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

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Hello TSR,

I've contacted around 5 surgeries around my area asking if they offer work experience, they all have space to do something like that but they said it is not possible due to Customer Confidentiality. I know this is an important thing but how comes I hear about other TSR users going to do work experience in GP surgeries? So I'm guessing this shouldn't be a problem? Because I'd like to see how a surgery works instead of a hospital as I have done work experience at a hospital already which was very beneficial :smile:

Or should I just do work experience in a hospital?

Thanks in Advance

The guy who negged me should die.
(edited 11 years ago)
Why not go to a GP practice a little further away from your local area then? Unless you live in a rural area, there must be an abundance of GPs near you.

And yes, also keep searching for work experience in other places too such as hospitals, play schemes/nursing homes, hospices and the like.
Reply 5802
Avatar for lils129
lils129
try some private gp practices :smile:
Original post by iSoftie
Hello TSR,

I've contacted around 5 surgeries around my area asking if they offer work experience, they all have space to do something like that but they said it is not possible due to Customer Confidentiality. I know this is an important thing but how comes I hear about other TSR users going to do work experience in GP surgeries? So I'm guessing this shouldn't be a problem? Because I'd like to see how a surgery works instead of a hospital as I have done work experience at a hospital already which was very beneficial :smile:

Or should I just do work experience in a hospital?

Thanks in Advance


Unfortunately every GP surgery is its own business and therefore free to do what it wants. They certainly are not obliged to provide work experience.

I agree you should try further afield.
Original post by lils129
try some private gp practices :smile:


There are extremely few completely private GP practices in the UK....just as there are relatively few NHS run practices. Most GPs are self employed professionals who offer contracted NHS services and private work out of the same building.
So is the problem that I have to not be living locally?
Original post by iSoftie
So is the problem that I have to not be living locally?


Ideally, otherwise you would know people in the practice area. You might end up sitting in on their consultations, sorting their medical notes, booking in their appointments etc. and it just causes confidentiality breaches. Obviously further afield the same breaches exist, however you don't know the people there so it means absolutely nothing to you.
I applied to 40 GP practices in one day and only got accepted for work experience at one. Just keep going with it and try and apply more than 5 miles away from where you live.
Reply 5808
Avatar for Girl.
Girl.
Search for a teaching practice - one where medicine students often go for placements etc.
They will be more likely to take a work experience candidate on.
I'm currently sitting my gcse's and will soon have 3 months of holiday - which is plenty of time for me to do some work experience! Does anyone know where i can do some medical-related work experience? (there are limited options as i am under 18)Any help would be greatly appreciated :smile:
Reply 5810
Avatar for priya8D
priya8D
9
Hey we're both on the same boat! I'm looking into volunteering at a care home and possibly at a charity shop - they are always looking for volunteers! I've also 'tried' to contact my local hospital but my application is still 'processing'. Look some experience in a clinical setting (if you haven't already). I had a week's experience at a GP through school. Where did you have yours? From my research, lol, experience is quality over quantity (as per usual) so whatever you decide to do - try and do it long term. It will show how committed you are. Hope this helped a bit! :h:
Original post by mia_hilton
I'm currently sitting my gcse's and will soon have 3 months of holiday - which is plenty of time for me to do some work experience! Does anyone know where i can do some medical-related work experience? (there are limited options as i am under 18)Any help would be greatly appreciated :smile:


Yeah the first port of call is look towards your local hospital(s). Usually hospitals will have something about work experience on their website. I would organise any work experience ASAP as it can take a long time to organise :smile: Volunteering at a hospital is also good work experience especially if done long term, but like the work experience this can take a long time to organise. GP work experience is nice but not essential, any voluntary placement is relevant so anything's good :smile:
In the end the most important factor is how you write what you've learnt from you volunteering placements/work experience placements in your Personal Statement and in your interview :smile:
Ask a GP practice in an obscure location.

Seriously, the ones in London near me have been swamped by students in past years, so just don't take applications any more. I found one in a small town in the middle of nowhere who had never even been asked for work experience before, and they were more than happy to help me (if a little amused at having their first ever student).

It's certainly possible. :smile:
(edited 11 years ago)
just thought id say- do something different!

i worked at a funeral home/radio station/ organised a Vcashpoint project/ taught children how to sing/organised sessions at college to help other applicants with medicine

then the obvious hospice/ hospital! thats standard! lol

good look to all!!

but start early- and take every opportunity you get!

btw- GP surgeiries arent necesssary- my hopsital placement was a week one in which i got shoved around the various departments for a few hours each!
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Alexandra's Box


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'?


Is this site just for your local area? How did you find it?
Thanks :smile:
Original post by iSoftie
So is the problem that I have to not be living locally?


Original post by purplefrog
Ideally, otherwise you would know people in the practice area. You might end up sitting in on their consultations, sorting their medical notes, booking in their appointments etc. and it just causes confidentiality breaches. Obviously further afield the same breaches exist, however you don't know the people there so it means absolutely nothing to you.


I've had personal experience with this; whilst I was doing my GP work experience I came across the medical records of a two girls who used to go to my school. Obviously I didn't look because that would be a breach of confidentiality and I had loads of notes to file away, but I'm just saying that it can happen.

In other words, don't get work experience with your GP, because they are likely to also be the GP of someone else that you know.
Ive got two weeks of work experience planned during the summer at my local hospital - which i'm really looking forward to, but i was just wondering how much work experience is enough? If i enjoy it, which i hope i do!- then I will probably try to rearrange some more but i dont want to be greedy :colondollar:
That's more than what I had - I had a week and two days, but at the end of the day admissions don't care how much, its all about what you learnt. So yeah :smile: two weeks is fine :smile: quality over quantity.

I think you are better off with loads of voluntary work rather than loads of work experience though
That's plenty.
Quality of your reflections always trumps the quantity of work experience had.
Original post by sunny_veggies
Is this site just for your local area? How did you find it?
Thanks :smile:


Just for my local area. I was told by a lady who works for the GP, but if you go to the site of your local hospital or area trust, then to Working with us, or Human Resources, or Volunteering, or something similar, there may be a page. If you are unsure then you can request a placement via the HR department. Their email address should be OK to locate! Good luck :tongue:

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