Ideas for med students to earn money?

pc11

Are there any ways med students could work and earn some money in something vaguely relevant to medicine? Ideally something flexible, reasonably paid, and a chance to learn something.

There's phlebotomy for example, though I don't know how viable that is.

Lab tech? Research assistant? Pharmacy assistant?

Any thoughts?

2Scoops

pc11 wrote: »

Ideally something flexible, reasonably paid, and a chance to learn something.

You don't ask for much! I would say care assistant is your best bet. Paid research opportunities are definitely out there for med students, but you will need to compete for funding. You're not really qualified to be any of the other things you've mentioned.

pc11

Thanks. I should have said I'm a GEP with plenty of work experience rather than right out of school.

Do you need qualifications to help out in a pharmacy?

What is the work like as a care assistant?

2Scoops

pc11 wrote: »

Thanks. I should have said I'm a GEP with plenty of work experience rather than right out of school.

Do you need qualifications to help out in a pharmacy?

What is the work like as a care assistant?

Is your pre-medicine experience lab-based or pharmacy-based? If not, I don't think it will matter for lab or pharmacy jobs - who would take you on vs. even a science or pharm student? If you have experience in something that will pay well, I'd just do that part-time, if money is an issue. Any experience you get in a medical-related role honestly won't count for much at the end of the day.

The work of a care assistant is manual lifting, feeding, and bathroom stuff, afaik.

Eurovisionmad

pc11 wrote: »

Are there any ways med students could work and earn some money in something vaguely relevant to medicine? Ideally something flexible, reasonably paid, and a chance to learn something.

There's phlebotomy for example, though I don't know how viable that is.

Lab tech? Research assistant? Pharmacy assistant?

Any thoughts?

I work in a pharmacy at the moment, I'm lucky in that it's quite flexible and I do get the opportunity to help out on the healthcare side of things (just you know advice for OTC medicines and that)

pc11

Eurovisionmad wrote: »

I work in a pharmacy at the moment, I'm lucky in that it's quite flexible and I do get the opportunity to help out on the healthcare side of things (just you know advice for OTC medicines and that)

Cool. Does it pay ok? Do you get to help with the prescription side? Is that allowed under supervision?

Eurovisionmad

pc11 wrote: »

Cool. Does it pay ok? Do you get to help with the prescription side? Is that allowed under supervision?

It pays reasonably well, I just did an on the job course with the pharmacist on OTC things, the only thing with regard to prescriptions I do is retrieve them when a customer comes in looking for them, I've nothing to do with making them up and if the customer has any questions I refer him/her to the pharmacist. The same applies if I'm giving OTC advice to pregnant women, babies, elderly people and anything very complicated or serious sounding, so I don't have a massive amount of responsibility at the same time! At the end of the day the majority of retail stuff (till work etc) rather than giving out health advice, but having said that, I do learn a few things alright!

Dingle_berry

pc11 wrote: »

Lab tech? Research assistant? Pharmacy assistant?

Why do you think that the medical training that you have completed equates to or exceedes the qualifications for the above professions?

pc11

Dingle_berry wrote: »

Why do you think that the medical training that you have completed equates to or exceedes the qualifications for the above professions?

Wow, where did I suggest that? I didn't know you needed qualifications to work in a pharmacy. I was underestimating the teenage girls I see working in chemist shops, my bad.

Besides, did you miss where I'm a GEP? I'm actually pretty highly qualified. In fact I used to teach pharmacy and lab tech students.

I just looked up pharmacy tech courses which I see are Level 6 and I can see that I am much more qualified than what's in the course outline. But I wasn't even asking about that, I just meant help out in a pharmacy.

What's with the snarky post? If you don't have something helpful to post, why bother?

Dingle_berry

pc11 wrote: »

Wow, where did I suggest that? I didn't know you needed qualifications to work in a pharmacy. I was underestimating the teenage girls I see working in chemist shops, my bad.

Besides, did you miss where I'm a GEP? I'm actually pretty highly qualified. In fact I used to teach pharmacy and lab tech students.

I just looked up pharmacy tech courses which I see are Level 6 and I can see that I am much more qualified than what's in the course outline. But I wasn't even asking about that, I just meant help out in a pharmacy.

What's with the snarky post? If you don't have something helpful to post, why bother?

