*Closed* - Work Experience and Voluntary Work [Part 1 of 2]

hey, im looking to apply 2008-2009, and now im really concerned, ive done hospice volunteer work since Nov 2007, ive done the st johns ambulance young life savers thing, im going to help out on a play scheme for the autistic in the summer, but my college only does work experience for 5 days (one working week) for which i get to shadow a doctor, so, do you think i should do some more? if yes then have you got any ideas, i wont be able to go away for like a month or even a week (i so wanted to do vitalise) because my parents are really really controlling and over protective so?? any ideas?

these threads are so helpful :smile:

Reply 22

Davev

What is the best way to find a GP who will allow work experience?

I have phoned every GP in my area regarding work experience but none will allow me.
Also, does anyone know any GPs who allow work experience in the Redbridge area?

well, my college sorted ours out, but they made it clear to all medical applicants that they may need to travel, maybe u shud try looking further a-field? or asking to shadow a senior nurse or sumthing? it wont be too hard travelling to the next town/city by train if its only for a week. hope this helped.

Reply 23

badger stripes

hey, im looking to apply 2008-2009, and now im really concerned, ive done hospice volunteer work since Nov 2007, ive done the st johns ambulance young life savers thing, im going to help out on a play scheme for the autistic in the summer, but my college only does work experience for 5 days (one working week) for which i get to shadow a doctor, so, do you think i should do some more? if yes then have you got any ideas, i wont be able to go away for like a month or even a week (i so wanted to do vitalise) because my parents are really really controlling and over protective so?? any ideas?

these threads are so helpful :smile:

Have you tried sitting down with your parents and explaining how extremely beneficial going to somewhere like Vitalise would be when it comes to applying in September? What are their main concerns do you think, it might be that they have the wrong impression of what the week is likely to involve.

Reply 24

Alex L

Have you tried sitting down with your parents and explaining how extremely beneficial going to somewhere like Vitalise would be when it comes to applying in September? What are their main concerns do you think, it might be that they have the wrong impression of what the week is likely to involve.

um, no, i dont think they have the wrong impression of vitalise, its more they hav the wrong impression of me, they dont trust me at all, desperately hoping to get into a uni away from home, so i can have some freedom lol ... but, do u think i deffinitely need sum more vol work/w/e? i have nothing long term really...

Reply 25

Davev

What is the best way to find a GP who will allow work experience?

I have phoned every GP in my area regarding work experience but none will allow me.
Also, does anyone know any GPs who allow work experience in the Redbridge area?

Keep working your way outwards from where you live, until you are successful. Have you made sure that they know you are in year 12 and a prospective medic, rather than looking for standard year 10 experience?

Reply 26

badger stripes

um, no, i dont think they have the wrong impression of vitalise, its more they hav the wrong impression of me, they dont trust me at all, desperately hoping to get into a uni away from home, so i can have some freedom lol ... but, do u think i deffinitely need sum more vol work/w/e? i have nothing long term really...

What do they think you'll do while you're there?! You won't really have much time to get yourself in trouble, they wake you up at 7, then you can be "on duty" until around 11. Try sitting down with them, I doubt they'd want to negatively impact your application by refusing to let you go. If you can put your point across calmly and maturely then I guess you'd probably have more of a chance.

Reply 27

badger stripes

um, no, i dont think they have the wrong impression of vitalise, its more they hav the wrong impression of me, they dont trust me at all, desperately hoping to get into a uni away from home, so i can have some freedom lol ... but, do u think i deffinitely need sum more vol work/w/e? i have nothing long term really...

You don't definitely need any more, but that isn't to say that more wouldn't help when it comes to selecting the the better experiences that made you want a career in medicine. Just to stress a tired point, it isn't about how much you can list out, it's more about what you got from the experiences you had. Most of my experience was/is non-clinical, but if you can still draw good reasons as to why they confirmed your desire to do medicine, then they are just as valuable (if not more so) than a week in a hospital.

