This discussion is now closed.
Check out other Related discussions
- UK military work experience
- work experience
- Diagnostic radiography work experience
- Law degree
- Work experience in yr 10
- physiotherapy
- Maths//Physics work experience
- What is it like to work as a Diagnostic Radiographer (or learn radiography at uni)?
- work experience yr 12
- Optometry work experience HELP!
- stem extra curriculars/work experience (year 10)
- work experience references
- Tesco - work experience
- *MEGATHREAD* - Work Experience and Voluntary Work [Part 2 of 2]
- Year 12 Work Experience
- Engineering Work Experience
- Pharmacy work experience
- Work experience
- Personal Statement (work experience)
- Work experiences at A Level
Work experience
Yes, I know, another thread about this but I really needs some help here.
I've been told that I lack work experience whereas another told me I don't and it really makes me confused and I don't know what to do. The thing is that the only experience I have is through volenteering such as Red Cross (not health related) as well as by visiting and talking to old people with dementia. My only work experiences are some summer jobs at a clothing store, kindergarden, recreation centre and café.
I WISH I could volenteer or work or just do something that is related to health and hospital but the thing is - here you must be at least 18 years old (and this includes not only health related work but also any kind of management so when it comes to the other work experiences I have had, it doesn't include any administration or management), preferrebly over 20. I didn't turn 18 until the end of August and the whole process of getting to do something at a hospital or anything related to health takes a long time - there's a bunch of papers, calls, practical etc and it will take over a month or two to actually get something out of it. The deadline as all of you know is in less than a month.
So basically what I am asking is - am I doomed?
I've been told that I lack work experience whereas another told me I don't and it really makes me confused and I don't know what to do. The thing is that the only experience I have is through volenteering such as Red Cross (not health related) as well as by visiting and talking to old people with dementia. My only work experiences are some summer jobs at a clothing store, kindergarden, recreation centre and café.
I WISH I could volenteer or work or just do something that is related to health and hospital but the thing is - here you must be at least 18 years old (and this includes not only health related work but also any kind of management so when it comes to the other work experiences I have had, it doesn't include any administration or management), preferrebly over 20. I didn't turn 18 until the end of August and the whole process of getting to do something at a hospital or anything related to health takes a long time - there's a bunch of papers, calls, practical etc and it will take over a month or two to actually get something out of it. The deadline as all of you know is in less than a month.
So basically what I am asking is - am I doomed?
Nar not doomed in my opinion.
Thing is, you have to now be quite sensible about your situation. Universities understand that it can often be very difficult to get experience, especially cos of age limits and space and administrative issues etc
What experiences u do have however, make sure u can reflect upon in any way you can.
Then in my opinion, the best way to make up for lack of work experience is to do alot of research into medicine, and care related stuff. By doing this, you are making sure to yourself, and to interviewers , that you have a REALISTIC view of medicine and know what ur in for.
Being able to reflect upon what you have researched is important, and even more so due to lack of experience.
Assuming the academic side of your application is fine, then no your not doomed, just make sure you make yourself stronger in your other areas.
And in desperation...DO NOT LIE, cos its well tempting , especialy when u think ur doomed.
Good luck, Marc
Thing is, you have to now be quite sensible about your situation. Universities understand that it can often be very difficult to get experience, especially cos of age limits and space and administrative issues etc
What experiences u do have however, make sure u can reflect upon in any way you can.
Then in my opinion, the best way to make up for lack of work experience is to do alot of research into medicine, and care related stuff. By doing this, you are making sure to yourself, and to interviewers , that you have a REALISTIC view of medicine and know what ur in for.
Being able to reflect upon what you have researched is important, and even more so due to lack of experience.
Assuming the academic side of your application is fine, then no your not doomed, just make sure you make yourself stronger in your other areas.
And in desperation...DO NOT LIE, cos its well tempting , especialy when u think ur doomed.
Good luck, Marc
Carpediemxx
Nar not doomed in my opinion.
