[nothepreacher]

I know its really late in the day to apply for voluntary work experience in a care home as med application starts from mid sept but I phone one up and the manager offered to speak to me next monday but I'm afraid she will put me through the CRB check. I know this sounds quite silly but can I convince her to do the standard one and not the enhanced one? Or much better if I don't have to go through it at all. Would you know any care homes around wiltshire that don't do crb checks for student volunteer under 18 or something?

[Beska]

(Original post by nothepreacher)
I know its really late in the day to apply for voluntary work experience in a care home as med application starts from mid sept but I phone one up and the manager offered to speak to me next monday but I'm afraid she will put me through the CRB check. I know this sounds quite silly but can I convince her to do the standard one and not the enhanced one? Or much better if I don't have to go through it at all. Would you know any care homes around wiltshire that don't do crb checks for student volunteer under 18 or something?

You can't convince her to break the law!

[TheNoobyPotato]

How long does work experience with a GP take to arrange? I mean the filling out the forms and what not and possibly sending it off?

How long to people generally wait for their placement?

[Pandabär]

(Original post by TheNoobyPotato)
How long does work experience with a GP take to arrange? I mean the filling out the forms and what not and possibly sending it off?

How long to people generally wait for their placement?

For me:
GPs- a few days.
Hospitals- months.

[Zedd]

w00t w00t I just arranged a weeks experience with a GP! Albeit on the 21st of September (freshers week :/) but still, I'm really glad that I'll have some 1-on-1 with ~3 of the practice doctors! Now to chase up that hospital placement!! >:D

(Original post by Pandabär)
For me:
GPs- a few days.
Hospitals- months.

Awesome sig!

[Pandabär]

(Original post by Zedd)
w00t w00t I just arranged a weeks experience with a GP! Albeit on the 21st of September (freshers week :/) but still, I'm really glad that I'll have some 1-on-1 with ~3 of the practice doctors! Now to chase up that hospital placement!! >:D


Awesome sig!

Thaaaasanks.

[acer0951]

(Original post by candleflame)
If you can I would do both, but if only one then id focus on hospital based - Ive found this website helpful for arranging work experience

I plan on applying to do medicine or dentistry at Uni and I've done 2 weeks work experience at my dentist and I have contacted boots for work experience... Do you think I should 8 days 9-6 at boots? Is it worth it?? Please help!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[jojo1995]

(Original post by acer0951)
I plan on applying to do medicine or dentistry at Uni and I've done 2 weeks work experience at my dentist and I have contacted boots for work experience... Do you think I should 8 days 9-6 at boots? Is it worth it?? Please help!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

I think KCL (dentistry) say work experience at a pharmacy is beneficial as it shows working and interacting with others, so i think it would be good. however i think you should concentrate on getting more medical/dental work experience in different areas of medicine/ dentistry - the dental work experience you've got so far is great, its so hard to get these days. I think you may need work experience for medicine also.
hope this helps

[kimsiclez]

(Original post by acer0951)
I plan on applying to do medicine or dentistry at Uni and I've done 2 weeks work experience at my dentist and I have contacted boots for work experience... Do you think I should 8 days 9-6 at boots? Is it worth it?? Please help!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

On the topic of Boots, some stores have 'NHS Clinics'. Does anyone know anything about these and whether it would be worth trying to get some work experience here? I'm not entirely sure what they're all about but I think it's mainly Sexual Health services.

[acer0951]

(Original post by jojo1995)
I think KCL (dentistry) say work experience at a pharmacy is beneficial as it shows working and interacting with others, so i think it would be good. however i think you should concentrate on getting more medical/dental work experience in different areas of medicine/ dentistry - the dental work experience you've got so far is great, its so hard to get these days. I think you may need work experience for medicine also.
hope this helps

Thankyou for letting me know tht!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[Lawlet]

ameelia22: That will be great

Anyone else got some advice?

