Graduate Entry Medicine 2017

Scroll to see replies

I loved my time shadowing! Got to follow several consultants around and scrub in on surgeries. As a result of the hospital based shadowing I managed to secure GP shadowing as well so got a different perspective. I currently work as an HCA (on night shift at the moment!) whilst doing my MSc and I think that I will be a better doctor because of the HCA work. Shadowing is fun and you get to see some amazing things but it's not so great for a heavy dose of realism that HCA work gives you.Posted from TSR Mobile

Can I ask you (or anyone else who does it) if you could give me a rough idea of what a typical day is like for you as a HCA in a hospital? I've never done a healthcare job before, I've just been a ward volunteer at another hospitals for a few years now, so I don't know what to expect really! I'm pretty nervous about it. I've seen on Google the typical 'job roles' of a HCA but I'd much rather here it from a real source of what your day might typically consist of. I'd really appreciate it!

The job is a bank HCA (so I have flexibility with hours such as during GAMSAT week etc) but that means when I rock up to my first shift that I've taken on the rota, the nurses are gonna expect me to get straight to work and I'm gonna have to be like "I'm sorry, but you might as well just call me John Snow, because I know nothing" 😩

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 821

liam__

Original post by Themightylaa

This probably varies depending on what type of ward you are on but...

7.30-8am - handover meeting
8am-11ish - helping patients with breakfast/ washing patients
12 - serve lunch
12-4 - whatever needs doing. Turning patients to prevent pressure sores, sitting them out in their chairs etc.
5pm - dinner
6-8pm - put patients back to bed.

Plus stuff like doing obs (blood pressure/temp/heart rate/sats) which are done at regular intervals (usually at 10am, 2pm, 6pm for a day shift), blood sugar readings and helping the patients with commodes/bedpans.
This is really variable depending on your patients, but it's an outline of what a typical day might look like.

Reply 822

Marathi

Original post by liam__

Pretty much this. Wards vary quite a bit and some are 'heavier' than other with regards to how much assistance patients need and whether their mobility is hindered. The vascular ward I work on is heavy in terms of care (lots of amputees) but not too bad for acutely unwell patients. Whereas my old ward (surgical assessment) had more mobile patients, however, as they were new admissions they tended to be more unwell.

Reply 823

KaylNicholson

Will retaking a year of my biomedical science degree affect my GEM application? Due to personal circumstances, my second year end of year exams were deferred to August. However, I'm now worried I will fail them. Although this would be the first time I've sat the exams, I imagine my uni will make me retake the whole year. Assuming I achieved a 2:1 by my final year and applied for GEM courses, will retaking the year affect my chances of getting in? Also, will they acknowledge that I'd only retaken the exams once rather than failing in both May and August before retaking the year? Thanks for any advice anyone can give!

Reply 824

koolkat95

Original post by Medici103

Hey I was just wondering how long you've been a HCA and how long it took for you to get started? I'm only asking because my process seems to be taking forever! Is there anything I can do to speed up the process?

Reply 825

koolkat95

Original post by paniking_and_not_revising

I thought they sent the form after you applied and before giving out interviews?

I still haven't started my HCA job. I've only just found out that the hospital didn't send me the required pre-employment forms and that they've been waiting over a month for my former manager to provide a reference and he still hasn't done it so now I've got to turn up at my former workplace to speak to him again. I wouldn't have a problem with him if he hadn't been such a bully when I was working. I think I'm going to have to maybe apply next year because it doesn't look like I'm going to get the relevant experience before October because the only experience I have is as a ward volunteer. :frown:

Hi, When did you get offered the job if you don't mind me asking? I got offered mine 3 weeks ago and I still haven't heard from HR.

Reply 826

TheRaver

Original post by Themightylaa

Hey!

I've been an HCA for three years doing along side my BSc and for me its a love hate relationship. I've done loads of different types of jobs, but I don't think I can work in a non-healthcare based area any more because my job as an HCA has shown me how rewarding caring for people is. So first of all get ready to leave each day of work feeling tired, but super pleased with yourself for making patients' stay at the hospital take much more enjoyable and safe.

Things I don't love about my job... It's physically exhausting. This can depend on the ward. But helping patients on out of bed, into chairs, onto toilets, rolling patients to one side of the bed and so on, is harder than one would think, especially with bigger,heavier patients and patients that have so little mobility you're almost moving around dead weight. Make sure to use proper moving and handling techniques or else you will do you back in.

The main thing I struggle with is dealing with patients that want to leave the hospital but are medically unfit to do so. They may have dementia, or a brain injury or simply want to go home,but when they are begging you to let them go home and your job is to try and convince them they need to stay in bed or not stand up (most often because they can't walk) it will be difficult. Patients can get physical, shout and call you names. As an HCA you have to learn to keep your cool. Now this does not happen all the time, but if you're taking on bank shifts. Bank shifts are normally put out because staffing on a ward is too little because some staff are sick or on holiday, but also because they have 1+ patient(s) that require extra care because they are difficult/non-compliant.

