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Is this work experience enough for graduate entry medicine?

Hi! New to TSR. I'm a 2nd Year MChem student at warwick and I want to do GEM. So far, I've secured a one day placement in radiology at coventry hospital and a 6 week research project in biomedical sciences this summer. I'm trying to secure a 50 hour care home work experience at the moment. Would this be enough (work experience wise) for a competitive entry to graduate entry medicine? (My current options are Cambridge, queen mary's, newcastle and southampton)

If not, could you advise me on what to do? I'm really struggling with other shadowing placements because my local area trust and GP have refused to offer anyone work experience since December 2017 and it hasn't changed since. I've applied to the list of NHS London hospitals on the Wikipedia list during Christmas 2017 and I have either been rejected, no answer or they have already stated they only take people in living in their area. No one in my family or friends has worked in this industry so I have no connections and I cannot afford the medical work experience programs (the ones where you have to pay £x to go on the course).

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Original post by Chem -> med
Hi! New to TSR. I'm a 2nd Year MChem student at warwick and I want to do GEM. So far, I've secured a one day placement in radiology at coventry hospital and a 6 week research project in biomedical sciences this summer. I'm trying to secure a 50 hour care home work experience at the moment. Would this be enough (work experience wise) for a competitive entry to graduate entry medicine? (My current options are Cambridge, queen mary's, newcastle and southampton)

If not, could you advise me on what to do? I'm really struggling with other shadowing placements because my local area trust and GP have refused to offer anyone work experience since December 2017 and it hasn't changed since. I've applied to the list of NHS London hospitals on the Wikipedia list during Christmas 2017 and I have either been rejected, no answer or they have already stated they only take people in living in their area. No one in my family or friends has worked in this industry so I have no connections and I cannot afford the medical work experience programs (the ones where you have to pay £x to go on the course).


The radiology and care home experiences are fine but the research placement I would only briefly mention if at all. A medical degree doesn't actually involve any research except if you intercalate and that is a separate application. Getting shadowing is difficult but it is a must even if it is a few days or even a chat with someone. You need to show that you have a realistic understanding of what being a doctor is like. You also need to demonstrate the required skills which your patient facing experiences will help with.
Thanks for replying! I am really stuck because I am unable to secure any shadowing experience for the reasons I've mentioned so do you have any advice on how to secure this? I've been back and forth to the careers advice about fixing my emails, applications, cover letters and CV to keep it up to standard but to still no avail. My area puts me at a real disadvantage and I am just so lost because i know I have to secure it otherwise I'll be rejected! :frown:
(edited 5 years ago)
Reply 3
Join the HCA bank at uhcw. Work shifts as and when you want and get paid.

Why aren't you considering gem at Warwick? Its one of, if not the, safest options for those doing the ukcat.
Reply 4
I’d potentially not take the summer biochem thing and instead work as home care or something like that. St. John’s?
You should contact individual departments in a hospital, I’ve found ED to be the most happy to take work experience students in for a couple of days. I was on placement and had some students come with me when I’m off doing stuff.
Original post by Marathi
Join the HCA bank at uhcw. Work shifts as and when you want and get paid.

Why aren't you considering gem at Warwick? Its one of, if not the, safest options for those doing the ukcat.


I'm not really one for staying the same educational institute for more than 4 years. I've done that for my GCSEs and A-levels (total of 7 years!), so I like a change in scene. I may consider it in my second round should I get rejected the first time round. Also Queen Mary's is not far from my hometown and I can catch a train there easily so financially it's cheaper too! (I also like the fact that one of the placement hospitals is in sidcup!)
Original post by ahorey
I’d potentially not take the summer biochem thing and instead work as home care or something like that. St. John’s?
You should contact individual departments in a hospital, I’ve found ED to be the most happy to take work experience students in for a couple of days. I was on placement and had some students come with me when I’m off doing stuff.


Unfortunately, I've already accepted it long before making this thread. My initial reason was that many people told me that oxbridge like students with research experience so that was there to cover that part but I am squeezing in care home experience and hospital placements in the summer, autumn and Christmas too.
thanks guys, so after some more research, I have found some more consultants I may want to shadow. So I was wondering a few things:
-Some of them have a secretary email and their personal one so is it better to contact the consultant?
-Some of the consultants have phone numbers and emails so should I email them or call them?
-Is it a bad idea to contact the head of department straight away or go by the consultant first? If so by email or phone?
-As for care homes, is calling them ok and if so do I presumably ask the manager?
-Is it bad to have work experience close to when you apply? for instance if I apply next september and have work experience on that summer next year, would I be disadvantaged in anyway?

Sorry for the butt ton of questions, but everyone I know doesn't seem to know the answers to these questions so this is my only chance :eek4:
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by Chem -> med
Unfortunately, I've already accepted it long before making this thread. My initial reason was that many people told me that oxbridge like students with research experience so that was there to cover that part...


