I got a work experience in the Cardiology Department!

Hi everyone :biggrin:

I managed to get a work experience placement in the Cardiology Department in a hospital for one week (starting this monday) but what kind of things should I note?
What should I ask the doctors, what should I look out for? Can you give me tips on what I should do to get the most out of this placement?

I want to do medicine in the future so this should give me an idea about the hospital environment.

Any tips would be great!

Reply 1

Secret.

14

Original post by razia

Hi everyone :biggrin:

I managed to get a work experience placement in the Cardiology Department in a hospital for one week (starting this monday) but what kind of things should I note?
What should I ask the doctors, what should I look out for? Can you give me tips on what I should do to get the most out of this placement?

I want to do medicine in the future so this should give me an idea about the hospital environment.

Any tips would be great!

That's really good, how did you manage to get this place? Did you contact the hospital directly? Or the department/consultants?

1) Ask doctors thing you want to know about medicine, there aren't set questions

2) The placement is about learning, so you will in your personal statement write about what you learnt from the placement so look out for anything like this, this doesn't mean learning how to do procedures as this won't make your application any better AFAIK

3) Have a notepad and when you're not busy and you're sitting down or waiting for something write quick notes on what you did/learnt so far everyday whenever you get time, so you can use this as a reference when writing your personal statement when the time comes

good luck and have fun! :smile:

Reply 2

Unknown505

1

What Hospitial and how did you go about arranging it

Reply 3

Doglamlico

16

Original post by razia

Hi everyone :biggrin:

I managed to get a work experience placement in the Cardiology Department in a hospital for one week (starting this monday) but what kind of things should I note?
What should I ask the doctors, what should I look out for? Can you give me tips on what I should do to get the most out of this placement?

I want to do medicine in the future so this should give me an idea about the hospital environment.

Any tips would be great!

Ask about:

Working hours, level of satisfaction with work, regrets, time they have to be alone / with friends / go out
Also the level of competition to reach where they are, exactly what their job involves, what career path they followed (including university, grades etc.)

Reply 4

Helpfulstudent

2

Original post by razia

Hi everyone :biggrin:

I managed to get a work experience placement in the Cardiology Department in a hospital for one week (starting this monday) but what kind of things should I note?
What should I ask the doctors, what should I look out for? Can you give me tips on what I should do to get the most out of this placement?

I want to do medicine in the future so this should give me an idea about the hospital environment.

Any tips would be great!

Hmm, ask if you can have a whole look around the hospital or maybe a guided tour with a nurse looking at not just the main area (cardiology) but all the different Departments and places... Have a look at the nurses and patients... You'll be surprised how homely it feels and how nice everyone is...

Reply 5

razia

OP

1

Original post by Secret.

That's really good, how did you manage to get this place? Did you contact the hospital directly? Or the department/consultants?

1) Ask doctors thing you want to know about medicine, there aren't set questions

2) The placement is about learning, so you will in your personal statement write about what you learnt from the placement so look out for anything like this, this doesn't mean learning how to do procedures as this won't make your application any better AFAIK

3) Have a notepad and when you're not busy and you're sitting down or waiting for something write quick notes on what you did/learnt so far everyday whenever you get time, so you can use this as a reference when writing your personal statement when the time comes

good luck and have fun! :smile:

Thanks for those tips. I will note down what I learnt on that day.

Original post by Unknown505

What Hospitial and how did you go about arranging it

I'm doing it in Barts and The London Queen Mary's School for Medicine and Dentistry. It's really difficult to get work experience just by calling up the work experience or volunteering department. I joined this youth membership when I was in year 12 so I could get help and volunteer in their Centre of the Cell research unit and this forum organises work experience for students who want to do medicine. And that's how I got it.

Reply 6

Helpfulstudent

2

Like secret. says carry a diary or notepad noting down anything that you find interesting, right or wrong, try to note expressions on people's faces, emotions and generally any patient that really stands out or sticks in your mind.

Reply 7

razia

OP

1

Original post by Junaid96

Ask about:

Working hours, level of satisfaction with work, regrets, time they have to be alone / with friends / go out
Also the level of competition to reach where they are, exactly what their job involves, what career path they followed (including university, grades etc.)

Wow excellent questions! Thanks.

Reply 8

Da CorrupteD KiD

9

While you're there you should probably try to see a couple of coronary angiograms and stent insertions. Don't forget to look out for pace maker insertion too. If you're keen on cardiology you could take a look at how echo-cardiogram is done etc. Since it's a work experience placement you could ask the radiologists/cardiologists about the general aspects of the above procedures and major indications/contra-indications etc. It really depends what you wish to get out of it. If you're into cardiology then do the above but if you just want a feel of the life of a doctor in general follow the advices the others have given before me. Good luck and make the most of it!

Reply 9

Helpfulstudent

2

I agree with The above as well. Obviously focus on your specialized work placement but also (during the week) follow the more 'ethical/lifestyle' side of medicine. Yup, look at the ECG try to understand some reports to see what may be wrong...

I've been in the neurology department and got to see a wide variety of patients and their MRI scans of their brains... After looking at a bunch of reports you can soon understand what might be wrong with the patient...after a bit you soon develop an eye for small details and start analyzing the patient yourself to see what might be wrong...(not sure if that will work in cardiology though)

Reply 10

razia

OP

1

Original post by Helpfulstudent

I agree with The above as well. Obviously focus on your specialized work placement but also (during the week) follow the more 'ethical/lifestyle' side of medicine. Yup, look at the ECG try to understand some reports to see what may be wrong...

I've been in the neurology department and got to see a wide variety of patients and their MRI scans of their brains... After looking at a bunch of reports you can soon understand what might be wrong with the patient...after a bit you soon develop an eye for small details and start analyzing the patient yourself to see what might be wrong...(not sure if that will work in cardiology though)

Oh yeah! good idea about the ECG. I'm going to try to remember how ECG works (I know a little about it from A2 biology)

Reply 11

1+5t

16

How did you get work experience ive been tryin g for months and have got nothing. Im really worried becuase i will not get into university without it.

I got a work experience in the Cardiology Department!

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