*Closed* - Work Experience and Voluntary Work [Part 1 of 2]

Hiya

I attended a ucas conference last week as spoke to Manchester and Dundee and they told me that I need to have a minimum of 2 weeks hospital work experience. I was always under the impression that it is more important to be able to say what you learnt from it rather than quantity? The problem is, securing a 3 day placement was difficult and I can't volunteer for more than 3 days in my local hospital. All hospitals elsewhere accept applicants within a designated area only :frown:

Reply 7904

ThatHealthyLife

8

Try getting a job as a HCA or something for the summer?

It's odd that they are that picky, most places usually understand that it isn't always possible to get work experience. Does it say it under their entry requirements on the website too?

Reply 7905

Original post by ThatHealthyLife

Try getting a job as a HCA or something for the summer?

It's odd that they are that picky, most places usually understand that it isn't always possible to get work experience. Does it say it under their entry requirements on the website too?

Hi, it's definitely not in any of the entry requirements :/ do you think I should ignore the advice, considering that the people who told me it were student reps for the whole uni (not med students or admissions tutors)?

Reply 7906

ForestCat

18

Original post by Lularose83

Hi, it's definitely not in any of the entry requirements :/ do you think I should ignore the advice, considering that the people who told me it were student reps for the whole uni (not med students or admissions tutors)?

Yes.

Reply 7907

*pitseleh*

Original post by ThatHealthyLife

Try getting a job as a HCA or something for the summer?

It's odd that they are that picky, most places usually understand that it isn't always possible to get work experience. Does it say it under their entry requirements on the website too?

Hm, getting a HCA job 'for the summer' would be extremely difficult (positions often open up in cycles, and there tends to be a wait between application, appointment, training and actually starting the job - it was a few months for me), and - I don't know if others would agree, but I find it kind of immoral to put the NHS to that cost just for a few weeks' work experience. If you're planning to stay on beyond the summer, great; if not, I'd maybe look for work experience somewhere else.

OP: I can't be sure, but I think those student reps might have been talking out of their arses. I've never heard of any such minimum requirement. As you say, what you take away from the experience is more important than the length of time.. or so I thought.

Reply 7908

ThatHealthyLife

8

Original post by *pitseleh*

Hm, getting a HCA job 'for the summer' would be extremely difficult (positions often open up in cycles, and there tends to be a wait between application, appointment, training and actually starting the job - it was a few months for me), and - I don't know if others would agree, but I find it kind of immoral to put the NHS to that cost just for a few weeks' work experience. If you're planning to stay on beyond the summer, great; if not, I'd maybe look for work experience somewhere else.

OP: I can't be sure, but I think those student reps might have been talking out of their arses. I've never heard of any such minimum requirement. As you say, what you take away from the experience is more important than the length of time.. or so I thought.

Ah, maybe it varies between areas then. From application to starting for me was 6 weeks ish, and the trust do temporary summer jobs. Perhaps they just had the need to cover a few months. If the OP could find something like that it could work. I didn't mean get a permanent position then quit after a few weeks, but something temporary and work until the end date. I agree with the cycles thing though, when I had an applicant day it was to cover loads of jobs and since then no adverts have been posted. However, if you can find something with a nearby closing date, it could be 3 weeks or less until you start. My interview was 5 days after the closing date, offered the job that night, DBS came in a week and I started the following Monday.

It's worth looking for temporary job in healthcare though OP, or considering volunteering in a care home. However, it's best not to worry if you were only told by uni reps.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 7909

*pitseleh*

Original post by ThatHealthyLife

Ah, maybe it varies between areas then. From application to starting for me was 6 weeks ish, and the trust do temporary summer jobs. Perhaps they just had the need to cover a few months. If the OP could find something like that it could work. I didn't mean get a permanent position then quit after a few weeks, but something temporary and work until the end date. I agree with the cycles thing though, when I had an applicant day it was to cover loads of jobs and since then no adverts have been posted. However, if you can find something with a nearby closing date, it could be 3 weeks or less until you start. My interview was 5 days after the closing date, offered the job that night, DBS came in a week and I started the following Monday.

It's worth looking for temporary job in healthcare though OP, or considering volunteering in a care home. However, it's best not to worry if you were only told by uni reps.

Oh, fair enough. :smile:

Seems like we're of a similar mindset. I agree it's great experience for a prospective medic - I also really enjoyed it (so much so that I carried on doing it part time for the best part of five years).

Reply 7910

Do you guys have advice about extra curriculars? Admittedly I've left it a bit too late, but I don't do a sport/ have a particular hobby :/

Reply 7911

9910224

15

Original post by Lularose83

Do you guys have advice about extra curriculars? Admittedly I've left it a bit too late, but I don't do a sport/ have a particular hobby :/

Not even reading or hobbies based around subjects you're studying?

Reply 7912

Original post by 9910224

Not even reading or hobbies based around subjects you're studying?

I've read books on stem cells epidemics+ epq on neurodegenerative disease but nothing really non-medical :/

Reply 7913

9910224

15

Original post by Lularose83

I've read books on stem cells epidemics+ epq on neurodegenerative disease but nothing really non-medical :/

So what do you do when you're not studying or reading about medical things?

Reply 7914

Democracy

Original post by Lularose83

I've read books on stem cells epidemics+ epq on neurodegenerative disease but nothing really non-medical :/

You don't do anything for fun? Are you a robot?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 7915

ilovecake123

11

Hi,
Im finding it extremely difficult to get any work experience for medicine in my area. I have done no work experience and i really want to apply for cambridge/oxford. Does anyone have any advice on how to obtain medical work experience.
Thanks
Any help would be appreciated greatly

Reply 7916

Original post by Democracy

You don't do anything for fun? Are you a robot?

Posted from TSR Mobile

I do a variety of things for fun but nothing that I've got medals/rewards for! They don't seem medicine applicant worthy at all.

Reply 7917

Democracy

Original post by Lularose83

I do a variety of things for fun but nothing that I've got medals/rewards for! They don't seem medicine applicant worthy at all.

You don't need medals. Why do you think the medical schools are interested in what you like to do in your free time? Or, put another way, why is it important for med students and doctors to do non-academic things?

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 7918

Original post by Democracy

You don't need medals. Why do you think the medical schools are interested in what you like to do in your free time? Or, put another way, why is it important for med students and doctors to do non-academic things?

Ah ok, it just seems a bit lack lustre to say I like journaling, hiking, painting etc.

Reply 7919

Democracy