My post was merely a question, you took it as a snarky post. It wasn't meant as snarky, I'm just genuinely curious about your "opinion" of these professions. You'll rely on them to be a sucsessuful doctor (depending on your definition of sucsessful, granted)

So, from your answer, having a qualification in a related subject and experience teaching that subject to other professionals would qualify you to do their job?
If you taught both pharmacy and "lab tech" students then I assume you taught in UCC? No need to answer but that's the only institution in the ROI that teaches both.

pc11

Dingle_berry wrote: »

My post was merely a question, you took it as a snarky post. It wasn't meant as snarky, I'm just genuinely curious about your "opinion" of these professions. You'll rely on them to be a sucsessuful doctor (depending on your definition of sucsessful, granted)

So, from your answer, having a qualification in a related subject and experience teaching that subject to other professionals would qualify you to do their job?
If you taught both pharmacy and "lab tech" students then I assume you taught in UCC? No need to answer but that's the only institution in the ROI that teaches both.

It's not my attitude that's a problem. Thanks for all your helpful advice.

Taco Chips

I'd also love to hear more suggestions of what I could do to earn some money over the summer as a med student. I'm planning on doing some research, but that will be unpaid so I'll need to find something I can support myself with. Don't mind unsociable hours either!

Cymini Sectores

Taco Chips wrote: »

I'd also love to hear more suggestions of what I could do to earn some money over the summer as a med student. I'm planning on doing some research, but that will be unpaid so I'll need to find something I can support myself with. Don't mind unsociable hours either!

Register with a nursing agency to be a care assistant. The other day I saw an arterial line for the first time being put on a patient. It was interesting as I thought it'd help my medical career. Working for an agency, you could be sent to different parts of the hospital where you would gain invaluable experience.

Taco Chips

Cymini Sectores wrote: »

Register with a nursing agency to be a care assistant. The other day I saw an arterial line for the first time being put on a patient. It was interesting as I thought it'd help my medical career. Working for an agency, you could be sent to different parts of the hospital where you would gain invaluable experience.

Thats a good suggestion. I tried that last summer with a few companies without much luck, do you have the names of any who are happy to take on medical students? PM me if necessary. Thanks so much

Cymini Sectores

Taco Chips wrote: »

Thats a good suggestion. I tried that last summer with a few companies without much luck, do you have the names of any who are happy to take on medical students? PM me if necessary. Thanks so much

CPL healthcare and Nurse on call take on carers now and again. It will be an advantage to have some experience working with patients and 2 clinical nurse managers as references. Even if you don't have these, WALK into their offices with a CV, you are better off speaking with someone face to face than over the phone.

Abby19

pc11 wrote: »

Are there any ways med students could work and earn some money in something vaguely relevant to medicine? Ideally something flexible, reasonably paid, and a chance to learn something.

There's phlebotomy for example, though I don't know how viable that is.

Lab tech? Research assistant? Pharmacy assistant?

Any thoughts?

pc11 wrote: »

Thanks. I should have said I'm a GEP with plenty of work experience rather than right out of school.

pc11 wrote: »

Besides, did you miss where I'm a GEP? I'm actually pretty highly qualified. In fact I used to teach pharmacy and lab tech students.

I just looked up pharmacy tech courses which I see are Level 6 and I can see that I am much more qualified than what's in the course outline. But I wasn't even asking about that, I just meant help out in a pharmacy.

Tbh in the early summers you are probably best to try and get work in your previous field. Any of your previous contacts able to help you out? Can be difficult as previous work may not lend itself to a short contract period. Any summer work is hard to get, and would most likely be minimum wage.

Any work that is flexible or reasonably paid tends to be locum work for people who already have qualifications in health science related fields, e.g. pharmacy, radiotherapy, physio.

While you may be pretty highly qualified in whatever your original field was, there are lots of specifically trained people looking for lab work etc, some can only get experience under Jobbridge and other intern schemes, so there isn't a lot of money there. I know some people got summer projects as follow on from research done as part of the course. And some of their PIs actually paid them, but others were told to apply for their own funding and the PI would support their application.

Later summers look at getting clinical experience (all unpaid unfortunately), or maybe do some research. Some of the colleges have funds that give out research grants, or you could apply to the HRB, but applications have to be in by December/January iirc.

I know I looked into phlebotomy a few summers back (no joy) and there is a hiring freeze in the public hospitals, you could try the private ones, but what experience of cannulation/phlebotomy do you have? That used to be a good job for the higher years, once you have been trained/signed off as part of clinical skills but has dried up in recent years.

