2012 Medicine Re-Applicants Mark I

I'm gonna be on the HCA bank soon too
I don't know which i should mention if not both in my ps and what i should talk about
The HCA thing is bank so pretty much as and when and the other is 9-5
The limiting thing about the bank is the european working time directive.
At least i can talk about that in interview if it comes up.

Yeah, it depends on what you have to say about them though.
The mere fact that you had that experience is not as important as what it meant to you/what you learned from it.
Plus, if you didn't want to mention one of them on your personal statement there's a jobs section on the UCAS form and i'm sure they would bring it up at interview if they wanted to

I read my ps from last year before.
It was soo different from the drafft i cut it down from that it was almost not saying the same things. Granted that drafft was 10 000 char.
I guess i just want to talk too much.

NHS jobs is deffinatley the way to go
four applications
Three interviews
Two jobs
One crappy UKCAT exam coming up(i had to complete the list)
But i'd seriously advise just poking about on there

It's what i'm hoping for.
See with the HCA it's a great job and all but a lot of re-applicants do it. The MLA thing stands out a bit more and it's more scientificy. There is however the massive patient contact part of the HCA thing and working on actual wards.
There's gonna be loads to talk about for both i reckon.
I hate the 4000 character limit.
How are you meant to say exactly what you mean and have learnt from various experiences in 4000 char?

I read my ps from last year before.
It was soo different from the drafft i cut it down from that it was almost not saying the same things. Granted that drafft was 10 000 char.
I guess i just want to talk too much.

I read my ps from last year and realised how terrible it was, I'm really not surprised I didn't get interviews from some places if that was the only thing they had to go on!!

Yeah the character limit is annoying and they want to see that you've done so much and there'll be alotta pressure on us for evidence that we've used/plan on using this year wisely..
I really don't know what i'm going to do when it comes to my personal statement..


Should be fine. I mean you'll get to see more as a HCA than you would volunteering. Get a better idea of how the wards actually work etc.

Haha same with mine! Utterly terrible, i felt so cringe reading it as well.
I think mine read well but it was sorta neither here nor there, but everyone that read it told me it was fine. I plan on getting doctors to read it this time..

Sorry to double post but should we, as gappers be doing a mix of voluntary/paid experience, or does it depend on what you can get your hands on??
I've did 2 weeks shadowing in year 11, did LOADS of voluntary stuff over the last 3 years but it has all been sports related. I'm working as a hca full-time and judging by the first two days i doubt i'll have the time nor energy to do much else. I'll probably still be doing my voluntary karate instructing once a week (cos i have to) but do i need to worry about voluntary stuff?? - Do unis actually decide to reject you on this basis or would they ask you at interview, "Have you done any voluntary healthcare related work?"

Yeah thats what I've been doing. I've sent off about ten applications since I started looking. And one interview, no jobs :/

i am finding it impossible to find a job this year ahhh. not just as a HCA, but literally applying for anything I see but no luck

Samee, try not to worry about it. I got really stressed about it yesterday - I've applied to at least 10 HCA/general NHS jobs and only had one failed interview, and I've applied to four at various different Wetherspoons and heard nothing, I've been trawling through the job ads at all the restaurants and bars and shopping centres near me, and got nowhere with any of those. I can't even find a child to babysit.

Everybody is finding it hard to get work at the moment, you've just got to be patient, and hope for the best. Make every application count, and try not to worry if nothing comes of it. Just think, more free time :P Try and fill your time with other things. After having trouble with the language barrier on a trip to Spain, I've decided that I'm also going to try and learn a passable amount of a few different languages - all going to improve communication!

Filling out an application for Starbucks at the moment - there's a question asking how the job fits into my future plans... Do I say its a gap year job? At my interview for the HCA bank, I just said that I didn't really know, and I was just taking things as I went along. I had NO IDEA what to say. Any help?

Yeah, finding a job in these times is so difficult! Just so annoying when some people have like 3 jobs and I have none

I'm not worried about it at the moment, because I'm going to Moldova for a month come August, but as soon as I'm home I'm determined to find one!

do you reckon medical schools will look negatively on people who havent got a job? or it is ok as long as you keep yourself busy with volunteering etc

I wouldn't say they'd look negatively so much as they might look positively at those with jobs if they are doing something productive.

I know a fair few people that are unemployed that have managed to get into medicine this year, Beska being the most famous to mind.. but it is worth mentioning that he has done plenty of volunteering etc which I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to you about

getting a job helps you more in the way of keeping sane rather than get into medicine.. you have no idea how bad cabin fever can get even after a few days off work

NO NO NO NO NO.

I wouldn't say it was a gap year job since a year is not a long time so if someone wants it permanent then you basically won't get the job.

To be truthful though it might be worth saying something along the lines of;

"Overall in life, it is my ambition to go to medical school in order to become a doctor. However before I do this I want to experience the world of work, in order to gain some independence and learn what it means to be financially independent and to also learn what it means to work hard for your money and experience the 'real world'. It is my aim to work hard to save up plenty of money before I think about applying to university at some point in the future."

Obviously it doesn't have to be exactly like that and if you don't feel comfortable with saying stuff like that or you think it's a lie then by all means ignore my advice.. all I'm saying is that you can phrase certain things to make them seem better than they are in the eyes of your future employer. You have been completely honest in saying that you are only aiming to do this job temporarily and that it is what you see yourself doing in 10 years time etc.
What you haven't said is when you plan to quit, which should make them more likely to consider hiring you imo


But that's just my opinion and experience anyway

Is you talking about brother beska?

Thanks so much, thats really helpful!

You're welcome.. we all help each other out on here

I am indeed

He is still the font of knowledge of all things medicine application related



You're welcome.. we all help each other out on here