The Student Room Group

work experience too late?

Hi I'm in yr 11 atm, i was wondering, firstly, if it was too late to start work experience, cos i have absolutely no experience whatsoever. I only recently decided i want to do medicine and last year i did work experience, but i did it in an office. People I know who want to do medicine started getting work experience and voluntry work like a year or more ago....

If it isn't too late, is it too late to start looking for work experience for this summer? I tried a GP, but he said that I was too young, and because they deal with confidential stuff i wasnt allowed. What else could i do for like a week or two?
its not too late

you will need to get some but if you can not get some with that GP (try another i had work exp in yr 10 with a gp therefore i would try around)

BUT there are loads of other things you could do such as old folks home, disabled children, basically any "caring situation" it does not have to be in direct relationship to the medicial profession.

look around ask at school they should be able to help you
Reply 2
Year 11's certainly not too late. I started off by doing some voluntary work in a nursing home, then I joined the Red Cross doing some first aid stuff. Things like DofE and what specialhelen mentioned are more than adequate for the time being.

When it comes to hospital work experience, I did some in the summer following Year 11 - this was quite hard to organise, but what I did was send out letters to loads of consultants secretaries in the area and I ended up with a 2 week placement on a cardiovascular ward :smile: