GP work experience

Hi, I want to do medicine so I arranged GP work experience but I was told that it could only be at the reception. I couldn't find any other places so I decided I'll do it there. It's my second day now, and I feel like Im not really gaining much from this. I don't know what I need to look out for and how I'm going to do my reflection. Really unsure what to do

Reply 1

Muttly

20

When you have no DBS clearance and you could be 'Jo Blogs' witnessing someone's intimate medical care - just what do you expect? If you can't understand or see that then there is a big question whether or not you are really the right candidate for medicine?

Sometimes, humility is a very important part of work experience.

Reply 2

GGIN

13

Original post by Muttly

When you have no DBS clearance and you could be 'Jo Blogs' witnessing someone's intimate medical care - just what do you expect? If you can't understand or see that then there is a big question whether or not you are really the right candidate for medicine?

Sometimes, humility is a very important part of work experience.

Empathy is a very important part of being a doctor too.

Reply 3

GGIN

13

Original post by Salma06

Hi, I want to do medicine so I arranged GP work experience but I was told that it could only be at the reception. I couldn't find any other places so I decided I'll do it there. It's my second day now, and I feel like Im not really gaining much from this. I don't know what I need to look out for and how I'm going to do my reflection. Really unsure what to do

You are very lucky to have and the opportunity, its so hard to get it.

It's an opportunity to learn a bit about primary care more generally the pressures on it. Receptionist will be well placed to speak about how many no shows they have. To learn a bit about how the surgery works in relation to AHPs and Nurse practitioners.

Find somebody in the coffee area and ask them what they think makes a good GP. Ask them what the pressures are in primary care. How long do the doctors work.

What sort of patients are you seeking come through, lots of older people, younger, wealthy area? Leaflets how does information sharing work for health literacy.

Amongst all this it's not what you do, it's what you learn from.it. how does your experience help you understand what life as a doctor is like..

Might have to pick your times, but am sure there must be times at thr beginning/ end of the day when you can ask whomever is around.

Just be there and breathe it in and chance your arm if you can pin a dr down. Have 2 - 3 quick questions you could ask them if they have 5 mins free. An hour would be too much time but 5 min chat will be fine.

Good luck.

Reply 4

Democracy

20

Original post by Salma06

Hi, I want to do medicine so I arranged GP work experience but I was told that it could only be at the reception. I couldn't find any other places so I decided I'll do it there. It's my second day now, and I feel like Im not really gaining much from this. I don't know what I need to look out for and how I'm going to do my reflection. Really unsure what to do

Why did they only offer reception work experience? Is it due to your age?

True, it's not going to be the most "high yield" form of work experience and it's a shame you can't sit in with one of the GPs, but I would try your best to take what you can from it and make a good impression. Maybe in a few months they could have you back for clinical shadowing?

Original post by Muttly

When you have no DBS clearance and you could be 'Jo Blogs' witnessing someone's intimate medical care - just what do you expect? If you can't understand or see that then there is a big question whether or not you are really the right candidate for medicine?

Sometimes, humility is a very important part of work experience.

Really disagree with this condescending take.

(edited 7 months ago)

Reply 5

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by Salma06

Hi, I want to do medicine so I arranged GP work experience but I was told that it could only be at the reception. I couldn't find any other places so I decided I'll do it there. It's my second day now, and I feel like Im not really gaining much from this. I don't know what I need to look out for and how I'm going to do my reflection. Really unsure what to do

To be fair one possible reflection is on the reasons why you aren't able to do clinical shadowing/work experience there - considering matters of safeguarding (both for you as presumably a minor and for the patients), confidentiality, etc.

Plus it might give you some general contextual knowledge of working in the NHS and how the public interacts with healthcare in the UK - as GP surgeries are usually (in theory anyway!) the first port of call for people wanting to have a health issue reviewed. So observing what the demand is like, how quickly appointments are filled up, how many actually show up to their appointments on time (or at all), where delays occur, how last minute urgent (but not emergent enough for A&E) cases that show up are managed etc.

Also you might get more of a sense from reception how the practice functions as a business in of itself perhaps?

Reply 6

GANFYD

18

Original post by Salma06

Hi, I want to do medicine so I arranged GP work experience but I was told that it could only be at the reception. I couldn't find any other places so I decided I'll do it there. It's my second day now, and I feel like Im not really gaining much from this. I don't know what I need to look out for and how I'm going to do my reflection. Really unsure what to do

This is what the MSC tells you they want to see in future Drs
https://www.medschools.ac.uk/media/2542/statement-on-core-values-to-study-medicine.pdf

I would be pretty sure you will see examples of people using most of those, on a daily basis, in a GP Reception - you certainly would see
Insight into your own strengths and weaknesses
The ability to reflect on your own work
Personal organisation
Problem solving
Dealing with uncertainty
Manage risk and deal effectively with problems
Ability to take responsibility for your own actions
Conscientiousness
Effective communication, including reading, writing, listening and speaking
Teamwork
Ability to treat people with respect
Resilience and the ability to deal with difficult situations
Empathy and the ability to care for others
Honesty

in mine. So draw up some headings and jot down instances of when each are demonstrated - you are expected to have awareness, knowledge and examples of these, but they do not need to have come from a Dr!
How do Reception deal with problems? With difficult patients? How do they support one another, the patients, the other staff? How do they cope when things go wrong? How do they manage risk, eg no appts left and someone who says they need seeing urgently? How do they cope with this uncertainty and how does what they do help the patient? Or not!
It is the same people coming/calling into Reception as in the consulting rooms, so other than clincial medicine (which you are not expected to know about) you are seeing the same problems

GP work experience

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