My parents expected me to go to college and fulfill the goals I had set for myself. They didn’t have the means to get me there, however. That was never a secret. If I wanted to go to college, I was going to have to work hard and get some scholarship monies or perhaps get a job or two that would help pay the bills.
I started working at the local swimming pool in the summers after I turned 15. My first job was in the concession stand, followed by office worker, lifeguard and finally the manager by the time I graduated high school. I worked there every summer. Lifeguarding was a rewarding way to spend the summers. It will probably be my favorite job forever. What other job can one do where they sit outside in the sun every day, only to hop in the pool when it gets a little too hot out? The job is serious, and bad things can happen, but lifeguarding and the preparation for the job, continuous practice, and learning are an excellent preamble to lifelong learning in medicine.
During the school year, around sports and other activities, I worked at a locally-owned movie store. This was another fantastic job that allowed me to work around my schedule and make money to support myself. Not to mention, I got the privilege of watching all of the latest movies on VHS and then DVD before others could. My job wasn’t to support the family, but it helped that I was able to support myself.
I continued working throughout college. I had jobs at the recreation center, teaching CPR, first aid, and lifeguard classes. I continued my summer work at the swimming pool until the summer after my second year of medical school. In addition, I was fortunate to earn some scholarship monies to help support my undergraduate education.
What are the benefits of work beyond money? I would say there are a lot. Medical school and residency admission committees look very favorably on students that have worked. Having a job teaches responsibility and work ethic. It teaches how to prioritize and manage time. In addition, it teaches people how to be employees and work well with others.
In some instances, having a job means managing others. This provides a whole other set of experiences that makes one an excellent medical student, resident/fellow, and eventual attending physician. The person who has had the responsibility of interviewing and choosing employees, organizing employees and scheduling them, and disciplining when necessary will be way ahead when it comes time to deal with the ins and outs of patient care and navigating the complex medical system.