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Work Experience for medicine

Hi, i just wanted to ask how much work experience i dhould do for work experience.

I did 2 weeks in the cardiology ward at Northwick park hospital
1 week in gastroenterology in UCLH
2 weeks in a pharmacy

Do i need to do another work placement for a week?
I can apply for work experience at St Thomas' hospital - neo natal unit, or at Imperial College - thoracic medicine - which one should i choose?
Will i look overkeen if i do too many?
Please reply ASAP, so then i can write a cover letter today, if i do need to!

Thank you :smile:

Reply 1

Jinxy

17

try a care home, hospice or something to show your 'caring' side.
How old are you btw?
over keen is good! gives you loads to talk about at interview, more the better!!!

Reply 2

Aleesha_J

OP

5

I'm 16, soon to be 17!!!lol

I am a volunteer at a charity shop, i used to help out in a residential home, used to help out in a school for disabled school children, and i help out with a year 1 class at the moment.

Reply 3

~ Purple Rose ~

19

If you have the time, do another placement, they won't reject you because you have too much experience.
It sounds like you have a lot of experience already, how long-term have your other things been? Universities do like to see a few months commitment to things like voluntary work.

Reply 4

roshi

9

Aleesha_J

Hi, i just wanted to ask how much work experience i dhould do for work experience.

I did 2 weeks in the cardiology ward at Northwick park hospital
1 week in gastroenterology in UCLH
2 weeks in a pharmacy

Do i need to do another work placement for a week?
I can apply for work experience at St Thomas' hospital - neo natal unit, or at Imperial College - thoracic medicine - which one should i choose?
Will i look overkeen if i do too many?
Please reply ASAP, so then i can write a cover letter today, if i do need to!

Thank you :smile:

Just out of curiosity how did you get this placement and how old were you when you did?
I called up northwick park and they said no to me :frown:

Reply 5

Metal_Gear

10

You have plenty of experience, I think some people apply to medicine with less (I did :p:

!). More can't hurt though, and remember that volunteer work is a good thing to do as well, it's pretty much the definitive positive thing you can list when it comes to UCAS etc.

Reply 6

Cobra36

I think most med schools love to see something thats regular like working in a care home for about an hour or so every week. It will show you have committment to it, instead of just slots of experience (i'm not saying this is a bad thing though). Any experience is good experience though, right? And it might be a good idea to keep a diary so you can recall how you were feeling and your thoughts etc when it comes to interview time. Good luck!!

Reply 7

thegrassisgreenerontheotherside

13

When I wanted to do Medicine I did:
-Summer school at SGUL for a week about medicine
-1wk in a Mayfair GP clinic with a doctor who was also a consultant at the UCLH for lipid clinic and the A&E department
-1wk in my local GP clinic with a doctor who was also a consultant at St. Mary's, W.London in the A&E department
-1wk in a Paddignton GP clinic with the nurse who did diabetes check, pregnant women checks, blood tests etc... who was also a Biomedical Scientist
-1wk in an Earl's Court GP clinic, but did admin work to see the other perspective of a GP clinic
-Spent 2years visiting an elderly people's care centre after school
-Spent 1year doing after school childcare and another 6months helping children with homework etc...
-Attended a day conference about Medicine and the like at the Royal Society of something
-Can't remember the rest..

That might seem overkeen, but that was when I was an eager beaver to do Medicine...! Apply for as much as you can, there's no harm otherwise, and plus it does give you a lot to go on in interviews instead of awkward silences :smile:

Reply 8

Priya_S

1

omgosh you guys did alot!

I'm in year 12 hoping to get into medicine at uni and i cant find any work experience placements!! how did you guys find out? how did you get them?

I'd really appreciate the help. Thank You!

Reply 9

123-456

I know this thread is quite old, but Im having loads of trouble finding work exp as well.
So far Ive only done 1 week at a Hospital and Ive been visiting elderly home for 8 months or so. Is that not enough? I did Medsix and Medsim as well if that counts :/

Reply 10

aishah1

123-456

I know this thread is quite old, but Im having loads of trouble finding work exp as well.
So far Ive only done 1 week at a Hospital and Ive been visiting elderly home for 8 months or so. Is that not enough? I did Medsix and Medsim as well if that counts :/

Me too!! So far, i've only done a first aid course, few days in a pharmacy, and Medsim. I've sent so many emails to GPs, Hospitals and even reseach companies, but no joy as yet. I know i'll be volunteering at a weekly group for disabled people from September though, and I'm waiting to hear back from a Care Home. At least you've done 8 months at a Care Home, which shows commitment, I really wish i'd started all this earlier.

Reply 11

Brawel

Original post by Aleesha_J

Hi, i just wanted to ask how much work experience i dhould do for work experience.

