New grad in need of some advice...Pleaase

I'm not sure how recruiters would look at it, but I would think that you could make your ambulatory care experience look really good for you on your resume. After all, you assess all sorts of situations in a day; have triage experience, and have to multitask constantly. I work in a busy ambulatory clinic also, and we also deal with lots of walk-ins (esp. first thing Monday morning, what's up with that?!?!?) and far more phone calls than I would have ever thought possible before I started working there.

I would look at the long-term-care issue carefully before you jump into it. I am sure it's good experience, and I wholeheartedly admire those who work in it. I've never done it, but I have friends who have, and you need to be sure that you have a true love for the elderly and others who reside in ltc facilities- it's difficult work, and you need extreme patience and love to work there. I love the elderly, and I love all my patients, but I have always been a little intimidated by the idea of working in long-term. It's a long-term committment- you have the same patients for a long, long time. You deal with families constantly. Of course we do in hospitals and ambulatory settings as well, but it's different. If you have any difficult people, it's still a long-term relationship.

I know that recruiters look favorably on someone who stays with a job and appears reliable, and that frequent job changes don't look so good. I don't know what others will say, but my vote is, if you're happy- stay put. Besides, in layoff situations, it's usually last one hired, first one let go- so get some time under your belt. Good luck to ya!