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Can I apply for work experience in a British hospital even though I'm not from UK?
Original post by universityaddict
Can I apply for work experience in a British hospital even though I'm not from UK?


I don't know but I'd say its worth emailing the hospitals and asking.

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Original post by DibbyDabby
I don't know but I'd say its worth emailing the hospitals and asking.

Posted from TSR Mobile


Yeah I did and waiting for answers :smile: I hope it's possible as universities seem to want work experience with NHS...
Original post by universityaddict
Can I apply for work experience in a British hospital even though I'm not from UK?


Yeah.I have done 2 placements already.
So yeah don't worry you can apply to placements even if you are not from UK.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 8324
Hey there,

I wonder if any of you may be able to shine any light on my situation from your own experiences.

I've submitted two NHS placement applications. I'm wondering how long I should be expecting to wait for any kind of acknowledgment or reply?
Original post by Amy815
Hey there,

I wonder if any of you may be able to shine any light on my situation from your own experiences.

I've submitted two NHS placement applications. I'm wondering how long I should be expecting to wait for any kind of acknowledgment or reply?


Hi! I got two rejections at first, and they both replied within a week. Now I'm emailing back and forth with a consultant about a possible placement trying to fix the days and each answer seems to take at least a few days. Don't worry, the consultants are always busy and I'm sure you'll get a placement if you just apply early enough :smile:
Hi guys,
In year 12 going into Yr 13 and applying for med. basically I am applying to volunteer at a hosptial and the question is why do you want to volunteer? I want to work in the paediatric ward and basically the job is to talk to patients keep them company and help them with any forms they need to fill and so forth. How can I anwser this question properly?

Thanks😊😊
Original post by Maams_xo
Hi guys,
In year 12 going into Yr 13 and applying for med. basically I am applying to volunteer at a hosptial and the question is why do you want to volunteer? I want to work in the paediatric ward and basically the job is to talk to patients keep them company and help them with any forms they need to fill and so forth. How can I anwser this question properly?

Thanks😊😊


Well I can't really answer the question for you properly as everyone has their own reasons. But you could maybe talk something about getting valuable experience considering your future studies and vocation? Talk about how rewarding of an experience it would be and beneficial both for you and the children? Maybe mention prior experiences of volunteering if you have any and how you enjoyed them? Yeah there's a few suggestions haha I'm sure you'll get the place! :smile:
Original post by universityaddict
Well I can't really answer the question for you properly as everyone has their own reasons. But you could maybe talk something about getting valuable experience considering your future studies and vocation? Talk about how rewarding of an experience it would be and beneficial both for you and the children? Maybe mention prior experiences of volunteering if you have any and how you enjoyed them? Yeah there's a few suggestions haha I'm sure you'll get the place! :smile:


Thank you 😊😊
I will greatly appreciate it if someone could answer this question. When we talk about having experience in care homes for example, do universities ask about number of hours per week you worked? I've seen some people who have said they worked as a health care assistant for 3 months but worked one hour per week, meanwhile another person worked for 3 months but may have worked for 2 hours per week. I know it's not about how much your worked but what you have learned but I am still wondering if the number of hours is seen as important and something universities will ask about. The reason I am asking is because next few years when I am working as a full time pharmacist, I simply won't have the time to spend many hours per week working in care homes etc. But I still would like to gain some experience in that job. I know working as a pharmacist is a big plus on its own, nevertheless It's still important I gain experiences in other roles too.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Mr Optimist
I will greatly appreciate it if someone could answer this question. When we talk about having experience in care homes for example, do universities ask about number of hours per week you worked? I've seen some people who have said they worked as a health care assistant for 3 months but worked one hour per week, meanwhile another person worked for 3 months but may have worked for 2 hours per week. I know it's not about how much your worked but what you have learned but I am still wondering if the number of hours is seen as important and something universities will ask about. The reason I am asking is because next few years when I am working as a full time pharmacist, I simply won't have the time to spend many hours per week working in care homes etc. But I still would like to gain some experience in that job. I know working as a pharmacist is a big plus on its own, nevertheless It's still important I gain experiences in other roles too.