That's correct - Oxbridge specifically do heavily value research experience. Oxbridge's 'thing' is that doctor's needing to base their decisions on scientific evidence and as such a doctor should be familiar with reading primary research, fully understanding and appropriately criticising it and deciding the extent to which that trial applies to the patient in front of them. Your ability to do that is what you will want to show at interview, should you get that far.

Original post by Chem -> med

-Some of them have a secretary email and their personal one so is it better to contact the consultant?


Both.

-Some of the consultants have phone numbers and emails so should I email them or call them?


It will be their secretary's phone number. You can if you want.

-Is it a bad idea to contact the head of department straight away or go by the consultant first? If so by email or phone?


Pick one, and if you don't get a response, do the other.

-As for care homes, is calling them ok and if so do I presumably ask the manager?


Yes

-Is it bad to have work experience close to when you apply? for instance if I apply next september and have work experience on that summer next year, would I be disadvantaged in anyway?


No.
Original post by nexttime
That's correct - Oxbridge specifically do heavily value research experience. Oxbridge's 'thing' is that doctor's needing to base their decisions on scientific evidence and as such a doctor should be familiar with reading primary research, fully understanding and appropriately criticising it and deciding the extent to which that trial applies to the patient in front of them. Your ability to do that is what you will want to show at interview, should you get that far.



Both.



It will be their secretary's phone number. You can if you want.



Pick one, and if you don't get a response, do the other.



Yes



No.


Thank you so much for answering! Also wanted to ask if I secure care home work experience, does it matter what it entails? For instance, the ones I've found involve making fun activities for residents - would this be ok for med school?
Original post by Chem -> med
Thank you so much for answering! Also wanted to ask if I secure care home work experience, does it matter what it entails? For instance, the ones I've found involve making fun activities for residents - would this be ok for med school?


Its about getting experience of a caring environment. So yes should be fine.
Thanks guys - last question before I stop hassling (for a while). Warwick Medical School seems to highly value the "hands-on" part in their entry requirements when working in a care home. How strict are they on this? The impression I seem to get is they won't accept the caring experience mentioned because it's not "hands-on" and the only way I can think of getting this is being a healthcare assistant in a care-home or hospital. I do have caring experience as my brother is autistic, but they have mentioned they don't accept close relatives as experience... Any advice on this or am I reading too much into Warwick's medical school requirement (as in it's more about care home experience rather than if you physically help them) I'm trying to meet Warwick's requirements despite not applying since they are the most strict on work experience, so if I meet their requirements then theoretically the others won't be a problem (in terms of meeting their work experience requirements)

I may post here if I have any more questions though :colondollar:
Original post by Chem -> med
Hi! New to TSR. I'm a 2nd Year MChem student at warwick and I want to do GEM. So far, I've secured a one day placement in radiology at coventry hospital and a 6 week research project in biomedical sciences this summer. I'm trying to secure a 50 hour care home work experience at the moment. Would this be enough (work experience wise) for a competitive entry to graduate entry medicine? (My current options are Cambridge, queen mary's, newcastle and southampton)

If not, could you advise me on what to do? I'm really struggling with other shadowing placements because my local area trust and GP have refused to offer anyone work experience since December 2017 and it hasn't changed since. I've applied to the list of NHS London hospitals on the Wikipedia list during Christmas 2017 and I have either been rejected, no answer or they have already stated they only take people in living in their area. No one in my family or friends has worked in this industry so I have no connections and I cannot afford the medical work experience programs (the ones where you have to pay £x to go on the course).


What are your A levels?
Original post by Volibear
Don't quote me on this but from stalking past Warwick threads, they are are quite strict on in beind hands-on experience. Have you considered being a phlebotomist (though I'm not even sure if that counts)?


I haven't tbh, is it something I can do while doing my chem degree? Because I don't really want to take a job for as a gap year unless I get rejected during the first round of applications
Original post by Science99999
What are your A levels?

A* in maths
A in Chemistry
B in physics
E in AS bio

I am currently taking extra 18 credits in a first year bio module and planning on taking a 18 credit 2nd year bio module from life sciences in my third year and biochem modules in my 4th year. I feel with the research project (it's bio heavy), my bio modules I've taken throughout my degree and the fact I'm predicted a 1st should compensate for my E grade. Tbf I went to a low performing state school so hopefully if the med school looks at my A levels and sees my contextual data they'll take it into account :crossedf:
(edited 5 years ago)
Hey everyone, just quick update.
my current work experience I've secured:
-1 day shadowing in radiology
-3 day cardiology shadowing
-6 week research experience (for oxford/cambridge, they favour applicants with research experience)
-80 hrs care home experience in a not for profit dementia care home
All of this is secured for this summer. Is this work experience now enough for medicine if I applied this upcoming academic year (2019 entry)?
Original post by Volibear
It's plenty. But it will be useless if you can't reflect about it when necessary. Quality not quantity.


Thanks for replying. Don't worry, I'll be sure to thoroughly reflect it on it! It's just some universities are more stringent on their work experience requires in terms of minimum number of hours such as warwick, so I just want to keep expanding my options since I know how competitive medicine is. Thanks again!

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