I did a finance internship this summer, but I decided to switch to pre-med. I was wondering, is this something that I can still put on my resume/medical applications and/or talk about in my interviews? Even though it is not medicine-related, I still gained valuable skills and learned many useful things. In addition, this internship is what made me realize that an office job is not suitable for me.
Also, my employer wrote me a really good evaluation, and I got a copy from human resources (written on official company paper, signed, and stamped). Would I ever be able to use this in the future to my favor (to be given to medical schools, prospective employers, etc)? If so, how?
Thank you.
You can list whatever you want on your med school application. You have 15 lines on your application in which to to list all your honors, awards, ECs, leadership positions, clubs, jobs, volunteer positions, shadowing, clinical experiences, lab research, publications, etc.
As for discussing it during interviews–only if your interviewer asks about the internship or you can somehow reasonably work it into the conversation. Remember the interviewer directs the interview, not the interviewee.
Med schools and your school’s pre-health committee have specific LORs requirements. Med schools typically require LORs be from professors (2 science profs, 1 non-science prof). Only a handful ask for a supervisor’s LORs, and usually only from non-traditional students who have been in the workforce post-graduation for a while. Also med school LORs are supposed to be confidential (meaning you have waived in writing your right to see the letter) and the letter must be uploaded directly to AMCAS electronically by the letter writer. LORs which are not confidential are pretty much ignored by med school adcomms.
However, for future [non-medical] employment, the letter from your internship may prove useful.