Not important. As you say, it's what you learn rather than quantity. However, doing something for months-years shows commitment so might count for something. 2h vs 1h per week won't make any difference.
Original post by Asklepios
Not important. As you say, it's what you learn rather than quantity. However, doing something for months-years shows commitment so might count for something. 2h vs 1h per week won't make any difference.


Thank you. I wonder if working as a health care assistant is truly that representative of what life as a medic is like? I often thought it is much more similar to nursing than medicine. I think these roles are much better for college students or graduates from non-healthcare background who are naturally going to be more limited in what experiences they can find thus such healthcare experiences can suffice.

I am going to be starting work as a pharmacist next year. I will contact a few medicine schools and ask them if for someone like me who will be working as a healthcare professional, would working as a healthcare assistant for a long period truly be needed? Of course it will be a plus, but I rather spend my time shadowing doctors in GP and hospital to gain experience. Having said that, I'll probably still end up doing one hour per week for a 6 month/a year in healthcare assistance/care home role too. Just because I am interested to see what it is like.
Original post by Mr Optimist
Thank you. I wonder if working as a health care assistant is truly that representative of what life as a medic is like? I often thought it is much more similar to nursing than medicine. I think these roles are much better for college students or graduates from non-healthcare background who are naturally going to be more limited in what experiences they can find thus such healthcare experiences can suffice.

I am going to be starting work as a pharmacist next year. I will contact a few medicine schools and ask them if for someone like me who will be working as a healthcare professional, would working as a healthcare assistant for a long period truly be needed? Of course it will be a plus, but I rather spend my time shadowing doctors in GP and hospital to gain experience. Having said that, I'll probably still end up doing one hour per week for a 6 month/a year in healthcare assistance/care home role too. Just because I am interested to see what it is like.



Nothing is truly necessary experience-wise. Work experience is really something to reflect upon in your personal statement and interviews rather than a requirement in itself.

It's good to have a little bit of direct clinical shadowing (a week or thereabouts) in addition to a more long-term regular volunteering/paid "caring" commitment. This can be clinical (e.g. HCA) but doesn't have to be. It can even just be working in a charity shop, but helps if it involves working with vulnerable groups - children, elderly etc.

I think for you as a qualified pharmacist it would be good to go for something voluntary. You can still potentially learn a lot as a HCA, but something like a befriender in a care home would be fine.
Original post by Asklepios
Nothing is truly necessary experience-wise. Work experience is really something to reflect upon in your personal statement and interviews rather than a requirement in itself.

It's good to have a little bit of direct clinical shadowing (a week or thereabouts) in addition to a more long-term regular volunteering/paid "caring" commitment. This can be clinical (e.g. HCA) but doesn't have to be. It can even just be working in a charity shop, but helps if it involves working with vulnerable groups - children, elderly etc.

I think for you as a qualified pharmacist it would be good to go for something voluntary. You can still potentially learn a lot as a HCA, but something like a befriender in a care home would be fine.


Thanks. Yes, I have given serious thoughts for doing one hour per week voluntary work in care homes/HCA etc. we'll see how it goes. I am generally a selfless individual and this it will also show when I volunteer to do work for free even though I am qualified healthcare professional. Thanks again for taking the time to comment :smile:
Reply 8334
Hi all,
I'm a Doctor working in south Wales. Happy to take year 12 students who are looking for shadowing opportunity.
Message me if interested. Thanks.
BMAT Thread with Tips and Resources

Hope you guys are okay finding work experience and volunteering, I'll be happy to answer any questions. We've set up a thread for the November 2017 BMAT if anyone is sitting it:

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4873140#primary_content

With Love,
Your Medic Mind
Hi does anybody have any experience in gaining work experience as an adult? the NHS only seems to offer help for school pupils. I was told I would need to self find my placement, I was thinking about visiting my local hospital and trying to find somebody to ask. I am 26 and currently changing my career so need experience for my CV/college application.
I was just wondering if people could answer my question about work experience in surgery:
1)What is it like,what do you do?
2) What do you wear,do they scrub you up or what-a description would be great
3)Is it enjoyable?