[belis]

Unless sth changed since I did few years ago if you are over 18 they will expect you to get involved with personal care. Washing, taking to the toilet etc They give you some basic training on first day and if your guest needs to be hoisted or has complecated needs than you will have a member of staff with you. I always ended up with guests with complex needs but I already had experience in care from my part time job so they took advantage of that. If they never cared for anyone before you are more likely to be allocated more straightforward guest. If you are not happy to provide certain aspects of care just let them know straight away so they can accomodate your needs.

[Neurology.]

Hi there,

I recently been given the great opportunity to volunteer at an Acute Medical Unit however I'm quite worried. Acute medicine is quite fast paced and has a high patient turnover. I feel that I'll get in the way and be out of my depth; how am I - a 17 year old- going assure the patient everything is going to be fine when the doctors don't even what's wrong with them?

This is my first time volunteering at a hospital so I'm not sure what to expect.

Rant over.

Thanks for reading

[Democracy]

(Original post by Neurology.)
Hi there,

I recently been given the great opportunity to volunteer at an Acute Medical Unit however I'm quite worried. Acute medicine is quite fast paced and has a high patient turnover. I feel that I'll get in the way and be out of my depth; how am I - a 17 year old- going assure the patient everything is going to be fine when the doctors don't even what's wrong with them?

This is my first time volunteering at a hospital so I'm not sure what to expect.

Rant over.

Thanks for reading

As a volunteer no one expects you to be giving such reassurances!

If this is volunteering (as opposed to shadowing) you're more likely to be helping with day to day "household" matters like making tea, giving directions, etc.

No one will give you any clinical duties to do.

[Neurology.]

(Original post by Democracy)
As a volunteer no one expects you to be giving such reassurances!

If this is volunteering (as opposed to shadowing) you're more likely to be helping with day to day "household" matters like making tea, giving directions, etc.

No one will give you any clinical duties to do.

Thank you for the reply, t'was really helpful

I was worried because the job description stated I had to 'talk to the patients and assist the needs of the professionals' (which I assume is to make tea/coffee, which I'm aweful at, I could cause someone to be diagnosed with diabetes with the amount sugar I pour in...)

I want to be an asset not a hindrance... Any advice?

[Democracy]

(Original post by Neurology.)
Thank you for the reply, t'was really helpful

I was worried because the job description stated I had to 'talk to the patients and assist the needs of the professionals' (which I assume is to make tea/coffee, which I'm aweful at, I could cause someone to be diagnosed with diabetes with the amount sugar I pour in...)

I want to be an asset not a hindrance... Any advice?

Well you could always ask "how many sugars would you like?" to avoid that particular problem

You seem pretty nervous about it: don't be, volunteering's supposed to be laid back not pressurised. You'll probably be wearing a very fashionable tabard of sorts so the staff will know you're a volunteer and they'll ask you do this and that. Just get stuck in, you'll pick it up as you go along.

[Hippokrates]

(Original post by Neurology.)
Hi there,

I recently been given the great opportunity to volunteer at an Acute Medical Unit however I'm quite worried. Acute medicine is quite fast paced and has a high patient turnover. I feel that I'll get in the way and be out of my depth; how am I - a 17 year old- going assure the patient everything is going to be fine when the doctors don't even what's wrong with them?

This is my first time volunteering at a hospital so I'm not sure what to expect.

Rant over.

Thanks for reading

I volunteer on that ward well it's called MAU but it's the same thing. Honestly it's nowhere near as exciting as you describe it. You'll most likely be doing brews, dinners and stock. If you're worried about a patient then tell the nurse in charge of that patient. Honestly you'll be fine you won't be getting involved in the medical side, the main thing is learning how to talk to patients and building your confidence. I'll try and answer any questions. Best thing you can do though is ask the housekeeper or HCAs if they need any help.

[cat-lover]

Hello everyone.

Do UK medical schools acknowledge the fact that work experience/volunteering can be very difficult to do in certain countries? I've spent weeks trying to arrange both work experience and volunteer work and all I managed to arrange was 2 weeks shadowing a neurologist (which I'm eternally grateful for!) I've had a week of work experience at the admissions office in a college. I did learn a lot, but I'm not sure how relevant it is since I've read it needs to be in a caring environment. I doubt an admission's office is a caring environment. Another thing I've done is help my older sister knit dolls and sell them. Again, I'm not sure how relevant this is.

