2013 Medicine Re-Applicants

I am currently working as a HCA at a hospital. At the end of March, I am hoping to go travelling for a few months on this program. If I have some money left over, I hope to go interrailing in the summer as well.

How long did it take you to find/get a job as a HCA? I've applied to a load of places but it just seems to be taking forever for them to reply to me
I really wanna get a job, because similar to you, hopefully in March time I can go volunteering in Switzerland

Hi, I got this job on my first attempt actually! I guess a factor of luck was involved but I managed to get a lot of help from a TSR member here which made the whole application process easier. If you want, you can PM me for some more specific help; I can even read over your personal statement (for the job) for you and point out errors or things you should add. I wish you the best of luck with your application and hope you get to go to Switzerland! (Bear in mind that Switzerland is on the whole a really expensive country; more so than even the UK so be prepared to spend a lot of money on everything.)

I am currently working as a HCA at a hospital. At the end of March, I am hoping to go travelling for a few months on this program. If I have some money left over, I hope to go interrailing in the summer as well.

I put mine just after my work experience paragraph as I linked it by saying what I did/doing in my gap year as work experience etc. I'm working as a HCA and then when I get money I'll go abroad around may/June time you?


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Ah I see, I think I'm just going to put mine at the end. I live in Glasgow so unfortunately we don't have HCA's in Scotland I've got a job at a care home and I've done more w/e in a hospital etc. I really want to go travelling too! I'm just not sure which one these types of websites is reliable :/ Still I definitely want to make the most of this year

Yes, but there is no harm in having turned up and not revised. Besides, if anything, you may help others by bringing the overall required mark for a certain grade down, even if only by a little bit, if you do poorly (My logic for deciding to turn up to a Biology exam last year!).

A job is a job- be glad you have one! It may not be a hospital, but your job is in an environment that requires caring for others and working with (one of) the most vulnerable member of our society. There is lots to learn from it.
I think I am going to go with RealGap because they seem pretty convenient and I like the packages they are offering (and I am too lazy to look around).

I had been looking for ages for a job so don't worry, I'm VERY glad I have one That's true, it will hopefully look good on my application I had a browse and it looks really good! It's got loads of good reviews as well so it seems pretty reliable. There is so much to choose from haha. Where abouts and what type of package are you thinking of going for? The other websites I've heard of are Gap Medics and Global Volunteer Projects but they're more geared towards medical placements.

Guys, I have just received an email stating that I have an interview for a HCA job.

I want to secure a job for my gap year, so do I do continue to apply for jobs or wait after my HCA interview?

Care home or hospital? You might as well keep applying, but if you've got an interview you've basically got the job everyone at my care home who gets interviewed has got the job, they tend to interview the candidate they like I think


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It's in a hospital
I hope so, love the hospital environment, do you know how many people hospitals generally invite to interview?

Well done I'd prefer a hospital but this care home will do I can't see them inviting many as its not a hard job and it would just waste time to interview a lot of people. At my care home for my job and jobs since I've been there, only 1 person has been interviewed good luck! Where are you applying to uni?


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Thanks wasn't expecting it
Um...I'm thinking of applying to Kings EMDP (6 year course) and Liverpool, and possible cardiff. Haven't sorted my 4th or 5th option yet

How about you?

HCA is really good experience, I've learnt so much already which will help in medicine nice, I'm applying to manchester, Exeter, barts and Plymouth + Bristol for chemistry 4 rejections again will kill me... :L


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do you have work experience anywhere? i got my first 'proper' job at 16 because of the w/e i had from school.
No need to list every single GCSE you have, it irritates that crap out of employers. fair enough your 16 but just put 12 A*-C's and then say what grades you got in maths and english.
So for you as a 6th former and you are hadning CV's out the best way to lay out your CV (well that I have seen from someone of your age) is what you call a skills based CV. where it demonstrates your skills over your experience in school or in EC's... so here would be a rough structure for you:

Name and basic details

Introduction: who are you? why are you good for the job?

The the skills bit, use the following headings as an example
Leadership: examples of leadership, DoE? scouts? school?
Teamwork: same as above
Communication skills: same as above
ICT skills: same as above
You can put few more in

Qualifications: keep this short, i don't need to know that you have an A* in RE or Food tech, a nice (insert number) of GCSE's A*-C here with your grades for maths and english

If you ahve work experience put it in here: if not leave it out

google a skills based CV, they are good. I still use one now as a grad.

Guys, I have just received an email stating that I have an interview for a HCA job.

I want to secure a job for my gap year, so do I do continue to apply for jobs or wait after my HCA interview?

It's in a hospital
I hope so, love the hospital environment, do you know how many people hospitals generally invite to interview?

I guess I'll join the club, although I've just had an invitation to a pre-interview test...I've been told it's pretty easy so hopefully I get an interview too