what is necessary work exp 4med+ how do i ask for it?

soooo i have a couple of months left to fit in some work experience, as i have none 'cept a week in a kids nursery. what have people found they needed to get offers?
I'm thinking: shadow a doctor for a week in hospital, help out in a GP's surgery for a week, old peoples home for a week, any other weekly things i can do?
i should probably do something every week also to show some dedication- prob help out in hospital...
And how on earth do you write letters asking for w/e?

thanx for any help (I REALLY NEED IT!)

Reply 1

Sugar_Puff_Fairy

Look in prospectuses, you can't go wrong if you read their requirements. (I don't want to bother pretending I know med requirements!) I always write my letters to vets n stuff quite formally, just tell them what I'm doing, what I want to do, pretend I am especially interested in their field (eg: small animal surgery) and just ask for a placement, whether it is just an afternoon or a year! If you say that anythign will help and really emphasise that you're having a **** time finding work exp., I find they feel sorry for you and try to help.... Hope I did!

Reply 2

Fluffy

try volunteering or something more long term than a week here and a week there - it will look more sustained and caring that just trying to tick as many 'experience' boxes as you can.

Look at Old Folks homes, hospices, hospital wards.

It's often easier to get a voluntary spot than work experience, and once you're 'in' it's usually very easy to get a doc to allow you to shaddow them too...

Reply 3

Just Grow up

when we were in the medisix edge, the doctor told us to get as many work experience done, doesn't matter how long but as many as possible.

Reply 4

Fluffy

minniehahahaya

when we were in the medisix edge, the doctor told us to get as many work experience done, doesn't matter how long but as many as possible.

Really? Because most medical admissions tutors say do something sustained to show committment - anyone can do 1 dat here and 1 day there doing different things, but that's seen as a 'bos ticking' exercise and you're unlikely to have actually learned anything about people...

Reply 5

MonkeyOnIce

Make sure you get community work in, even if its not medical related....the addmisions tutors like that. I did mine by helping out at my local cub scouts group ( i still do as its a load of fun :smile:

)

Reply 6

Just Grow up

don't really know, that's what we were told in the Edge, it might be if you have got more different ones, then you might have more experience for everything, saying that it is very hard to apply for short term jobs as most places they'd want long term workers!!!lol

Reply 7

ScaryFairy

try and keep a job at a nursing home on a saturday morning or something for the next few months, and then fit in other "experiences" around that

Reply 8

specialhelen

i have done voluntry work on a hospital ward for 5 hours every saturday for 1.5 years now - and i think that worked really well.
but it was really hard to get and i am the only person in my school ever to have done this type of work expereince. but other ppl have done things like help give out dinners or taking ppl to the chaple on sunday - it all looks good.
something long term is way better than random weeks - a more "realistic insight" aparently.

Reply 9

MonkeyOnIce

mmhmm..i did the cubs thing, but i also helped out a hospice for people with mental disabilitis every thursday afternoon, for about 5-6 months, which was really useful as you learn loads when you are in those environemnts.

Reply 10

Muse

MonkeyOnIce

You may well become the 2nd TSR Bristolian medic !! :wink:

Reply 11

Naveed

you can just like do some bits and bobs here n there and write it up in your statement and you can make it sound well good. they wont expect a full account of all your work experience when they interview you, probably just the highlights. i had a week in cardiology, was really inspirational.
or you could just lie... im dont think anyone checks