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5 benefits of having a part-time job while studying medicine

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Have you ever thought about getting a part-time job while studying medicine but you’re not quite sure if you should? Or maybe you need some extra cash but you’re still not convinced?

If you are thinking about getting a part-time job, check out these 5 benefits below.

It gives you a sense of responsibility and time management

In most work environments, you will be required to perform under some form of deadlines or time constraints. Over time, these duties will be completed much quicker as repetition tends to lead to results of learning the efficiencies and managing time and priorities well so that no time is wasted on a specific task. As you become better at managing your time efficiently, these skills become transferable to other jobs in the future which will put you at an advantage.

It shows you the difference between reality and expectations

You may have heard people tell you “I hardly use anything I learned at school” or “textbooks are very different from what we actually do at work”. Now, studying medicine may make these statements less relevant to you as academic knowledge is necessary in your field but you will find out soon enough entering the workforce that these statements sort of apply to any field. This is because each workplace is different, the culture is driven by different people, work processes have been designed to achieve different desired outcomes and thus tasks have to be performed quite differently. It’s only through work experience that you can learn to understand how different work and study environments can be, but on the other hand they can be very similar in terms of the expectations put on you (or on yourself). When reminiscing back to your high school work experience days, you might actually think to yourself  “this is not what I expected?”

It allows you to meet new people and socialise

Chances are, you spend a lot of time studying at the moment and don’t have much time to socialise. Well, a work environment is one of the best places to meet new people, exchange knowledge, share stories and practise social interactions. As a doctor, you will meet countless new people, being patients or medical colleagues, every single day. And it will be hard at times to put your medical professional persona aside and to truly see those people as just people. The doctors who are able to relate to their patients or peers on a social level are better communicators; which in turn make better doctors.

It earns you cash to spend

Do you ever want to just take a break from studying and go shopping? Or ever see an item online that you want but you can barely afford to pay rent? The real reason we all start part-time work is because we want to reap the benefits of our hard labour – in that case, spare cash. If you’re not looking to spend and are wanting to save for your future expenses, the money you earn can be reinvested into a savings account for when you’re ready to buy a house, your dream car or even a nice holiday. Whatever you decide to do with it, your wage will always be the main benefit of having a part-time job.

It looks better on your resume

Regardless of which part-time job you have, the skills you learn will always be transferable in another job or in life in general! Whether that be using those skills at uni or study, you will keep these skills and improve them wherever you go. Employers will quite often distinguish between someone with some work experience to someone who hasn’t worked before, it comes down to your mindset. Having some sort of work experience lets your employer know that you are familiar with concepts such as expectations, deadlines, team-work, outcomes and have a sense of how a workplace operates, which shows adaptability and to some degree, maturity.

Having a part-time job while studying medicine would allow you to better manage your time, understand roles and responsibilities, manage expectations, develop social skills and get ahead of the pack when it comes to your resume. As long as you believe it will not affect your ability to study and achieve your graduation goal, the practical skills you develop when working part-time are priceless.

Also read Advice from 40 something year old me to 20 something year old me

Disclaimer: * The information contained in this site is general and is not intended to serve as advice. DPM Financial Services Group recommends you obtain advice concerning specific matters before making a decision.

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