I applied to do plastic surgery,neurosurgery and general surgery.
Original post by Anonymous1502
I was just wondering if people could answer my question about work experience in surgery:
1)What is it like,what do you do?


I had a day of work experience in ENT theatres. I spent most of it peering over the ENT consultant's shoulder as he performed a tonsillectomy, inserted grommets, removed nasal polyps and then did a mastoidectomy which lasted around five hours. He was a really nice guy and he explained what he was doing to me and asked me a few questions (so pretty much got a taste of what med school surgery placements are like). I also spent a bit of time with the anaesthetist who was also very friendly and explained a bit about the different drugs she was giving as well as the overall care of the patient. I had a good time!

2) What do you wear,do they scrub you up or what-a description would be great


You definitely won't scrub up during work experience. Scrubbing up refers to the cleaning and gowning process which means you become aseptic so you can enter the sterile field. Normally the only people scrubbed up during an operation are the surgeons and the scrub nurse.

You will wear scrubs, theatre shoes and a cap to cover your hair.

3)Is it enjoyable?

I applied to do plastic surgery,neurosurgery and general surgery.


It was yeah, it's not something everyone gets to do during work experience so I was pretty excited about it and I was fortunate enough to be with a surgeon and anaesthetist who took an interest in explaining and showing things to me.

But I'm quite certain it was during that afternoon I realised hours and hours spent standing in one solitary spot really made my feet hurt and that consequently I probably wouldn't ever go into surgery...and so it came to pass :moon:

It's good that you're going to do work experience in several different areas of surgery. Do remember though that the point of the work experience isn't to observe operations - try and observe the consultants as they do their outpatient clinics, see how they interact with the patients before and after the operation, think about what responsibilities they have to their juniors, etc. Think about why those different things make you interested in being a doctor as a whole (not just a surgeon).
Thank you for your reply.When you wear scrubs,is it that blue or green t shirt thing and the trousers?Do you wear a t shirt or anything under the scrub t shirt thing.
Original post by Democracy
I had a day of work experience in ENT theatres. I spent most of it peering over the ENT consultant's shoulder as he performed a tonsillectomy, inserted grommets, removed nasal polyps and then did a mastoidectomy which lasted around five hours. He was a really nice guy and he explained what he was doing to me and asked me a few questions (so pretty much got a taste of what med school surgery placements are like). I also spent a bit of time with the anaesthetist who was also very friendly and explained a bit about the different drugs she was giving as well as the overall care of the patient. I had a good time!



You definitely won't scrub up during work experience. Scrubbing up refers to the cleaning and gowning process which means you become aseptic so you can enter the sterile field. Normally the only people scrubbed up during an operation are the surgeons and the scrub nurse.

You will wear scrubs, theatre shoes and a cap to cover your hair.



It was yeah, it's not something everyone gets to do during work experience so I was pretty excited about it and I was fortunate enough to be with a surgeon and anaesthetist who took an interest in explaining and showing things to me.

But I'm quite certain it was during that afternoon I realised hours and hours spent standing in one solitary spot really made my feet hurt and that consequently I probably wouldn't ever go into surgery...and so it came to pass :moon:

It's good that you're going to do work experience in several different areas of surgery. Do remember though that the point of the work experience isn't to observe operations - try and observe the consultants as they do their outpatient clinics, see how they interact with the patients before and after the operation, think about what responsibilities they have to their juniors, etc. Think about why those different things make you interested in being a doctor as a whole (not just a surgeon).

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