Andrew Mooney - Applying in October 2011 for September 2012 entry, hopefully for Glasgow.
Volunteering in a Day Care Centre for patients suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis, and lymphoedema every Thursday and Friday since November 2010, which equates to approximately 7 months at the time of posting this. The role entails providing patients with meals and refreshments, helping elderly and disabled patients to and from appointment rooms, and helping out when something happens, e.g cardiac arrests, elderly patients falling, etc.
Ward volunteering at local general hospital since February, so that will be about 8 months at the time of applying in October. That entails just basically helping out in the care of the elderly ward, providing patients with meals and refreshments, and talking to patients, which can be challenging, as some have severe dementia and things like that. It's very rewarding though, I enjoy doing it.
I've also worked on a voluntary basis as a support worker for almost 2 years, which involves providing round the clock care for young children from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom are born with underlying health issues.
I'm also starting in a charity shop soon for the British Red Cross, and I'm in the process of becoming a first aider with St Andrews First Aid in order to cover football matches, music festivals, and things like that.
As far as shadowing goes, I have 1 day of shadowing with a care of the elderly consultant, 1 day in A and E, 2 days of shadowing nurses in a lymphoedema clinic, and I'm in the process of organising a week in a GP surgery. Hopefully it will all pay off.