Thing is, you have to now be quite sensible about your situation. Universities understand that it can often be very difficult to get experience, especially cos of age limits and space and administrative issues etc
What experiences u do have however, make sure u can reflect upon in any way you can.
Then in my opinion, the best way to make up for lack of work experience is to do alot of research into medicine, and care related stuff. By doing this, you are making sure to yourself, and to interviewers , that you have a REALISTIC view of medicine and know what ur in for.
Being able to reflect upon what you have researched is important, and even more so due to lack of experience.
Assuming the academic side of your application is fine, then no your not doomed, just make sure you make yourself stronger in your other areas.
And in desperation...DO NOT LIE, cos its well tempting , especialy when u think ur doomed.
Good luck, Marc
Thing is, you have to now be quite sensible about your situation. Universities understand that it can often be very difficult to get experience, especially cos of age limits and space and administrative issues etc
What experiences u do have however, make sure u can reflect upon in any way you can.
Then in my opinion, the best way to make up for lack of work experience is to do alot of research into medicine, and care related stuff. By doing this, you are making sure to yourself, and to interviewers , that you have a REALISTIC view of medicine and know what ur in for.
Being able to reflect upon what you have researched is important, and even more so due to lack of experience.
Assuming the academic side of your application is fine, then no your not doomed, just make sure you make yourself stronger in your other areas.
And in desperation...DO NOT LIE, cos its well tempting , especialy when u think ur doomed.
Good luck, Marc
So with that, you basically mean I should research as in reading a bunch of medicine-related magazines, ask around and etc? Because that I can do although I might not be able to express myself that well. According to my friends, I can be misunderstood very often in what I say and write.
Or do you mean in another way? Any advice on where/what I can do my research on? I would ask doctors if I knew any personally which I don't.
As for the academic part - sadly not that fine. I fit the minimum requirement but only just. My ukcat is also just average, nothing above.
I would never lie even if it were for my biggest dream to come true. I hate lying and am also a very bad lier so I would easily get caught.
No, I don't think you're doomed!
Sounds like you have a pretty comprehensive list of voluntary work and long term experience, well done. It does seem pretty relevant to medicine (demonstrates/develops people skills, working with the (not always 100% charming) public, etc). It's what you say, not what you've done, though you have plenty of material to write about!
The only thing you're lacking is direct doctor-stalking (forget where I picked up that phrase, but love it!) experience. Like you say, it does take time to organise. Have you spoken to your school? It's sometimes easier to get the ball rolling on something like that if you have the school to do the arranging for you - might carry more weight. However, I think your best bet will probably be to find out names of individual consultants (friends of friends, people who've done work experience at the hospital and can give you a name, or just interneting them) and write to/email/phone them. Once they agree to let you shadow them, then it will often become a lot easier to get permission from Human Resources (<< you have no idea how long it took me to spell that
. All this medicine is rotting my brain).
Ideally you'd have got this done before you apply, so you can write about it - it's possible, though how likely depends on the hospital/GPs in question, not just your organisation/'I'm not leaving this office until you say yes'-ness. If you haven't, don't worry. Keep trying to get it sorted so you've done it before interviews and can talk about it (and you can mention on your personal statement that you're about to do work experience).
As Carpediemxx said, medical schools recognise it can be very difficult to get experience directly in the medical setting. So long as you tactfully explain your difficulties, and say what else you've been doing to make sure you're taking an informed decision to study medicine (talking to doctors ... ring your GP up?, reading up on the NHS and so forth), you'll still be in with a chance.
Sounds like you have a pretty comprehensive list of voluntary work and long term experience, well done. It does seem pretty relevant to medicine (demonstrates/develops people skills, working with the (not always 100% charming) public, etc). It's what you say, not what you've done, though you have plenty of material to write about!
