Ortho MA vs Derm MA for PCE job
I am starting my gap year (or two) to gain direct patient contact hours to apply to PA school. For context: I am 21 years old and just graduated with my bachelor in Biology. I got offered 2 jobs, one at The Orthopedic Center and one is a Dermatologist office. I am very torn between the two.
The Orthopedic Center is paying $16/hr (I am asking if they can match my other offer). Said I would gain experience taking out sutures, assisting with injections, castings, wound care, charting, etc. it sounds very hands on and that I would gain so much experience and really help me figure out what I want to do as a PA. They have about 100 providers so I would be rotating between most of them. It’s M-F 8am-5pm and they emphasized how important being at work every single day is. And they said basically no time off during my first 90 days. Also, everyone I met in the clinic was SUPER eager to have me apart of the team and talked about how busy it is and how much they need it. This kinda stressed me out, because even the employer mentioned that this job can be very difficult. I’m just not sure I want to spend my gap year being stressed out. At the end of the 90 days, I have to get certified (they pay for everything) so would that look good on applications for PA school?
The dermatologist office is $18/hr. I would be doing skin evaluations, setting up rooms, taking patients in and getting vitals, charting, and assisting minor skin procedures. This is a much smaller office compared to TOC, but they do have a PA there that’s been working for 16 years and apparently LOVES to teach and has helped 3 other girls get into PA school. This sounds like a great opportunity. It’s M-T 7am-4pm and F is 7am-noon. I really enjoy the half day aspect on Friday. They seemed so much more understanding that I will have a life outside the job and they said time off is no issue. They also provide free monthly facials and botox/filler (I’d only care about the facials). They said they have monthly dinners I could attend where reps take us out to nice restaurants to sell and give information on a drug and that it’s a good learning opportunity.
Basically, I think the ortho could be better experience, but the derm allows me to have a more chill gap year since I am so young. My question to everyone is, do you have any advice and is there one that would completely stand out and make me a better applicant? Both would get me the hours I need, but I’m not sure how much PA schools care about what speciality you’re doing exactly. I think the TOC interests me more and matches a speciality I would do in the future. But the derm has a better PA interaction and work-life balance. I know work-life balance may not matter to some, but it is really important to me, especially because I don’t just want to spend my gap year purely working.