pre-med students may pursue jobs to help them pay student debts, build a competitive medical school application, gain valuable experience, or improve their chances of impressing the admissions committee. Whatever your goal, if you are a pre-med student in search of work, you’re in the right place.
This article will introduce you to the best jobs for pre-med students. It includes some of the common roles available, as well as salaries, common requirements, and other details to help you decide on the best option.
What Is a Pre-Med Student?
Pre-med students are enrolled in a pre-med program, attending college, or taking classes to enter medical school. This preparation is to make sure they have the basic knowledge of science and laboratory experience to get into a medical school. Medical students often take a gap year before completing their medical education and take up jobs as pre-med students.
As a pre-med student, landing one of these roles can help you gain the skills for a career in medicine or future endeavors in the healthcare field. Applying for pre-med jobs or volunteer positions related to the medical field will show employers and admissions officers that you are serious about becoming a doctor.
What Jobs Are Available to Pre-Med Students?
There are plenty of jobs available to pre-med students, including inpatient care, blood banks, pharmacy tech, physician offices, and assisted living facilities. They can become technicians, medical assistants, nurses, paramedics, and administrative assistants in healthcare.
Companies That Hire Pre-Med Students
- Columbia University. There are research assistant and medical assistant positions in the Columbia Health department and medical center that are available to pre-med students.
- CoverMyMeds. This is a healthcare and technology company with job opportunities in medicine with competitive benefits and flexible schedules for employees.
- Labcorp. You can find part-time and full-time jobs for patient service technicians, phlebotomists, lab associates, licensed clinical lab technologists, and research associates in these medical testing laboratories.
- NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. This is a professional medical institution keeping patients first and recruiting talented individuals across multiple platforms. They provide healthcare and vision insurance in their benefits package for their employees.
- Quest Diagnostics. This is one of the best testing laboratories where you can search for job opportunities for phlebotomists, medical assistance, medical technologists, and other roles in their multiple locations.
10 Highest-Paying Jobs for Pre-Med Students
| Job Title | Average Salary | Top 10% Salary |
| Medical Research Assistant | $40,258 | $55,000 |
| Medical Administrative Assistants | $37,350 | $54,600 |
| Emergency Medical Technicians | $36,650 | $62,150 |
| Phlebotomists | $36,320 | $50,740 |
| Medical Assistants | $35,850 | $50,580 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $35,100 | $50,430 |
| Medical Transcriptionists | $35,270 | $55,220 |
| Psychiatric Aides | $31,570 | $48,880 |
| Nursing Assistants | $30,850 | $42,110 |
| Personal Care Aides | $27,080 | $36,990 |
Pre-med students can find rewarding jobs in the medical industry. They get the opportunity to enhance their skill set and gain field experience for clinical employment. Below we have listed jobs that will lead you to make a successful medical career.
Medical Research Assistant
Research assistants generally work on teams investigating a topic or trying to prove a medical hypothesis. They usually work under principal researchers to offer support with data gathering and processing. It is critical to have computer skills for data entry and record-keeping, as well as analytical skills to succeed in a medical research assistant role.
If you want to assist in research work, you have to be driven, organized, diligent, and an effective communicator. These roles offer a great opportunity to open up your career options by exposing you to new knowledge. You will get to interact with top minds in the medical field and learn from the very best.
Medical Administrative Assistants
Medical administrative assistants use their grasp of medical terminology and procedures to perform secretarial duties. Their tasks may include scheduling appointments, collecting payments from patients, compiling medical reports for physicians, and taking care of correspondence. They need to be proficient in handling documents and communicating with both staff and patients.
Students working as administrative assistants in hospitals or medical institutions are familiar with medical terminology and have good administration skills. It is a good opportunity to develop strong relations, which can be open opportunities for more technical work in the future.
Emergency Medical Technicians
Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) respond to emergencies and administer aid to the sick or injured. They mostly respond to 911 calls, sometimes alongside police and firefighters. People’s lives often depend on their quick response and competence. After first aid, they then transport patients to a medical facility.
EMTs are trained to administer basic medical care with minimal equipment, which is why their job is critical and requires certification. Pre-med students often have access to classes to get the requisite emergency training. They can opt for advanced EMT levels by training for even more hours. Being an EMT can even be an excellent volunteer experience.
Phlebotomist
Phlebotomists draw blood from patients and prepare it for tests, transfusions, or donations. In some situations, they must carefully identify and label samples to collect and record them into a database. To be a phlebotomist, you will need to be comfortable around blood and needles.
As a student, your college may offer training and classes that prepare you for a certification. Once certified, you can work as a phlebotomist. You will then work with various people in a hospital or clinic, so it is a strong option to open your career choices in the future.
Medical Assistants
Medical assistants assist physicians in both caring for patients and performing administrative duties. They get an in-depth look at how medical offices function and the opportunity to be mentored by practicing doctors. Medical school applicants need a competitive edge to qualify for med school.
