The Student Room Group

Work experience for medicine

Original post by dontbethatway
I am hoping to apply for medicine in October but it is currently the end of March and I don't think I will have enough work experience. I have arranged to start volunteering in a care home next week, so I will have 7 months of experience from that to put on my personal statement, and also in the past I have done charity work in supporting disabled children and have volunteered in helping out in Pony Club at my local stables (it's like Brownies but with horses). Also, I am doing a work experience placement at an opticians for a week in May, and have applied for work experience at a Pharmacy, which I am hoping I'll get. But that's it.

I'm starting to get stressed out over this because I have applied to a lot of hospitals in my area and have been rejected from all of them and I have spent hours ringing up every GP and dentist in my area (I literally rang everywhere on the Yellow Pages list in my area) but there are no GPs/ Dentists in my area that are insured for work experience. I don't really know what else to do!

I have been doing extra reading about neuroscience because I am interested in it, and my predicted grades are A*A*A* and I got all 8's and 9's at GCSEs, but a lot of people have told me that a lot of top students get rejected from university and I really don't want to be one of them!

I am currently reading some books written by surgeons, depicting their experiences in the NHS- I know this isn't a substitute for actual hospital work experience but it is at least giving me an insight- could this help my personal statement in any way?

Sorry this is so long, and thank you to anyone who responds. I am getting very worried over this- especially with mocks fast approaching! I would appreciate any advice? What more can I do?

That sounds quite strong. Uni's recognise that it's difficult to get NHS work experience, so it's not essential - and you have tried.

What's important is that you reflect on what you have learned from your experiences in your PS, and relate that to the skills required for a doctor. You will gain plenty of examples of communication skills, empathy etc, and will get an insight into the challenges of growing older.

Most Med Schools don't read the PS before offering interviews, and once at interview you can reflect on what you have learned from other sources.

Your very strong academic grades will get you interviews as long as you do reasonably well in the UKCAT aptitude test. Just make sure you apply to your strengths ie: to those who put a high emphasis on GCSEs and predicted A level grades. You will have a better view of which are your strongest once you have your UKCAT score.

Work experience for medicine

Original post by dontbethatway
I am hoping to apply for medicine in October but it is currently the end of March and I don't think I will have enough work experience. I have arranged to start volunteering in a care home next week, so I will have 7 months of experience from that to put on my personal statement, and also in the past I have done charity work in supporting disabled children and have volunteered in helping out in Pony Club at my local stables (it's like Brownies but with horses). Also, I am doing a work experience placement at an opticians for a week in May, and have applied for work experience at a Pharmacy, which I am hoping I'll get. But that's it.

I'm starting to get stressed out over this because I have applied to a lot of hospitals in my area and have been rejected from all of them and I have spent hours ringing up every GP and dentist in my area (I literally rang everywhere on the Yellow Pages list in my area) but there are no GPs/ Dentists in my area that are insured for work experience. I don't really know what else to do!

I have been doing extra reading about neuroscience because I am interested in it, and my predicted grades are A*A*A* and I got all 8's and 9's at GCSEs, but a lot of people have told me that a lot of top students get rejected from university and I really don't want to be one of them!

I am currently reading some books written by surgeons, depicting their experiences in the NHS- I know this isn't a substitute for actual hospital work experience but it is at least giving me an insight- could this help my personal statement in any way?

Sorry this is so long, and thank you to anyone who responds. I am getting very worried over this- especially with mocks fast approaching! I would appreciate any advice? What more can I do?

That sounds quite strong. Uni's recognise that it's difficult to get NHS work experience, so it's not essential - and you have tried.

What's important is that you reflect on what you have learned from your experiences in your PS, and relate that to the skills required for a doctor. You will gain plenty of examples of communication skills, empathy etc, and will get an insight into the challenges of growing older.

Most Med Schools don't read the PS before offering interviews, and once at interview you can reflect on what you have learned from other sources.

Your very strong academic grades will get you interviews as long as you do reasonably well in the UKCAT aptitude test. Just make sure you apply to your strengths ie: to those who put a high emphasis on GCSEs and predicted A level grades. You will have a better view of which are your strongest once you have your UKCAT score.
Reply 1
Original post by dontbethatway
I am hoping to apply for medicine in October but it is currently the end of March and I don't think I will have enough work experience. I have arranged to start volunteering in a care home next week, so I will have 7 months of experience from that to put on my personal statement, and also in the past I have done charity work in supporting disabled children and have volunteered in helping out in Pony Club at my local stables (it's like Brownies but with horses). Also, I am doing a work experience placement at an opticians for a week in May, and have applied for work experience at a Pharmacy, which I am hoping I'll get. But that's it.

I'm starting to get stressed out over this because I have applied to a lot of hospitals in my area and have been rejected from all of them and I have spent hours ringing up every GP and dentist in my area (I literally rang everywhere on the Yellow Pages list in my area) but there are no GPs/ Dentists in my area that are insured for work experience. I don't really know what else to do!

I have been doing extra reading about neuroscience because I am interested in it, and my predicted grades are A*A*A* and I got all 8's and 9's at GCSEs, but a lot of people have told me that a lot of top students get rejected from university and I really don't want to be one of them!

I am currently reading some books written by surgeons, depicting their experiences in the NHS- I know this isn't a substitute for actual hospital work experience but it is at least giving me an insight- could this help my personal statement in any way?

Sorry this is so long, and thank you to anyone who responds. I am getting very worried over this- especially with mocks fast approaching! I would appreciate any advice? What more can I do?


Also try this thread when you have your UKCAT score https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5622970

It's quiet at the moment but there's lots of good advice nearer the time of application on where to apply dependent on your GCSEs, UKCAT score etc.
You've got loooooaddss at the moment.
You have plenty of time anyway to get more but it sounds like you have enough

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