Working part time as MS1/MS2 (UofA)
Hey everyone! I am super excited to be starting med school at UofA this fall 🥹
I had a specific question and wanted to get some thoughts from MS1/MS2 students who may have been in a similar situation or considered something similar.
I may have an opportunity to continue working part-time at my current job during first year (and maybe second year) of med school, and I’m trying to figure out whether this is realistically manageable or if it would become too overwhelming.
A bit more context:
- I currently work fully remote at a tech company making ~$42/hr
- There’s a possibility I could continue for ~10 hrs/week with a flexible schedule
- The work would be mostly independent (not dependent on other teams), so I could work evenings/weekends
- This would bring in around $1200–1300/month, which would essentially cover my living expenses
- I’m a first generation immigrant with no family in Canada, so I’m fully financially independent. I do have some savings, but I would strongly prefer to keep that as an emergency fund unless absolutely necessary
I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has worked during med school, especially during pre-clerkship, or anyone who has thoughts on whether this sounds manageable or risky long term.
Thanks in advance!! Really looking forward to meeting everyone this fall 🙂