The only thing you're lacking is direct doctor-stalking (forget where I picked up that phrase, but love it!) experience. Like you say, it does take time to organise. Have you spoken to your school? It's sometimes easier to get the ball rolling on something like that if you have the school to do the arranging for you - might carry more weight. However, I think your best bet will probably be to find out names of individual consultants (friends of friends, people who've done work experience at the hospital and can give you a name, or just interneting them) and write to/email/phone them. Once they agree to let you shadow them, then it will often become a lot easier to get permission from Human Resources (<< you have no idea how long it took me to spell that
. All this medicine is rotting my brain).Ideally you'd have got this done before you apply, so you can write about it - it's possible, though how likely depends on the hospital/GPs in question, not just your organisation/'I'm not leaving this office until you say yes'-ness. If you haven't, don't worry. Keep trying to get it sorted so you've done it before interviews and can talk about it (and you can mention on your personal statement that you're about to do work experience).
As Carpediemxx said, medical schools recognise it can be very difficult to get experience directly in the medical setting. So long as you tactfully explain your difficulties, and say what else you've been doing to make sure you're taking an informed decision to study medicine (talking to doctors ... ring your GP up?, reading up on the NHS and so forth), you'll still be in with a chance.
Madprof
Have you spoken to your school? It's sometimes easier to get the ball rolling on something like that if you have the school to do the arranging for you - might carry more weight.
This is a very valid point for you. When i applied, hospitals from my area and other medical setting contacting my school with vacancnies for work experience positions. Although i didnt have the chance to do it, i did other things
I, like you, didnt really have any firm hospital work experience, but i did manage to get some, but it was after i sent off my form. I did some hospital work experience during october half term...so u can still try and see what happens! and then bring it up in interview.
As for your question, well yes to a certain extent magazines and articles and things will broaden your knowledge on medicine as a subject, but i think work experience is encouraged because it allows you to see medicine as a lifestyle, because in honesty it is. In that respect, find out about the nhs and basically everything you can to do with being a doctor, and the general medical world of this country.
Dont stop asking questions either, cos you can learn alottttt from sites like TSR, and from people around you.
As for what people have said to you about making urself misunderstood when u say things.....perhaps try and organise for your school to given u a mock interview, or get freinds who are also applying to interview you.
Practice really does help, and feedback can be really good to help u improve.
When i applied i had many people from my school also applying, and we often asked each other questions we had heard or found, and discussed the more ethical questions and the "no right anwser" questions. If you can do that, then over time youll get much better at expressing urself as you want to be understood...which will improve ur performance at interview.
Good luck!
Hi Afterglow,
You're not 'doomed'. I had about the same amount of work experience as you when I applied. Just make sure you relate all of what you've done/learned on your experience to medicine and maybe try to plan to visit a GPs surgery (even if it's only for a day) and you could mention it on your PS
You're not 'doomed'. I had about the same amount of work experience as you when I applied. Just make sure you relate all of what you've done/learned on your experience to medicine and maybe try to plan to visit a GPs surgery (even if it's only for a day) and you could mention it on your PS
I think med schools udnerstand that it is VERY difficult to get work experience. i think as long as youve done soemthing caring/showing a commitment and can talk about it in an interview and make it sound very impressive I think it wil be fine.
Related discussions
- UK military work experience
- work experience
- Diagnostic radiography work experience
- Law degree
- Work experience in yr 10
- physiotherapy
- Maths//Physics work experience
- What is it like to work as a Diagnostic Radiographer (or learn radiography at uni)?
- work experience yr 12
- Optometry work experience HELP!
- stem extra curriculars/work experience (year 10)
- work experience references
- Tesco - work experience
- *MEGATHREAD* - Work Experience and Voluntary Work [Part 2 of 2]
- Year 12 Work Experience
- Engineering Work Experience
- Pharmacy work experience
- Work experience
- Personal Statement (work experience)
- Work experiences at A Level
Latest
Trending
Last reply 1 week ago
OFFICIAL A101 Liverpool University Graduate Entry Medicine Thread 2024 EntryMedicine
77
Trending
Last reply 1 week ago
OFFICIAL A101 Liverpool University Graduate Entry Medicine Thread 2024 EntryMedicine
77
