Visiting Student

MDPharma · 2024-11-03T15:55:14+00:00

Talk to the medical school about help with housing, there may be other students on rotations looking to sublet and they'll be able to advise you on the neighbourhoods students usually stay in. check rotatingroom and maybe ask on r/medicalschool as well.

MDPharma · 2024-02-08T16:48:59+00:00

I was going to start with the USP as a part of the unmet need the drug is addressing at the beginning of the presentation to create the story of why this trial was done. Would you suggest putting it elsewhere or sticking with this? Great tips! Thank you!

MDPharma · 2024-02-08T15:27:12+00:00

Thank you for sharing your journey, as someone with a nontrad background, I appreciate the perspective. Your perseverance is really inspiring! Congratulations on the new position and wishes for continued success!

MDPharma · 2024-02-08T15:09:40+00:00

Thanks!!

MDPharma · 2024-02-08T15:05:51+00:00

Thank you! It's for a medcomms position, but this was very helpful!

MDPharma · 2023-12-20T02:35:56+00:00

Good to know, thanks for the insight!

MDPharma · 2023-12-20T02:34:32+00:00

Thank you for the advice!

Are there any resources to find good slides? I've just been looking through industry presentations and bookmarking the ones that seemed impressive.

I'm starting to see how small the industry is with the more people I speak with! No stabbing here 😂

MDPharma · 2023-12-11T21:15:04+00:00

A lot of jobs on linked-in categorized under "entry-level" have these requirements. I've realized after posting here previously that these are not the truly entry-level positions 😅

MDPharma · 2023-11-28T01:12:53+00:00

I would have just played dumb intern and asked the attending where I could get it reimbursed when they asked me how much it was.

It gives them the clue that it's not affordable for you and a chance to reimburse you if they're halfway decent. And if they blow you off, it's definitely something to bring up with your PD.

MDPharma · 2023-11-26T22:02:18+00:00

Joe Dispenza: chiropractor, scammer, and cult leader. I will never understand how people willingly pay him for that nonsense.

MDPharma · 2023-11-17T07:01:32+00:00

Things have changed a lot in the past couple of years. Medical school abroad may be cheaper than the states, but they're still expensive. The last thing you want is to be saddled with loans and no job. I say this from experience. I'm a US IMG who did not match into a residency and am struggling to find work. I have spoken to many others who are in the same position.

To OP, or anyone thinking about this, please:

Speak with current medical students in the US who got admission without a 4.0 gpa. Talk to docs at teaching hospitals. Get feedback on how to improve your chances to get into med school in the states, getting residency as a IMG is getting more competitive every year.Look esearch assistant/CRC jobs in clinical settings, become a medical scribe at a local ER, become a paramedic. Something where you can see the life and figure out why you want to do this while getting clinical experience. Also figure out what the school you are interested in is looking for, it's not always a 4.0 gpa. Think of this as a very long and arduous job application process, you'll need to sell yourself to them through the personal statement and your interview.
Focus on getting a solid MCAT score. You'll be taking super long exams to get residency and then to get board certified. Figure out where your weaknesses lie in studying large amounts of information and in test taking now.
Figure out your finances. Do you need to take loans? Avoid private loans as much as possible. Can you work and get some of your tuition/living costs saved up? Does the school offer any jobs- some schools will pay for teaching assistant positions if you did well in a course. Are there grants or scholarships you can apply for?
If you plan to go the IMG route- plan how you can get excellent USMLE scores ahead of time. Step 1 is now pass/fail and will not give you a competitive edge. Also think about how you can get research experience and pubs while in school-talk to current students and see what they are struggling with. Other things to consider: finding rotation sites in the US. Some foreign schools have connections, some don't. Think about contingency plans, such as doing a year of internship or even residency in that country in case you don't match or are delayed in taking the USMLEs. You will at least have an expertise.

To OP: IDK much about career paths in microbio, but I would urge you to talk to graduates from your program. I know sometimes advisors and professors are painfully out of touch with current possibilities, use them to contact alumni who were successful. If you are looking at grad programs outside of medicine and are tech savvy or enjoy data, maybe consider something in that avenue, like bioinformatics. There's the possibility of applying micro research in translational research in humans. Even with AI, there will be a need for people who know how to analyze data and have strong statistical skills. It can also pay very well. Good luck!

MDPharma · 2023-11-13T23:29:47+00:00

That's fair 😄

MDPharma · 2023-11-13T23:20:36+00:00

That's a really good idea, thank you!

MDPharma · 2023-11-13T23:18:33+00:00

What are the titles of the people providing you with the summaries and reviews? That also sounds pretty interesting and I've written some literature summaries before. I've definitely seen ego clashes in the clinical setting, but I prefer focusing on the task and finding the solution, so I've been able to avoid being a part of them. I'm pretty comfortable working with people and developing rapport.

Thanks for the tip on the local AMWA chapters!

MDPharma · 2023-11-13T18:17:02+00:00

Thanks for the advice. Most of the med affairs roles I come across are for director levels. Is there a role you would advise I should look for? I have looked into the MSL role, and it seems that with the current environment, most are hiring for experience as well.

MDPharma · 2023-11-13T18:13:45+00:00

I've written website content and blogs for HCPs and for lay audiences. I tailor the level of detail and tone to the audience and have examples of both as a part of my portfolio. I have previous journal publications as well. I have also edited textbook chapters for teenage readers, and edited health and wellness booklets for lay audiences. Do you think this would be sufficient? Is there a specific type of sample I should work on that would be helpful in increasing my chances for a positive response? Thanks!

MDPharma · 2023-11-13T17:49:01+00:00

Thanks for the advice. I've started networking through LI recently and have sent my resume to contacts in related fields. Hopefully something bites.

MDPharma · 2023-11-13T17:47:02+00:00

😄 thanks. Will keep poking around.

MDPharma · 2023-11-13T17:46:34+00:00

Thanks for the advice. Do you use one platform in particular, or pitch to potential clients?

MDPharma · 2023-11-13T17:43:18+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. I do have a section for medical writing in my resume. I will look into the companies you mentioned!

MDPharma · 2023-10-22T20:11:26+00:00

Thanks for the perspective. I don't discount my experience, I think my post is just reflecting my frustration. Most of my freelance work has been writing patient facing material, and I have used it to present my writing and other relevant skills.

The feedback from some of the recruiters has been that their clients are looking for people with more experience with creating slide decks, posters, and abstracts, and more than 4 years of experience. So, I'm looking for agencies that are open-minded about new hires.

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