The problem is all the hospitals and clinics I've tried so far keep telling me shadowing and general helping out isn't allowed. Others say they can't allow it because their patients wouldn't be okay with it. Same goes with volunteering..every place I've called up that has "We always welcome volunteers!" on their websites either don't answer or tell me they don't need any help. The only place that actually said they do need help is an organization that rescues and gives homes to cats. I will definitely volunteer there because I love cats and want to help, but I'm not sure how relevant that is to medicine. I tried looking for an orphanage or a care home but that didn't work out too well. Apparently, orphanages are pretty underground here and don't want any help, which I find hard to believe (read it in a forum). I'm getting very frustrated because I've visited and contacted so many places and no one wants any help. I can't afford to go abroad and get volunteer work done otherwise I'd do that. Anyways, enough of my rambling. Basically what I'm trying to ask is do medical schools realize things like work experience and even volunteering might be difficult to get in certain countries?

[Zedd]

(Original post by cat-lover)
Hello everyone.

Do UK medical schools acknowledge the fact that work experience/volunteering can be very difficult to do in certain countries? I've spent weeks trying to arrange both work experience and volunteer work and all I managed to arrange was 2 weeks shadowing a neurologist (which I'm eternally grateful for!) I've had a week of work experience at the admissions office in a college. I did learn a lot, but I'm not sure how relevant it is since I've read it needs to be in a caring environment. I doubt an admission's office is a caring environment. Another thing I've done is help my older sister knit dolls and sell them. Again, I'm not sure how relevant this is.

The problem is all the hospitals and clinics I've tried so far keep telling me shadowing and general helping out isn't allowed. Others say they can't allow it because their patients wouldn't be okay with it. Same goes with volunteering..every place I've called up that has "We always welcome volunteers!" either don't answer or tell me they don't need any help. The only place that actually said they do need help is an organization that rescues and gives homes to cats. I will definitely volunteer there because I love cats and want to help, but I'm not sure how relevant that is to medicine. I tried looking for an orphanage or a care home but that didn't work out too well. Apparently, orphanages are pretty underground here and don't want any help, which I find hard to believe (read it in a forum). I'm getting very frustrated because I've visited and contacted so many places and no one wants any help. I can't afford to go abroad and get volunteer work done otherwise I'd do that. Anyways, enough of my rambling. Basically what I'm trying to ask is do medical schools realize things like work experience and even volunteering might be difficult do get in certain countries?

When are you planning on applying?

I've found it difficult but it's not impossible. You need to consider writing letters to local GPs (ideally you should address it to the practice manager) and get in contact with your local hospital's volunteer coordinator.

I think that universities (at least the ones I am interested in) realise how difficult it can be for some candidates to get shadowing and volunteering experience so if you don't have a huge amount then it's not a big problem. All it will mean for me is that I have to make the most of what I do get.

[Neurology.]

(Original post by Hippokrates)
I volunteer on that ward well it's called MAU but it's the same thing. Honestly it's nowhere near as exciting as you describe it. You'll most likely be doing brews, dinners and stock. If you're worried about a patient then tell the nurse in charge of that patient. Honestly you'll be fine you won't be getting involved in the medical side, the main thing is learning how to talk to patients and building your confidence. I'll try and answer any questions. Best thing you can do though is ask the housekeeper or HCAs if they need any help.

Thanks you for the great advice. I guess my main worry is my lack of confidence when speaking to people, which is odd since I want to be a doctor. I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to carry a conservation with someone who is ill and scared etc

I just read your sig, Good Luck!

(Original post by Democracy)
Well you could always ask "how many sugars would you like?" to avoid that particular problem

You seem pretty nervous about it: don't be, volunteering's supposed to be laid back not pressurised. You'll probably be wearing a very fashionable tabard of sorts so the staff will know you're a volunteer and they'll ask you do this and that. Just get stuck in, you'll pick it up as you go along.

Lol, I guess that will suffice

Thank you for the encouragement.