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My medical work experience may now be in shambles now.

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You'll find a lot of medical students have worked as phlebs before med school, and a lot go back to it over the summer. Out of my closets friends 3 have worked as phlebs...

I did the HCA thang, which certainly comes in handy - if for nothing other than you can say to nurses 'I used to be a HCA' - they like that a lot, and are suddenly really, really nice to you when they realise that you're not an arse and are prepared to get your hands dirty!!!

Reply 21

RetiredAccount89

Fluffy

actually contrary to what some people say nurses generally are really nice to medics. They feel sorry for us i think.
they (midwives too) also act in the same manner as parents do in a nasty divorce case. Nigling about the doctors bad habits, and stories behind their backs.

its quite funny.

Reply 22

Solid_L

In my job nurses treat us like scum of the earth, or some do at least. In our hospital at least, if theres 5 nurses on a ward... 2 will be doing all the work and 3 will be moaning about something. Some nurses I've come across really annoy me lately but others are absolutely brilliant.

Of course, the same could be said about other work places.

Reply 23

Muse

Fluffy

I only did the 'glamourous' work experience so am dreading what's in store for me :eek:

I wouldn't know one end of a patient from another when it comes to moving them!

I did spend an afternoon in a blood clinic last year though and seemed fairly competent at taking the red stuff so am hoping that will continue.

Have fun on your elective Jamie, try not to kill anyone!

Reply 24

RetiredAccount89

Miles

I only did the 'glamourous' work experience so am dreading what's in store for me :eek:

i think 'try not to get yourself killed' is more appropriate...
I'm a liability when it comes to personal safety.

Reply 25

Solid_L

Miles

I did spend an afternoon in a blood clinic last year though and seemed fairly competent at taking the red stuff so am hoping that will continue.

No offence, but there's a little more to it than one afternoons training.... :p:

Reply 26

RetiredAccount89

Solid_L

No offence, but there's a little more to it than one afternoons training.... :p:

No offence, but there's really not.

Reply 27

Solid_L

Robot Chicken

No offence, but there's really not.

Well from what I remember you were at a "traditional" medical school... and so you've spent a lot of your time out of hospitals... so perhaps you haven't had as much patient contact and clinical experience than others.

But to be good at phlebotomy there is a whole lot more than 1 afternoons training, which is why every patient says to me "god you don't hurt like the doctors".

Believe it or not there is some level of skill to it and only after 3 weeks would I call us "adequate", to be good at it 6 months to a year really. After 1 afternoon your doing nothing more than putting patients through agony.

Reply 28

RetiredAccount89

Solid_L

1) 'traditional' medical school relates to pre-clinical training, not the clinical training. I've spent just as much time in the hospital as any final year medic jackass.
2) I never mentioned being a god of phlebotomy. Of course it isn't as simple as reading a book and doing it. But at OUR stage its more about having the confidence to do it than anything else. if when asked to do it you can even gather all the equipment together then its better than staring blankly.
3) People don't complain I hurt them. And infact thats not usually the problem associated with lack of experience. What does happen though is that if i can't find a decent vein then i'm very poor at knowing which little veins will be best to get blood out of.

When people start their clinicals, most will not have done phleb (a few will have obviously, especially with GPEPs around), or a whole variety of other procedures. so the medic who quickly seeks out one of the sisters in the phleb clinic will be infinintely more confident - and valuable than the one who waits until its organised onthe timetable - or they need it as a sign off.

Reply 29

Fluffy

Robot Chicken

Aye - on placement in my first year, I thought some of the shirty notes left by nurses for doctors were quite funny!

The following was laminated and by the nurses station: "Doctors. If you want to ever be able to find your patient notes, it helps if you put them back where you found them. This ward does not have a house elf" Classic :biggrin:

And by nice, I mean extra nice - the choccie biccies and everything :biggrin:

I even got a pancake on Shrove Tuesday, and the SHO didn't :smile:

Reply 30

RetiredAccount89

Fluffy

And by nice, I mean extra nice - the choccie biccies and everything :biggrin:

I even got a pancake on Shrove Tuesday, and the SHO didn't :smile:

Ass kisser :p:

Reply 31

Fluffy

Robot Chicken

Ass kisser :p:

LOL! They swooped on me and diverted me to the rest room, so SHO didn't know (I made sure that there were only subtle traces of sugar round my mouth :wink:

)...

Reply 32

Muse

Solid_L

No offence, but there's a little more to it than one afternoons training.... :p:

Not if you're naturally good at it :wink:

Robot Chicken

Ass kisser :p:

Typical Fluffy! :p:

Reply 33

Saffie

Robot Chicken

i think 'try not to get yourself killed' is more appropriate...
I'm a liability when it comes to personal safety.

mm have fun wherever you're going :confused:

I'm off to Uganda on Tuesday, so I think my safety's more in danger :biggrin:

OP- i assume you have done (or will do) other work experience too? Which will probably be enough.

fluffy

You'll find a lot of medical students have worked as phlebs before med school, and a lot go back to it over the summer. Out of my closets friends 3 have worked as phlebs...

scary, like Miles I've not really had much "hands on" experience. :eek:

Reply 34

RetiredAccount89

Saffie

mm have fun wherever you're going :confused:

miami, auckland, brisbane, cook islands, singapore, bangkok.
not dangerous places, but when i havea few bevvies i tend to lose ALL sense of direction

Reply 35

Fluffy

Robot Chicken

miami, auckland, brisbane, cook islands, singapore, bangkok.
not dangerous places, but when i havea few bevvies i tend to lose ALL sense of direction

So long as you can find your way back to the bar, you'll be fine :smile:

Reply 36

Astudentinneed

my work expierence starts on monday, wish me luck!

Reply 37

Ribbons

Astudentinneed

my work expierence starts on monday, wish me luck!

good luck!

Reply 38

Solid_L

Bonne chance mon ami(e).

Remember, keep a log of what happens... always useful come personal statement time (you may think you'll remember, you won't!!)

Reply 39

kpg

The key to work exp. is not how much you do or even what you do. But you've got to take something from it and ram it down the admissions tutor's throats to the extent that they're in no doubt whatsoever that it was a worthwhile experience.

My 'work experience' consisted of shadowing GPs, consultants, nurses, junior doctors, students, etc. for 4-5 (yes four to five) weeks. I did nothing, only made a few cups of tea. I saw all the above on the wards, 1v1 consultations, surgical theatre (despite being 17 in an over 18 policy hospital), rehab clinics, A&E, Audit meetings, small group teachings etc. I was extremely lucky in that I had no problem sorting shadowing out which was a great help. But looking back, compared to some of the things other people had done and places they'd worked/volunteered, mine was really bland. But maybe over a third of my personal statement was devoted to the month I spent following medics. Not a day to day diary of what I did (a line or two is sufficient, not "On tuesday I saw dr smith talk to 4 patients....blah blah") but interesting things I observed (i.e. differences between primary and secondary care, role of nurses etc.), how it related to my pre-conceptions about medicine and how the extensive experience helped me in making sure that I was going into the right career, which is what work experience should be about. It's a good idea to keep a log because you do forget things and it'll be helpful reading when preparing for your interview, because be very sure that they'll ask you about it.

But if you cant get shadowing experience, don't worry about it. Med Schools look for a variety of things and proving you know your way round a ward isn't necesarilly one of them. Look at working at charity shops, volunteering in nursing/old persons homes - or even volunteering anywhere, even if it's cleaning or washing up etc. Make sure you show you're proactive and make it relevent. Not necesarilly to medicine in particular but some of the skills needed to be a med student & doctor.