Reply 28

Alex L

What do they think you'll do while you're there?! You won't really have much time to get yourself in trouble, they wake you up at 7, then you can be "on duty" until around 11. Try sitting down with them, I doubt they'd want to negatively impact your application by refusing to let you go. If you can put your point across calmly and maturely then I guess you'd probably have more of a chance.

lol, i dont know what they think ill do!! i think theyve tightened their grip loads more since i tried to get them to let me go to my 6th form instead of a college, theyre like reallly traditional.. i tried the mature and calm approach with that but it didnt work.

i know, vitalise sounds like such a good experience my friends are all going... im not even sure if they have any summer places left now even if i was allowed

Reply 29

badger stripes

lol, i dont know what they think ill do!! i think theyve tightened their grip loads more since i tried to get them to let me go to my 6th form instead of a college, theyre like reallly traditional.. i tried the mature and calm approach with that but it didnt work.

i know, vitalise sounds like such a good experience my friends are all going... im not even sure if they have any summer places left now even if i was allowed

Why not ask them if they'll let you go as a chance for you to prove to them that you're more mature than they seem to think you are? It's go to be worth a try, it might just work. If you can get them to agree then get straight onto the phone and see what places they have left. You could possibly try the friends angle too, that you're at a disadvantage compared to your friends who are going, surely anything's worth a try :p:

Reply 30

Alex L

Why not ask them if they'll let you go as a chance for you to prove to them that you're more mature than they seem to think you are? It's go to be worth a try, it might just work. If you can get them to agree then get straight onto the phone and see what places they have left. You could possibly try the friends angle too, that you're at a disadvantage compared to your friends who are going, surely anything's worth a try :p:

if that all fails then ill cry and scream and stamp my foot! :mad:

(i wont really ive got a sore throat) thx for the advice :smile:

Reply 31

badger stripes

if that all fails then ill cry and scream and stamp my foot! :mad:

(i wont really ive got a sore throat) thx for the advice :smile:

I don't know what your parents are like, but if mine had refused to let me go I would've probably just booked everything anyway and just left for a week. I wouldn't have let anyone potentially harm my chances of getting into medical school, and I think they appreciate that

Reply 32

Kathryn128

8

Alex L

I don't know what your parents are like, but if mine had refused to let me go I would've probably just booked everything anyway and just left for a week. I wouldn't have let anyone potentially harm my chances of getting into medical school, and I think they appreciate that

I had parents exactly like yours, except I wanted to go on a two week summer school for NAGTY Medical Sciences 2007.

After much argument, the mother said no, but I went ahead, wrote my personal statements, got my teacher reference, filled in the forms, and when I'd gotten a place a month later, I simply showed them the letter and was over the ****ing moon :biggrin:

Once they realise that a) you're serious, and b) you'll do it whether they say so or not, most will generally cave.

Reply 33

Annaconda

17

Davev

What is the best way to find a GP who will allow work experience?

I have phoned every GP in my area regarding work experience but none will allow me.
Also, does anyone know any GPs who allow work experience in the Redbridge area?

you say you live in "london" so transport to other areas should be good, you need to expand your search untill you find somewhere to take you. i have to travel 10-15 miles for work exp some times.
ask all yor friends for contacts of their GP, or if they know anyone who is a doctor who could help you, even if theyre not in your area you can use them to get contacts etc.

Reply 34

SuicidalLemming

16

Hi, was just wondering if anyone could help me.

I've been offered work experience at a local hospital, but they want a referee (and it implies they want the ref to my tutor from my college) however I really don't get on with my form tutor because I dropped his subject at the beginning of the year, and changed to something else. He's not likely to give me a good reference..so can I give them my boss as a referee? Or maybe my biology/chem teacher?

Reply 35

FTC199

13

Hannah (applied for 2008 entry): 1 week shadowing a GP, 1 week on a gastro-intestinal ward, 1 week in surgery and recovery, 18 months (12 months at time of application) volunteering with a youth group for visually impaired children

Reply 36

bright star

1

SuicidalLemming

Hi, was just wondering if anyone could help me.

I've been offered work experience at a local hospital, but they want a referee (and it implies they want the ref to my tutor from my college) however I really don't get on with my form tutor because I dropped his subject at the beginning of the year, and changed to something else. He's not likely to give me a good reference..so can I give them my boss as a referee? Or maybe my biology/chem teacher?

yeah for work experience, it can be more or less anyone from school or someone senior from your place of work. it's not a big deal :smile:

Reply 37

mc4263

I was wondering how anyone here got hospital experience??

I really want to get experience in a hospital to see the environment and how things work for real.

I first applied for work experience in a hospital when I was in year 10 and they said you have to be at least 16. I applied again at summer when I was at college and they said they have no placements yet and to write again at Christmas. I did and they said they don't do placements!!!!

I haven't wrote for work experience for years now because I have other experiences but would still love to do it in a hospital.

How did anyone get experience in a hospital if its this hard??

I don't know anyone in the health profession to help me but now I'm 19 so should be old enough!

thanks

mc

:biggrin:

Reply 38

arpeggio