As mentioned above you could go for care assistant. Even with those some require that you have completed some training and safety courses (that you have to pay for yourself) before they will put you on their books, and they may require garda vetting. I remember looking into it but thankfully something else came up so I didn't have to jump through all the hoops.

nerrad01

if all else fails you are entitled to the dole during the summer months if you are over 25 or 26 (cant remember exactly) as you are actively available for work.

Vorsprung

I did a bit of care assitant work with Nurse on Call during one of my summers. Was a bit slow at the start (and expensive getting it all set up between courses/uniform/other bits) but once you get a couple of days in one place and they get to know you (and hopefully like you) they'll stick your name down for more days - saves you relying on what was then a bit of a lottery.

The money was good for a student summer job so if it's an option for you it would be well worth doing.

The other job that some people got in to was phlebotomy. I don't know how they got into it and whether some formal phlebotomy qualification was required.

pc11

nerrad01 wrote: »

if all else fails you are entitled to the dole during the summer months if you are over 25 or 26 (cant remember exactly) as you are actively available for work.

Yes, it's for over 23's. It's an option.

Extrasupervery

"Ideas for med students to earn money"

Get a job?

Biologic

Extrasupervery wrote: »

"Ideas for med students to earn money"

Get a job?

I wish this forum had a dislike button for posts like this.

Vorsprung

Extrasupervery wrote: »

"Ideas for med students to earn money"

Get a job?

Did you even read the OP?

monflat

Taco Chips wrote: »

Thats a good suggestion. I tried that last summer with a few companies without much luck, do you have the names of any who are happy to take on medical students? PM me if necessary. Thanks so much

Coras agency take on people with no qualifications as a " carer" .
I know one r two med students who worked each summer as care assistants.

It was good for them and they worked from the basic care side gaining valuable experience.

Extrasupervery

Vorsprung wrote: »

Did you even read the OP?

Ah yeah

monflat

nerrad01 wrote: »

if all else fails you are entitled to the dole during the summer months if you are over 25 or 26 (cant remember exactly) as you are actively available for work.

I dont think students can get the dole as they will only be off for 3 months then back.
There are various threads about this in state benefits

Jammyc

monflat wrote: »

I dont think students can get the dole as they will only be off for 3 months then back.
There are various threads about this in state benefits

If you begin your course at 23 or older, you can claim Job Seekers Allowance during the summer break, but not if you start your course any younger for some reason.

Extrasupervery

Jammyc wrote: »

If you begin your course at 23 or older, you can claim Job Seekers Allowance during the summer break, but not if you start your course any younger for some reason.

(Or you could just get a job)

Sneer as much as you like, if you're flexible and willing to work hard summer jobs in the service industry are available.

As someone mentioned previously in this thread - if you want a job related to medicine and patient care you can get healthcare assistant work with an agency, a hospital or a nursing home. Lots of nursing homes and hospitals provide all of the training, even for seasonal work.

monflat

Extrasupervery wrote: »

(Or you could just get a job)

Sneer as much as you like, if you're flexible and willing to work hard summer jobs in the service industry are available.

As someone mentioned previously in this thread - if you want a job related to medicine and patient care you can get healthcare assistant work with an agency, a hospital or a nursing home. Lots of nursing homes and hospitals provide all of the training, even for seasonal work.

????? Sneer ???
Im not sneering i was one of those people who actually gave the name of an agency.

Extrasupervery

monflat wrote: »

????? Sneer ???
Im not sneering i was one of those people who actually gave the name of an agency.

Sorry dude, I wasn't aiming that directly at you. Or I didn't mean to. Apologies! I detect a bit of a sneeery attitude in this thread.

Jammyc

Extrasupervery wrote: »

(Or you could just get a job)

Sneer as much as you like, if you're flexible and willing to work hard summer jobs in the service industry are available.

As someone mentioned previously in this thread - if you want a job related to medicine and patient care you can get healthcare assistant work with an agency, a hospital or a nursing home. Lots of nursing homes and hospitals provide all of the training, even for seasonal work.

You're just a source of joy and wisdom. I've definitely not been applying for jobs in retail, admin, hospitality etc and said I'm available full time for summer. Definitely not. Sure that's not how you get jobs.

Thanks for your input.

Extrasupervery

Never said you hadn't been! Chrisht almighty I'm not the only dark cloud rolling around anyway.