Difference between work experience and voluntary work?

I was wondering when writing a personal statement what is the difference between work experience and voluntary work? Is work experience what you undertake for a set amount of time, like two weeks or a month, and voluntary work what you do for example once a week for a long period of time? If so do you need to do both voluntary work and work experience? Please help. I am bit confused. I have only done voluntary work.

xX

Reply 1

im so academic

work experience: where you experience the world of work and gain skills from it to pursue your studies/career.

voluntary work: to work without a wage.

Reply 2

Renal

The following is not a definitive guide, it is what I believe, in consultation with colleagues, an applicant should be aiming to achieve prior to application.

1. It is not Work Experience, Voluntary Work, Work or Extra-Curriculars that counts, it's experience of the above.

2. Through your experience you should demonstrate an understanding of the role of a (junior) doctor in modern medicine in both a primary and secondary care settings.

3. Through your experience you should demonstrate an understanding of caring for people and the harsh realities of illness.

4. Through your experience you should develop skills that would be applicable to medicine, including but not limited to; communication, patience, responsibility, accuracy, punctuality, reliability, team work, individual work, leadership, teaching, learning, etc.

That's really about it. It doesn't matter whether you learn about the above as a paid HCA, volunteer nursing assistant or sixth-former mindlessly following a consultant for a few days, just so long as you learn it.