so this experience gets a bad rap from them b/c of the pt pops (campus or 'volunteer') -- work in an urban environment and you'll learn a ton & get really good @ BLS, decision making, and leadership in acute settings.

Being a scribe, no personal experience (6 yrs EMS // paramedic), but know a lot of folks that have done this and it seems great. But, IMO there's nothing better than diving in and getting your hands dirty.


Also, as an EMT you'll have some autonomy and will make decisions prehospitally so you won't totally be doing repetitive work like a mindless drone. Thinking for yourself rocks. No way could I have ever shadowed or been a PCT or a scribe; would have totally turned me off of medicine & wouldn't be an M1 now

I agree that menial jobs aren't necessarily going to show you what being a doc is like. But OP seemed to not really enjoy being around patients and described a propensity to research, so I'm just suggesting that she examine why medicine now with the knowledge she's gained about herself.

 

[Blanky]

Get a job as a waiter for a couple months and learn, that is if you really wish to overcome yourself.

 

[Xavieous]

My first job in healthcare was as a home health care aid and I HATED it. I quite after a few weeks and became a janitor in a hospital (coincidentally). I realize later that what I hated wasn't anything to do with the healthcare, but the fact that I was under-trained and everything I was doing was brand new to me and made me feel inadequate/incompetent/dumb/confused/scared. All those emotions are really tough to handle, especially when you are doing something that matters to another. My recommendation is this: give it some time in a healthcare field. Pretty much everyone starts at the bottom: phlebotomist, scribe, CNA...etc. Do that field for AT LEAST 500-1000 hours. In that amount of time you will move past the initial horrible honeymoon phase and begin to see how mastery of the skills+applying them makes you feel.

My story continued in that after working as a janitor for 7 months, I wanted to give healthcare another go so go onto a post-thoracic and vascular surgery floor as a CNA. It took 6 months for me to start feeling less scared and insecure and start to see the fantastic gift that healthcare is for your patient---and yourself. The reward of performing medical procedures correctly on my patients and seeing them improve through my care was very inspiring. You need to give yourself some time as a phlebotomist, or try another healthcare field like CNA in a hospital and see if your perspective has changed after 6 months. That is why medical schools require their applicants to have 500-1000 hours of healthcare experience b/c anyone can scribe for 200 hours and pretend they have experienced the broad range of emotions that occur in healthcare. Just give it a little more time if you are truly interested in this field. And who knows, you may realize you love nursing/PA/radiology more than being a physician in the process and that is a win too.

 

[allantois]

My first job in healthcare was as a home health care aid and I HATED it. I quite after a few weeks and became a janitor in a hospital (coincidentally). I realize later that what I hated wasn't anything to do with the healthcare, but the fact that I was under-trained and everything I was doing was brand new to me and made me feel inadequate/incompetent/dumb/confused/scared. All those emotions are really tough to handle, especially when you are doing something that matters to another. My recommendation is this: give it some time in a healthcare field. Pretty much everyone starts at the bottom: phlebotomist, scribe, CNA...etc. Do that field for AT LEAST 500-1000 hours. In that amount of time you will move past the initial horrible honeymoon phase and begin to see how mastery of the skills+applying them makes you feel.

My story continued in that after working as a janitor for 7 months, I wanted to give healthcare another go so go onto a post-thoracic and vascular surgery floor as a CNA. It took 6 months for me to start feeling less scared and insecure and start to see the fantastic gift that healthcare is for your patient---and yourself. The reward of performing medical procedures correctly on my patients and seeing them improve through my care was very inspiring. You need to give yourself some time as a phlebotomist, or try another healthcare field like CNA in a hospital and see if your perspective has changed after 6 months. That is why medical schools require their applicants to have 500-1000 hours of healthcare experience b/c anyone can scribe for 200 hours and pretend they have experienced the broad range of emotions that occur in healthcare. Just give it a little more time if you are truly interested in this field. And who knows, you may realize you love nursing/PA/radiology more than being a physician in the process and that is a win too.

There is literally no medical school in the nation which requires applicants to have paid healthcare experience

 

[Xavieous]

There is literally no medical school in the nation which requires applicants to have paid healthcare experience

Never stated it had to be paid, and while an open requirement may not be stated on medical school profiles, their is an implied requirement that if not met will bar you from most medical schools.