The Student Room Group

Gap Year Placement Abroad. Who with?

I have currently just started my gap year, and wondering if anyone has done medical work experience abroad organised by a gap year company?

If you have; Who was it with/where to? Would you recommened it? Did you learn alot from the experience? Do you think it added some weight to your medical application? Was it something you talked about in detail in the interview?

also was it enjoyable? how many other students went?

Sorry for asking soo many questions. Thanks in advance :smile:
Reply 1
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=991714

This thread has a good list of companies that aren't utter rip offs.
Reply 2
may i reccomend this place: http://www.missionfortheruralpeople.org//index.html

just to let you know that the website's been raped by the other volunteer who was with me but it should be back up and running soon :wink:

Who was it with/where to?
its called the: Mission for the Rural People, India. its just outside hyderabad in andhra pradesh (and by 'just outside' i mean i spent 4 days in total travelling to an from there from london :cool: ). its an orphanage run by a pastor and his wife (as well as an elderly home).

Would you recommened it?
hell yess. the best 2 weeks of my life - EVERYTHING was amazing; the food, the kids, and the weather (didn't rain when i was there during monsoon season). they don't ask for money but its good to give a donation (i gave about £300), plus theres no set time for you going or staying so you can stay as long as you like (i had pre booked flights) but if i was staying in a hotel and doing all this i'd be paying SO much more so yeah ... donate :smile:

Did you learn alot from the experience?
i became a karrom master (google it) and perfected my mad am. football throwing skills. i learnt a load of other stuff but i'm saving that for my PS :biggrin: i also taught them mad typing skills and english (but that was more effort.

Do you think it added some weight to your medical application?
I was like: 'could you organise a medical camp with the money'. he sorted out 3. helping ... wait for it ...... 700+ people yessir :yep: so it really benefitted the community. i've got a good half paragraph on it in my PS as well.

Was it something you talked about in detail in the interview?
haven't applied yet :smile:

also was it enjoyable?
HELL YEAH

how many other students went?
i was gonna be there alone, but there was a scottish girl there as well, which was good. it'd be better if you took another person with you - its nice to have someone you can have a conversation in proper english with (they're not all that fluent but you can have a half decent conversation with them). my mate went there last year and he got into medicine at bristol (9% acceptance), so it can't be all that bad.

I can't begin to describe what a great experience it was. seriously.

heres the facebook group we set up: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=119614091757&ref=ts