Too little work experience for applying?
I'm going to be applying to Medicine and I have currently done work experience in 2 different hospitals - I also attend monthly doctor meetings where many doctors discuss specialist cases. My question is that is all of this enough for a competitive application to study medicine? Will me not having had any experience in a GP put me at a disadvantage? I also volunteer at numerous places such as a care home.
Original post by Ellen.maccy
I'm going to be applying to Medicine and I have currently done work experience in 2 different hospitals - I also attend monthly doctor meetings where many doctors discuss specialist cases. My question is that is all of this enough for a competitive application to study medicine? Will me not having had any experience in a GP put me at a disadvantage? I also volunteer at numerous places such as a care home.
That is more than enough. Some people do not even have one work experience done. Yet alone you have 2 hospitals and specialist meetings?
Are you serious
Original post by Undec
That is more than enough. Some people do not even have one work experience done. Yet alone you have 2 hospitals and specialist meetings?
Are you serious
Are you serious
I only had 4 days at one, and 2 days at the other - whereas I've seen lots of prospective applicants who've had lots of weeks worth of work experience. Do medical schools care about the duration of work experience placements?
Original post by Ellen.maccy
I'm going to be applying to Medicine and I have currently done work experience in 2 different hospitals - I also attend monthly doctor meetings where many doctors discuss specialist cases. My question is that is all of this enough for a competitive application to study medicine? Will me not having had any experience in a GP put me at a disadvantage? I also volunteer at numerous places such as a care home.
Hi,
This is plenty of experience- as long as you are able to reflect upon your experiences and, given that other elements of your application are strong, you should have a competitive application.
Oh yeah, just plop it all onto UCAS/PS and they'll be begging you to study there. It's a numbers game, don't bother reflecting, they absolutely hate that!
Original post by Hallow158
Hi,
This is plenty of experience- as long as you are able to reflect upon your experiences and, given that other elements of your application are strong, you should have a competitive application.
This is plenty of experience- as long as you are able to reflect upon your experiences and, given that other elements of your application are strong, you should have a competitive application.
Thanks for the reply. Is there a recommend amount of work experience that should be carried out?
Original post by Swansea Medic
Oh yeah, just plop it all onto UCAS/PS and they'll be begging you to study there. It's a numbers game, don't bother reflecting, they absolutely hate that!
Original post by Ellen.maccy
Thanks for the reply. Is there a recommend amount of work experience that should be carried out?
Usually a weeks worth in total I'd say. I personally had around four days in obstetrics, two in radiology and two in plastic and reconstructive surgery. In my personal statement, I didn't even mention how long my placements were, and it shouldn't even matter as long as they get the impression that it increased your understanding of the profession, what it entails, and how it aided your decision to pursure medicine. I also volunteered at a care home for around a year, but I had friends who got to interview for volunteering for about a week- they just didn't mention how long they did it for in their PS. So bottom line, I'd say around 1 week- so you should be fine
But more importantly, focus on getting good grades an doing well in the entrance exams, because it can be quite upsetting when you find that you can't apply to some med schools because you didn't do so well in your entrance exams (take it from me) 
Original post by Hallow158
Usually a weeks worth in total I'd say. I personally had around four days in obstetrics, two in radiology and two in plastic and reconstructive surgery. In my personal statement, I didn't even mention how long my placements were, and it shouldn't even matter as long as they get the impression that it increased your understanding of the profession, what it entails, and how it aided your decision to pursure medicine. I also volunteered at a care home for around a year, but I had friends who got to interview for volunteering for about a week- they just didn't mention how long they did it for in their PS. So bottom line, I'd say around 1 week- so you should be fine But more importantly, focus on getting good grades an doing well in the entrance exams, because it can be quite upsetting when you find that you can't apply to some med schools because you didn't do so well in your entrance exams (take it from me)
But more importantly, focus on getting good grades an doing well in the entrance exams, because it can be quite upsetting when you find that you can't apply to some med schools because you didn't do so well in your entrance exams (take it from me) Ah ok - thank you!
So should I not bother looking for GP work experience and just apply with the experience that I currently have?Original post by Ellen.maccy
Ah ok - thank you! So should I not bother looking for GP work experience and just apply with the experience that I currently have?
So should I not bother looking for GP work experience and just apply with the experience that I currently have?Well most people say it's good to do work experience at a GP because it allows you to witness the doctor-patient relationship, however you can easily link that in with your work experiences! So, you could defo apply with what you've done! Obviously, if the opportunity comes along you should take it up. but it is not necessary at all ( I never did work experience in a GP and neither did my friends. We all have offers for a med school!)
Hey Ellen.maccy :-) When it comes to work experience, quality is much more important than quantity. The experience that you have done so far is more than enough (so good job!) to form the basis of a strong personal statement and application, you just need to make sure that you present your experiences in an appealing way.
In your personal statement, nobody wants to read a long lists of every single patient/disease you have seen, better to pick a few anecdotal cases and really reflect on them. In all of your work experience constantly ask yourself questions like: how is this doctor behaving a way that I would like to emulate/avoid emulating? How might this patient/person feel at this point? Have I seen any examples of the importance of leadership/teamwork/compassion/empathy/evidence-based medicine/hard work? What are the challenges in this job and how would I deal with them? What are the qualities do patients appreciate the most in doctors? How might the medical practice I am seeing at the moment be different other places in the world/the past in this country? etc. etc Then be prepared to write and speak confidently and in detail about these reflections in your personal statement and interview.
Therefore don't fret at all about not having enough work experience, medical schools are far more impressed by seeing that you have really engaged and learned from whatever experience you have done than the quantity.
Best of luck,
Alex, 4th year UCL medic
6med
In your personal statement, nobody wants to read a long lists of every single patient/disease you have seen, better to pick a few anecdotal cases and really reflect on them. In all of your work experience constantly ask yourself questions like: how is this doctor behaving a way that I would like to emulate/avoid emulating? How might this patient/person feel at this point? Have I seen any examples of the importance of leadership/teamwork/compassion/empathy/evidence-based medicine/hard work? What are the challenges in this job and how would I deal with them? What are the qualities do patients appreciate the most in doctors? How might the medical practice I am seeing at the moment be different other places in the world/the past in this country? etc. etc Then be prepared to write and speak confidently and in detail about these reflections in your personal statement and interview.
Therefore don't fret at all about not having enough work experience, medical schools are far more impressed by seeing that you have really engaged and learned from whatever experience you have done than the quantity.
Best of luck,
Alex, 4th year UCL medic
6med
Original post by Ellen.maccy
I'm going to be applying to Medicine and I have currently done work experience in 2 different hospitals - I also attend monthly doctor meetings where many doctors discuss specialist cases. My question is that is all of this enough for a competitive application to study medicine? Will me not having had any experience in a GP put me at a disadvantage? I also volunteer at numerous places such as a care home.
Hi there!
As other posters have said, it's much more about quality rather than quantity - but that said, this is a great amount of work experience to have and you should be very happy knowing you'll have a strong application (just remember to reflect well on the experiences you've had)! You can find out more about how to reflect well on your work experience here.
Hope this helps!
The Medic Portal
Rather than bullet pointing all of them down its better for them to know what you learned and the reflection you made. For my PS I used an example from shadowing a GP that I thought was particularly interesting and expanded on that. Similarly, my volunteer work at a hospital I described in detail one particular experience that was important to me and my reflection on it and what I learned etc. Usually one is enough, they may ask for two or even three so its always good to be prepared but one really good detailed example should ideally tell them everything they want to know and also eat up some time so they move on.
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