Question on work experience

Hello everyone...I'm so sorry that I must start a new thread on work experience when there have been so many around here. I've searched the forums clean for any answer to my question but I can't seem to find any...

I want to get into medicine and I've just finished my GCSEs and going on to my AS levels next year. Problem is, I have NO work experience at all and seeing as how I've got the whole of the summer holidays free, I thought I might as well fill it up a little with work experience.

However, will it be too short notice to contact hospitals? I'm going to try anyway...but I've only done work experience once and that was through school so they dealt with the insurance side to it...so if I was to write letters and contact hospitals/surgeries/people's homes, etc, I understand that I'll take care of the insurance side to it...but will the hospitals know this? Will they contact me and ask for this information? Or will they assume something else?

Finally, will doing work experience in a social care service place be relevent to going into medicine? Only it's working with people under stress and the such so I feel I should give it a try.

I hope it all makes sense because I do have the tendency to make things a little confusing...

Thanks for any help I get at all. There'll be no more stupid threads like this from me, for sure; I'm just a little worried about this and you're all well informed people that I can ask.

Reply 1

Helenia

20

It might not be too short notice, you can always try. Also try GP surgeries nearby, they're often quite useful.

Any kind of care environment is good :smile:

Reply 2

kpg

11

There's plenty of time as you can do some this summer and next summer. Your application to ucas won't go off till early in the A2 year.

Reply 3

kiaora

1

is voluntary work in a charity shop good enough? ive been doing that for around 6 months, but ive also got a months placement at an old peoples home nearby. im nearly 18, and they werent too keen on it before then. hopefully theyll teach me about the procedural side, and legal stuff, as well as letting me observe how patients are bathed and treated by doctors etc etc.

Reply 4

mrs_bellamy

18

funkymonk, its probably too late for hospitals (it is where I live), but you could write to them in the Autumn asking about next summer. I know that seem's ages away, but that's what they told me to do. Like Helenia said you should try GP's, they tend to get back quicker and have more time/space for people. Nursing homes etc is good too. i think any voluntary stuff if good. Good luck, hope you find something. :biggrin:

Reply 5

Funkymonk

OP

Thanks everyone.

I'll write letters to hospitals/GPs/nursing homes/etc and see what I can get for this summer. If hospitals say it's too short notice, I've still got next summer and possibly Christmas 2005 to do work experience there.

Thanks again, you're all stars.

Edit: One last thing, about the insurance...how do I deal with all that? Because, like I said, the only time I've done w/e is through school and so they dealt with all the insurance side to it...will the work placement just write a letter to me and ask me for all insurance information?

Reply 6

kiaora

1

Funkymonk

Edit: One last thing, about the insurance...how do I deal with all that? will the work placement just write a letter to me and ask me for all insurance information?

i don't see why insurance should be be a problem - ive just finished my AS year, and i'm doing some w/e in a hospital in mid aug. so far, i havent had anything through about insurance, and the w/e i did in germany didn't require insurance (as far as im aware, not specifically for the GP's surgery, but for the trip in general). if you're just observing, then you shouldn't need any. your best bet, just to check, is to ring up the place where you're doing your w/e and ask. they'll let you know if there's anything you need to do or fill in.

there shouldn't be a problem with doing w/e next summer. i realise at medlink they say the summer right before you apply is too late, but i reckon they say that to make sure people don't doss around all year, and only then go looking for w/e in the summer immediately before they apply. if you definitely have some planned, and lined up, you'll be fine. just do it in enough time to write a good PS on it. as it works out, this summer has really been the only holiday ive had this year, where it's possible for me, and im just basing my PS at the mo on what i imagine i'll learn, and from chats ive had with the people offering the placements. think ahead though, because many places have long waiting lists - i applied this january for w/e at the local hospital, and they only had space for me in aug! good luck!

Reply 7

Funkymonk

OP

Thanks Ant :smile:

Reply 8

kiaora

1

Funkymonk

Thanks Ant :smile:

you're welcome :wink:

Reply 9

Mushu

this thread is getting me a little worried...how long before you want to do work experience do u have to notify them? I'm planning on phoning hospitals up or sending them a letter (probably both). what should I say...sorry if these are stupid questions...Also, how much work experience should I do?

Thank you to anyone who replies...really appreciate any answers :smile:

Reply 10

Helenia

20

Mushu

this thread is getting me a little worried...how long before you want to do work experience do u have to notify them? I'm planning on phoning hospitals up or sending them a letter (probably both). what should I say...sorry if these are stupid questions...Also, how much work experience should I do?

Thank you to anyone who replies...really appreciate any answers :smile:

Some hospitals may have quite long waiting lists, so it's best to get in touch with them as soon as possible, as that way you have more chance of being able to get dates that suit you. As much work experience as possible is the best thing - but don't just do shadowing, getting long term voluntary placements in e.g. hospice/old people's home is also vital as it shows commitment. An alternative to this, which I did and loved, is volunteering with a Guiding/Scouting group - I'm still with my Brownies almost 6 years after I started there! The Millennium Volunteers scheme (google it, I can't remember the website) is also a good one.

Don't panic if you don't have lots of medical work experience though - I managed to get three offers and I only had 2 weeks in a GP surgery (which was mostly admin, not many patients) and one week shadowing in A&E (fantastic week!) plus my Brownie work and some voluntary helping in a local nursery.

Reply 11

t'mer

As well as phoning or writing them a letter, why not visit them and ask. I find that visitng is a lot more effective than just writing etc.. as they seem to take more notice.
And also if you present yourself in the right manner it will help you out a lot as they can see how you act towards others and how professional you can be.
Thus, increasing your chances of getting w/e quicker

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