As a bank staff each time I come to a ward I get handover, and if I've never been to the ward before I get a quick tour, so I know were all the supplies are. You get divided into teams and I normally get assigned an average of 10 patients. The nurses and other HCAs are really kind to bank staff. Bank staff come to help out when there is a shortage so their grateful to see us. In my experience they are always happy to answer questions. They do appreciate you're new. If patients are new to you, an you're unsure about something, like if they can walk to the toilet, ask away. I would say to not always trust what some patients claim by the way.

This has gotten to be a very long message. Hope it's not all rambling.

Reply 827

Ibrosif

Would 2 months of ward volunteer be enough for GEM to apply in October? I only started volunteering this month.

Reply 828

TheRaver

Original post by Ibrosif

Would 2 months of ward volunteer be enough for GEM to apply in October? I only started volunteering this month.

I'd say its enough for you to have experience to reflect on. However do you have any long term activity you did that would show commitment?

Reply 829

123ash

Original post by Ibrosif

Would 2 months of ward volunteer be enough for GEM to apply in October? I only started volunteering this month.

The duration is not that important, it is what you have learned from the experience after reflecting :-).

Reply 830

WannabeDrA

Hi, I've ben working as a bank HCA for the past few years, but with being bank staff I don't have a line manager or a member of staff that knows me well as I move around the hospital a lot and only work during uni holidays. How do I go about getting the reference that Warwick requires to confirm that I do work as a HCA? I guess contracted staff could ask the ward sister but I wouldn't know who to go to, or anyone that knows me!

Reply 831

TheRaver

Original post by WannabeDrA

It may be different at your hospital, but I was told to go to the staff bank office for references. The reference will be generic, just a confirmation that you've worked and how long, but it'll be the evidence that Warwick needs.

Reply 832

WannabeDrA

Original post by TheRaver

Thanks! Do they put down how many hours you've worked in say the last two years?

Reply 833

juno96

Hi guys, so I've been looking into applying for HCA positions but given the above description, it seems quite time intensive? How would you balance that as a student with your studies? Are there weekend only HCA jobs ?

Thanks in advance

Reply 834

Themightylaa

The advice you guys have given is brilliant regarding HCA (which suddenly seems to have become the talk of the forum 😂) and I really appreciate it. As nervous as I will be on my first few shifts as I find my feet, I have no doubt I'll ease into things.

Regarding the reference question about your referee supplying information regarding hours - I doubt it. You'll be asked to supply the hours you have worked, and your referee will confirm start and end dates (in the case of Nottingham anyway, it may differ between uni's but I doubt it).

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 835

Medici103

Original post by juno96

Do you mean continuing as an HCA once at med school?
I don't know if this would be possible unless you had drastically reduced hours. I'm contracted for 24 hours (often ends up as more) a week and doing my masters alongside that has been a struggle at times.

Reply 836

saran23

Original post by KaylNicholson

Your application won't be affected and the admissions tutors wouldn't notice your retake year, what they do care about is your grade. But I would advice you to notify your personal tutor or whoever who will write your academic reference to include the reason for retaking your year was under mitigating circumstances.Good Luck :smile:

Reply 837

UniAdmissions

Original post by xXFrenchKicksXx

Hi everyone!

I need some advice - I graduated last year with a BSc Biotechnology so I've had a year of various types of work experience since then, but I'm concerned that I don't have enough experience in a healthcare setting.

I've spent 3 months volunteering in Nicaragua living in a poverty stricken community, mostly helping individuals with business plans, but I also initiated a project there to raise awareness of the health implications of burning rubbish. I also have three months experience working in PR for various health organisations, which was very interesting and I got a lot of insight into the NHS. I have also been editing scientific medical papers on a freelance basis since December last year and I have started volunteering with a charity for blind people last month one day a week, where I mostly help out at a lunch club, assisting people in moving around, chatting with them and serving food.

I'm not sure what sort of experience I should be looking for now. I have an additional dilemma because I'm actually supposed to be spending next year in Spain from October working as a language assistant, but I'm not sure how this would come across on my application - obviously language skills and experience working with kids would be beneficial, but with my lack of experience in a healthcare setting, I'm not too sure.

Sorry for the essay! Any advice would be really appreciated!

Hi xXFrenchKicksXx

I just saw your post and was hoping I could offer some advice.

The thing that universities are most concerned with when it comes to work experience is what you have got from it. That is to say, are you able to talk in a mature way about the experience that you have had?

Any of the experiences that you have had are relevant and important to mention as long as you can reflect on how they have shaped you or given you a transferable skill. Equally, any experience can be completely irrelevant if you are not able to explain how what you have learnt could be applied to your studies or career.

If you have a minute you might be interested in reading this blog post which is about this exact subject!

Do give me a shout if you have any questions that I can answer for you.

UniAdmissions

Reply 838

nisha devi

Heyyy friends.

Can anyone please explain me the scoring for ukcat like how ques do i need to do right to get around 700 in each section? Like how does it work i dont get it. Where does thes 300 to 900 points come from?
I did first online test
Got
VR : 21
QR : 15
AR : 36
SJ :48

What does this mean then?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 839

koolcat

Can anyone help me out please. i studied Scottish highers and advanCed highers but i honestly didn't do well and basiCally got C grade for all my subjeCts. Somehow i managed to get into uni to study bioChemistry and hopefully i should graduate with a first by next year. I am really really sCared about applying for mediCine next year beCause of my past results. do universities look at your past sChool results?