Awaiting response from hospital?

I emailed several hospitals asking about work experience about a week ago, and have yet to hear anything back. I know I can't expect them to give me a placement this soon, but I thought they would at least acknowledge my enquiry.

How long should I wait before assuming they won't give me a placement?

just wondering are you currently studying medicine at uni or are u intending to study medicine at uni and am looking for internship and work related to the field? i suggest you to also approach clinics as the might be able to hire better and you will get to experience a lot of first hand family care, as well as general illness.

What do you mean by clinics? From the sound of it you mean GP surgeries. It's normal for med applicants to try to get shadowing experience at both a GP surgery and at a hospital, since the work of the doctors at each can be quite different.

I emailed several hospitals asking about work experience about a week ago, and have yet to hear anything back. I know I can't expect them to give me a placement this soon, but I thought they would at least acknowledge my enquiry.

How long should I wait before assuming they won't give me a placement?

I would recommend just asking consultants directly. I have done three placements (Haematology, A&E and Neurology & Neurosurgery) and all were obtained by just asking nicely. Asked a paeds consultant recently and they again immediately said I can shadow and just wanted to know how long I wanted to come for, so will arrange that next.

I did. See if you can ask anyone in person, i.e. by attending a relative's appointment with them and then asking afterwards. Or just look up the consultants for a specialty you are really interested in at a hospital you would like to shadow at and call their secretary and see if you can speak to them. Then immediately follow it up with an email.

Thanks so much for the advice!

Thanks so much for the advice!