Need advice on work experience

Hi,

Most of the students that I helped attain entry into medicine had done 2-4 different types of work experience, but the only ones I recall who had done a prolonged period (like the 6 months you quote) were those who had done this during a gap year (including a year taken to resit A levels). In my experience, med school admissions teams look at the global picture rather than work experience or any other aspect of the applicant's credentials/suitability.

So a good overall record of GCSE results, work experience, BMT/UKCAT scores, personality/dedication/passion for subjects taken, PS, AS results when these were to hand, interview technique/performance - ALL taken together permit a decision to be made whether to place an offer.

In my view, you should try to balance out these various features, and ensure, as far as possible, that one or the other do not encroach upon the rest.

Hope this is useful.

Hi,

Most of the students that I helped attain entry into medicine had done 2-4 different types of work experience, but the only ones I recall who had done a prolonged period (like the 6 months you quote) were those who had done this during a gap year (including a year taken to resit A levels). In my experience, med school admissions teams look at the global picture rather than work experience or any other aspect of the applicant's credentials/suitability.

So a good overall record of GCSE results, work experience, BMT/UKCAT scores, personality/dedication/passion for subjects taken, PS, AS results when these were to hand, interview technique/performance - ALL taken together permit a decision to be made whether to place an offer.

In my view, you should try to balance out these various features, and ensure, as far as possible, that one or the other do not encroach upon the rest.

Hope this is useful.

I think rather than worrying too much about the length of the work experience in isolation, I would place greater emphasis on the type of experience, what you learnt from it, how it relates to your reasons for applying for medicine and how your personality/knowledge/viewpoints might have been modified by that work, and to present it very well in your PS when you apply next year. Also, my view is that a continuous 2 or 3 week session in a hospital, GP practice or a nursing home provides no less useful exposure to clinical medicine and surgery, and to the running of the NHS, than a prolonged once a week session.

Do whatever fits in with your schedule/your life/what is within travelling distance, etc.; there are no fixed rules. Attitude and passion count most.