Experience as a medical assistant helps pre-med students gain clinical experience and stand out, as it demonstrates meaningful patient experience, familiarity with medical settings, and a commitment to medicine.
Pharmacy Technicians
Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists to give prescription medications to patients or health professionals in pharmacies and hospitals. Their work involves coordinating with physicians, mixing medications, getting authorizations for refills, and operating automated dispensing equipment.
Technicians are regulated by each state and need to fulfill certain requirements. They may need to be certified or complete a training program. This is an attractive choice for pre-med students with an interest in pharmaceutics. They get familiarized with medications and use this knowledge for working in laboratories in the future.
Medical Transcriptionists
Medical transcriptionists listen to voice recordings by physicians and convert them into written reports. They may also review and edit documents created by speech recognition technology. In the course of their work, they learn about medical terminology and technicalities as they accurately interpret medical records.
Some medical experience is useful for landing this job. Employers expect you to understand the content accurately. You can show familiarity with medical terminology and healthcare documentation from coursework that you have already completed.
Psychiatric Aides
Psychiatric aides care for patients struggling with mental illnesses. They may help patients in their daily activities or provide intensive care for severe developmental disabilities. Others assist in rehabilitation for substance addiction or monitor patients for mental conditions and support. Their tasks are determined by the type of patient and their ailment.
Most psychiatric aides must have a high school level certificate and get on-the-job training from supervisors and experienced professionals. Pre-med students interested in pursuing a mental healthcare career path will gain valuable experience through this opportunity. They can participate in workshops and lectures to improve their learning.
Nursing Assistants
Nursing assistants administer basic care and assist patients with their daily activities. Depending on their training and state regulations, nursing assistants also may dispense medication. They are often the primary caregivers in nursing and residential care facilities. Often working with the elderly, they need patience and compassion to fulfill their obligations.
As a pre-med student, you will need to complete the required programs to be a nursing assistant. In addition, you will also get some on-the-job training to learn about their specific policies and procedures. There are some great opportunities to volunteer and support causes as a nursing assistant.
Personal Care Aides
Personal care aides care for and monitor patients with disabilities or chronic illnesses. They help them with daily living activities. Patients are often older adults in need of assistance. Aides are generally limited to providing nonmedical services. They are tasked to provide companionship, cleaning, cooking, and driving.
These professionals usually work in clients’ homes and handle multiple clients at a time. As a pre-med student, this is an excellent opportunity to learn to work well with patients on your way to becoming a doctor. You will have to be patient and compassionate to develop good relationships. These qualities will help you throughout your career.
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Tips for Finding Success as a Pre-Med Student
Pre-med students pursuing jobs can gain critical skills and opportunities for career growth through the jobs listed above. They can better assist doctors and make their way to becoming successful healthcare professionals. To surpass any challenges that come up along the way, you can keep the following tips in mind.
- Find medical-related work. A medical-related job will look good on your resume and make you a stronger candidate for future employers. You will demonstrate that you have developed abilities through practice.
- Focus on MCAT preparation. Some jobs help you prepare for the MCAT exam by enhancing skills learned in the coursework.
- Don’t shy away from practical experience. Look for jobs as a pre-med student that give you hands-on experience and clinical skills to succeed as a medical student. You’ll need to be able to deal with difficult situations as a doctor, and the best way to get good at this is through practice.
- Get relevant training. Jobs for pre-med students might sometimes require specific training. Make sure to do your research and invest your time in relevant training that will be useful throughout your career.
- Reflect on your motivations. It is important to think about your motivations for being a pre-med student. When the going gets hard, focusing on your core motivation will help you overcome challenges and stay on track to pursue your personal and professional goals.
Jobs for Pre-Med Students Outlook
There are many career options and volunteer opportunities that can help you grow as a pre-med student and prep you for your future studies. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for medical assistants is 18%. Whatever job you choose, make sure it aligns with your future goals and provides you with relevant experience for your future in the public health and medical industry.
Best Jobs for Pre-Med Students FAQ
Yes, you can find jobs that pay well, as a pre-med student. Some of the highest-paying jobs for pre-med students include medical research analyst, medical administrative assistant, and emergency medical technician.
You can take a gap year during your studies to recoup from the heavy course load of medical studies, make an income to pay off some of the debt for studies, or get education and training to stand out from fellow applicants.
If you are a pre-med student, you can get jobs that will help you excel in prerequisite courses and coursework for medical school. Experience as a medical assistant, emergency department worker, medical scribe, or nursing assistant shows that you are comfortable in the actual healthcare setting.
Med schools will look into your gap year to see if you used it to gain hands-on experience for medical job roles. A gap year is quite popular for students, but make sure you use it to do something that differentiates you from the other candidates. You can take the opportunity to gain new skills and improve your chances to get admitted into medical school.
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