No work experience, am I completely screwed?

Hi everyone, Im in year 12 hoping to apply for dentistry in sept/oct this year. But it have no work experience at all, I've tried but it's so hard to find someone who'll take me, and my dates during summer are quite restricted, if I scrape 2 weeks in a GDP and a few days in a hosp, will this be okay? I know people with like 8 weeks. I have a week in a pharmacy but thats not a GDP. I only decided on dentistry recently that's why it's so late😩😩😩 any tips on finding placements?

THANK YOU x

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Reply 1

Lash

Original post by sunshine12321

Yes, get more, stop being restricted in summer, get some between the end of your exams and the start of summer and tell your school it's a really good opportunity and you can't afford to miss it and unless your school hates you they'll let you miss it. If you're going on holiday or whatever in the summer and that's why you have restricted times.. Don't go on holiday. If you're serious about this and are good in other things like extra curricular, volunteering and you have good grades then who cares if you miss out on the most amazing holiday ever if it gets you the course you want? Speaking to people at interviews the general consensus I got was that most people had around 6 working weeks, 30 days total, work experience in may different places, private, NHS, hospitals, community, and if you only have a few days or whatever you simply won't be able to compete with them.. If you need anything else drop me a PM.

Reply 2

Lanfan

Don't worry. Many people struggle to find work experience in dentistry and it could be a nightmare. Practices will make up any excuse not to take you :frown:

I personally only had luck with private practices. I used every form of communication possible - I emailed every dental practice in town with my details and dates I could do, and also called them all up, and crossed the decliners off a list I made.

2 weeks at a GDP is a hard-line minimum. Some dental schools (eg Manchester) say you HAVE to have this minimum to be considered. So in theory, if you get the 2 weeks at a GDP you're in the clear.

In your statement, mention you did work experience at a pharmacy too, because it's in healthcare and involves people skills, and shows that you've looked round the healthcare professions and decided dentistry's the one for you.

I decided to try for dentistry halfway through year 12 (something like that), got 2 weeks at GDPs and 1 week at a hospital (also 1 week at a scientific analysis lab, haha) and got in. Some people will have months of experience but you can trump their advantage by being awesome in other ways, like knowing your sh!t in an interview, being a ninja at the piano, helping build schools for African kids, etc.etc. Best of luck to you!

(Edit: oh my lord I just read Lash's post how did I even get in
100% agree about the skipping school after AS exams thing. Don't know how it is with your school but at mine, the few weeks after AS was a waste of time. Several of my friends (med school applicants) skipped school to do work experience. Kind of a bit late to be suggesting this but yeah ^_^; :wink:

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 3

andbegin

Original post by sunshine12321

Hi everyone, Im in year 12 hoping to apply for dentistry in sept/oct this year. But it have no work experience at all, I've tried but it's so hard to find someone who'll take me, and my dates during summer are quite restricted, if I scrape 2 weeks in a GDP and a few days in a hosp, will this be okay? I know people with like 8 weeks. I have a week in a pharmacy but thats not a GDP. I only decided on dentistry recently that's why it's so late�� any tips on finding placements?

THANK YOU x

Posted from TSR Mobile

I feel very sorry for you that you cannot find dental work experience. I think it is vital in order to pursue dentistry in university and a lot of students do not fully understand what the career involves. Dental schools appreciate that is difficult and 2 weeks in a GDP and a few days in hosp. is not actually too bad. I must urge you to take FULL advantage of every minute with a dentist asking about them what it is like. Its a big decision for a 16-18 year old to make

Reply 4

sunshine12321

Thank you so much guys, you've all helped. I'm going to stick with it, skip school if necessary and get as much as possible. If it doesn't work out, guess il take a gap year or something:/

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No work experience, am I completely screwed?

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