I did 2 weeks in the cardiology ward at Northwick park hospital
1 week in gastroenterology in UCLH
2 weeks in a pharmacy

Do i need to do another work placement for a week?
I can apply for work experience at St Thomas' hospital - neo natal unit, or at Imperial College - thoracic medicine - which one should i choose?
Will i look overkeen if i do too many?
Please reply ASAP, so then i can write a cover letter today, if i do need to!

Thank you :smile:

Hey,
I'm in year 11 currently and want to do work experience at Northwick park Hospital.
How did you apply?
I checked the website and it has no reference to work experience.
Did you phone them up, or just email them?

Reply 12

Wasay

I am just curious as to how you had got yours, I had to give mine in this week and as I didn't get any I will be doing it out of school but the only problem me and my classmates face is that a lot of hospitals aren't accepting. Great Ormond street and The Heart hospital to name a few said they had a cachment area due to the vast volume of requests and other hospitals not having any information on their website or phone numbers.

Reply 13

2013medicyeahhhh

7

Original post by Aleesha_J

Hi, i just wanted to ask how much work experience i dhould do for work experience.

I did 2 weeks in the cardiology ward at Northwick park hospital
1 week in gastroenterology in UCLH
2 weeks in a pharmacy

Do i need to do another work placement for a week?
I can apply for work experience at St Thomas' hospital - neo natal unit, or at Imperial College - thoracic medicine - which one should i choose?
Will i look overkeen if i do too many?
Please reply ASAP, so then i can write a cover letter today, if i do need to!

Thank you :smile:

I got an offer with less hospital work experience than that - just make sure you are doing lots of long-term volunteering stuff as well :smile:

so the whole care home/reading to the blind etc type thing

Reply 14

imispaceman

Im doing one week with a cardiac anaesthetist
One week in Barts hospital in London
I am also starting a befriending scheme
I have worked in a charity shop for over 3 years (this is for Duke of Edinburgh)
I have applied to care homes for experience but they arent getting back to me.

Do you reckon this is enough bear in mind i am at the end of year 12..

I know this is a late reply

Reply 15

tealover96

15

I swear it's got harder to get work experience!!
I tried every single care home in my area, rejected by ALL of them; one of them even said yes than said no at the last minute! :angry:

Also, with the GP, they said no due to privacy issues!!
Please someone give me some advice or has it really got harder?
So far I have one at a mental health charity.
thanks :smile:

Reply 16

Kutie Karen

19

Original post by Aleesha_J

Hi, i just wanted to ask how much work experience i dhould do for work experience.

I did 2 weeks in the cardiology ward at Northwick park hospital
1 week in gastroenterology in UCLH
2 weeks in a pharmacy

Do i need to do another work placement for a week?
I can apply for work experience at St Thomas' hospital - neo natal unit, or at Imperial College - thoracic medicine - which one should i choose?
Will i look overkeen if i do too many?
Please reply ASAP, so then i can write a cover letter today, if i do need to!
Thank you :smile:

You are so lucky to get so much work experience as my friend can't get any. Go for it if you can but I think you should look at something a bit more on the caring side such as elderly nursing home. gOOD luck :smile:

Reply 17

ekpenyongnsa

3

Hey
How did you get to do work exp. at Barts esp. the cardiac... thats exactly where i want to do mine. Isnt there was an age limit for that particular sector. And finally do they pay for your transport fare. I know a tew that offer to pay for it.
Thanks

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Reply 18

ekpenyongnsa

3

Original post by imispaceman

Im doing one week with a cardiac anaesthetist
One week in Barts hospital in London
I am also starting a befriending scheme
I have worked in a charity shop for over 3 years (this is for Duke of Edinburgh)
I have applied to care homes for experience but they arent getting back to me.

Do you reckon this is enough bear in mind i am at the end of year 12..

I know this is a late reply

Hey

How did you get to do work exp. at Barts esp. the cardiac... thats exactly where i want to do mine. Isnt there was an age limit for that particular sector. And finally do they pay for your transport fare. I know a tew that offer to pay for it.

Thanks

Posted from TSR Mobile

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 19

imispaceman

Original post by ekpenyongnsa

Hey

How did you get to do work exp. at Barts esp. the cardiac... thats exactly where i want to do mine. Isnt there was an age limit for that particular sector. And finally do they pay for your transport fare. I know a tew that offer to pay for it.

Thanks

Posted from TSR Mobile

Posted from TSR Mobile

I sent a lot of emails asking for anything they could offer me!
im 17 but they didn't say anything about an age limit and I highly doubt they will pay for your transport as they are doing you a favour by giving you work experience

Work Experience for medicine

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