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

for now focus on as exams

Hi
So basically, I'm due to apply in October for medicine, and i haven't started my volunteering yet.

Previously, I've done three years of volunteering in a charity shop but I still need to do some 'proper' volunteering in e.g. a nursing home, due to my cbr check not being processed properly so it hasn't come through yet :/

If I started now I'd get about five/six months 'proper' volunteering done. Can someone tell me if this is long enough?

Thanks

You should find this useful - Medicine Work Experience - TSR

Remember that in the case of work experience, quality over quantity is best. 2 weeks in a GP surgery which has given you valuable insight to a career in healthcare is better than 3 months of work in a care home where you learnt nothing/developed no skills which may benefit you. (I'm not saying this is the case with these particular things, I was just using them as an example)

Whatever you do, take notes on what you've learnt as these can be things to talk about in the interview if you're asked about them, make sure you can relate things you've learnt and skills you've gained to a career in medicine.

It's tough finding work experience sometimes but just keep at it and apply early because the process can take a while for some places, especially as most healthcare related places require a CRB check!

Make sure you're working hard for your exams too as you can get work experience any time, but having to resit a full year of A-levels may not go down so well.

Good luck

You should ideally try and get a work experience placement in a hospital and in a GP to be able to contrast the different settings, just contact the receptionist at a GP and hospitals should have work experience info on their websites along with contact numbers. Some long-term volunteering will also help so try to volunteer for a local charity if you haven't already.

Don't do extra curricular activities for the sake of applying, do it because you enjoy it because you really don't need them. I applied with hardly any ECs and managed to get in along with many others I know, so don't worry about them.

for now focus on as exams

I've tried to get experience in lots of areas -
3 GPs, 3 physiotherapists, 3 care homes and a hospice... only got 1 reply from a GP and one from a physio, and from the hospice.
So to get it, do you ring up or personally visit?
I've got a week with Mencap and am going to start in the hospital volunteers in a few weeks.
Oh and there is a site where I can request hospital shadowing - however, it asks for the name and contact details of the place sponsoring/supporting my request and I'm doing it alone. So what do I write? Just 'personal'?
Luckily I've got a lot of time (mid June to mid Aug) to sort something out but the lack of replies is a bit disheartening!
Thanks if you can help

To officially get a placement they will want something in written form i.e. e-mail or letter as they need this as proof. However ringing in or asking in person is a good way to see if it's possible to do get it as it's always harder to turn someone down in person!
As for the site for requesting hospital shadowing I would e-mail the site and ask what to put down in that section if you don't have a place sponsoring/supporting. Medical shadowing is quite essential so try and arrange some asap You can see if your family knows any doctors or sees doctors regularly as it's always easier to get in if you know someone :P
Hospital volunteering is a great placement and if you do it long term it'll definitely look good on your PS

Remember that in the case of work experience, quality over quantity is best.

This. You don't need to add up days and weeks to get long durations just for the sake of it... It all depends on how you reflect on what you've gained and how you feel you have benefited from that particular experience in order to make you a more suited candidate to study medicine.

That may be the case for work experience (which can be difficult to get for 16/17 year olds), but for voluntary work some medical schools look for evidence of a long-term commitment, Manchester being one of them - for them, 2 weeks of volunteering wouldn't be enough.

You can see why they think this - it takes less commitment (and maybe shows less of a considered choice to study medicine) to volunteer for 2 weeks than it does for 6 months or so, no matter how well you reflect on it.

If you're really looking to do something, I'd advise you to maybe try to start volunteering regularly at a care home or hospice. Long-term volunteering looks very good on your PS. It's still fairly early for you though, the main thing you should be doing is making sure you concentrate on your GCSEs and get the best grades you can (I really regret not doing as well as I could have in GCSEs).

Best of luck.

By the time I apply in autumn, I'll have 3 weeks shadowing doctors/watching surgeries as well as 6 months helping at a centre for children with learning difficulties. Is that sufficient? I know there's not really any such thing as enough, but would thT demonstrate commitment at the very least?

That may be the case for work experience (which can be difficult to get for 16/17 year olds), but for voluntary work some medical schools look for evidence of a long-term commitment, Manchester being one of them - for them, 2 weeks of volunteering wouldn't be enough.

You can see why they think this - it takes less commitment (and maybe shows less of a considered choice to study medicine) to volunteer for 2 weeks than it does for 6 months or so, no matter how well you reflect on it.

By the time I apply in autumn, I'll have 3 weeks shadowing doctors/watching surgeries as well as 6 months helping at a centre for children with learning difficulties. Is that sufficient? I know there's not really any such thing as enough, but would thT demonstrate commitment at the very least?