A+E Work Experience

I usually frequent the veterinary science forum but recently I have been considering Medicine instead. This was always going to be my second choice of career but I'm thinking about it more seriously now. I was wondering, are people allowed to sit in on A+E and observe what goes on during a Friday night? Maybe just sitting with the receptionist or in the waiting area, what are the opportunities? Any advice would be great cheers.

Reply 1

Iscariot

11

I spent a week in A&E at Lewisham Hospital in London (the 5th busiest A&E in the UK!). It was fantastic. My SHO was lovely and I learnt loads about medicine. It completely changed my ideas about it, but in a good way. Sitting in reception would be bloody boring, not every hospital offers work experience on A&E but some do.

Reply 2

Shockley

OP

15

The thing is, I've no idea who to contact at the hospital. Would it be human resources?

Reply 3

Renal

17

Yep, they normally have a person designated to fobbing off kids applying for W/E.

Reply 4

Shockley

OP

15

I'm not sure how seriously they would take me though, since I'm already into the second year of a Forensic Science degree.

Reply 5

Renal

17

Probably a bit better since you're older than most of their wannabes.

Reply 6

Iscariot

11

I'm on my first year of a biomedical sciences degree. You're way better equipped in your brain to learn on the wards when you're a bit older I think. A-level biology only teaches plants, knowing a bit of human biology can only help.

The SHO seemed to enjoy asking me questions about conditions and what I knew - the proceed to school me on them :p:

I got lucky and managed to discuss COPD to death with her, I got lucky as I had it the week before the easter break.

I did say in front of a patient that I thought his poor leg reflexes might have something to do with his cranial nerves. Which was really embarrassing since about a millisecond after the words rolled off my tongue I realised what I'd just said. I'll never forgive myself. Never. Ever.

Reply 7

Johnny C.

9

Shockley

I usually frequent the veterinary science forum but recently I have been considering Medicine instead. This was always going to be my second choice of career but I'm thinking about it more seriously now. I was wondering, are people allowed to sit in on A+E and observe what goes on during a Friday night? Maybe just sitting with the receptionist or in the waiting area, what are the opportunities? Any advice would be great cheers.

I did work experience in A&E. It was great to see such a variety of patients, but at the same time, everyone was really busy so didn't have much time to talk to me.

Also, I wasn't allowed in resus, which was a bit disappointing.

I think any hospital work experience is good, but I'm not sure A&E is the best for giving you an all-round impression of what being a doctor is like. I did a week work experience in ICU, which was more useful/interesting

To get the A&E placement I wrote a letter to the A&E consultants' secretary and she sorted it out.

Reply 8

Iscariot

11

We were allowed in resus and trust me it wasn't that great really. It was just like majors but a bit faster paced. In an entire week the only people I saw in resus were either drunk, an alcoholic, on drugs or so old that they were given DNR within about 5 seconds of coming in through the door.

I did some enjoyable stuff on A&E. I'd still say that work experience basically hinges upon whether or not your doctor is "fun". I spent a day with the most serious SpR in the world and it was so boring I thought a week would kill me. The next 4 days I spent with an SHO who made it interesting. So in other words stick to SHOs like glue since they see the majority of the patients.

Reply 9

Philosoraptor

18

He's right, I read through some long report about the amount of hours spent by each grade of doctor/nurses and yes SHO spend a lot of time and see a hell of a lot of patients.