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What Volunteering experience would you recommend for medicine course

Hi!
Hopefully next year I'll be applying for medicine, but I've never volunteered before and my work experience was in the local pharmacy :frown:

. I'm a wee bit confused and lost with the whole process and have no idea where to start!!!

What type of Experience will the universities be looking for? Where should I start with volunteering? Is there anything else I could do now that would look good on a personal statement?

Thanks so much! :biggrin:

Reply 1

A future Midwife

Have a look on www.do-it.org it's a really good site for volunteering! Try old people's homes, your local hospital, support groups anything that allows you to be around people and show your caring side is brilliant!

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Reply 2

LouieSax

Original post by Soy_Food_Music

Hi!
Hopefully next year I'll be applying for medicine, but I've never volunteered before and my work experience was in the local pharmacy :frown:

Hey!
In terms of Work experience unis generally like to see any of the following:
- Shadowing Work Experience in a Hospital
- Shadowing Work Experience in a GP
-Volunteering in a Hospital/GP
- Volunteering in a Nursing Home
- Volunteering in a hospice
- Employment as a Health Care Assistant.

In order to get shaodwing work experience in a Hospital or a GP generally, there are age restrictions, usually either 16+ or 18+ so you may want to check on that. It is very difficult to get shadowing work experience in these places so you want to phone the hospital to ask, then email individual doctors if you find out their names, write to them, write to individual departments and make sure you consider hospitals which are far and wide as the competition is tough! Alternatively, if you have a family member who is working at a hospital ask them if they can get you in but make sure you are shadowing doctors because shadowing a radiographer, although relevant and good experience I can imagine most want to see your experience with medicine!

Alternatively, getting a shadowing placement does not always work out, so most hospitals have a volunteering scheme where you befriend patients this is also good experience because you get to witness the role of a doctor in a health care environment!

In terms of volunteering however, generally speaking, it may be best to get your voluntary work to be different from your work exeprience section so in other words if you are volunteering at a Hospital as part of your work experience, you need something else to go into your volunteering section. In terms of volunteering universities like to see anything that is hands on where you get to deal and work with people so things such as
-Volunteering at a Nursing Home
- Volunteering at a Hospice
- Volunteering at a Learning Disability Unit
- St. John's Ambulance
- British Red Cross

The best thing to do is to go onto a volunteering site and look for the best volunteering opportunities in your area and enquire as to what you would be doing in your voluntary position because as I previously stated you want something hands on.
Good Luck :smile:

Reply 3

Nina77

Original post by Soy_Food_Music

Hi!
Hopefully next year I'll be applying for medicine, but I've never volunteered before and my work experience was in the local pharmacy :frown:

Universities know that it's hard to get a work experience at a hospital or a GP. So if you don't have one, then don't worry. I know people who got accepted last year without any work experience.

There are lots of things you can do:
- Volunteer at a care home, hospice, disability centre or even helping out with scouts.
- First aid training: St.John Ambulance, British Red Cross.
- Fundraising for a needy cause. Charities always look for fundraisers
- Reading books on medical ethics or any other medical related book to mention on your personal statement. (Make sure that you've read them before your interview though)
- Take part in your school clubs. Is there MUN or medical related club in your school?
- Ask your biology teacher if you can help out with setting up practicals.

There's lots of things that can still make your application good. Speaking to a medical student or a doctor is also good because it shows that you are willing to find out about the course.

Good luck! :smile:

What Volunteering experience would you recommend for medicine course

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