Limited work experience before A2M

[Hungry Joe]

...

[Doms]

Hey Joe,

i'm kind of in the same position as you in relation to work experience. I had my interview in Feb and one of my conditions for being accepted onto the course was to get NHS experience. Two months down the line and I've only just sorted out a Doctor's Assistant job. It's full time but I would have to leave after 4 months to start COWA. I personally think this would not look as good as doing it for a year and this was backed up when I spoke to an admissions tutor at Leeds.

I'm ringing COWA on Monday to ask to defer for a year and get experience. From what I've heard I don't think there'll mind.

From what I've heard, access students don't generally compete against school leavers so the more work experience the better.

[Mamba]

Hi guys,

im just at the end of my A2M, its a great course. Experience is a huge part of getting in. Dont think of shadowing surgeons as the only thing good enuf to get noticed, care homes, the nurses bank at your local hospital.. it all counts. Any local charities to you will appreciate your help. It all counts. When the med schools visited us in college they mentioned they wanted at least 2weeks worth of work experience or voluntary work. I really htink its a box they want ticking. Also be as honest as u can be when reffering to it, mention doctors names and places u worked so they can confirm it. I have read a few blogs about how uni's dont check the experience you have partook in, assume they do.

[bathory]

Hey all,

I don't think my post will be helpful, but anyway...

I'm in the same position as you guys are, I've been working for Bupa as a care assistant for the last 14 months, recently I got offered a position in Nhs in theatres as a care assistant (really excited about this job)

I'm going to have my interview at COWA soon, so if I do get in (I'm not saying I will, but who knows, right?), it would be a BIG dilemma for me to decide as well, whether to take the job or leave the job after 3 months and go to college.

Welcome all opinions.

[agneishd]

i'd include imperial in that elite list...

[elz]

ooo im in ur elite list!!
im also a (nearly) psychology grad and went to COWA.
are u sure u cant apply with ur degree because i think places like warwick medicine for health grads includes psychlogy as a health grad??
if u do have to go for access option, uv enough work experience to get onto access course. then u can always get more experience before med school interviews. i woudlnt say cutting ur phlebotomy short would be harmful coz if anyone did mention it ud just say u decided to do the access course or watever as u thot it would aid ur application, be most beneficial or watever.

[elz]

o by the way in my yr 06-07 i knew one guy who got into cambridge but he was incredibly intelligent (hope hes not listening! lol) and already had a first in a degree! dont know of anyone who got into oxford, but thats not to say they didnt, but again i think ud need to have something more then just the access course, but who knows. aberdeen-not many seem to apply there from the access course, and odds are good if u get an interview anyways. they take about 20% matures/grads i believe.
afew people got places at kings.
yea UEA make offers to about 50% of people, though mostly if people got offers elsewhere they went elsewhere haha. dont know anyone who applied to edinburgh, its so competitive id of liked to but didnt think id have a chance. leicester make quite a few offers-are v pro COWA. newcastle made a good few and HYMS. in our yr noone got an interview at Leeds, they all heard nothing until end of the cycle and were all outright rejected so i wouldnt apply to them!

[yellowjellybabyal]

I'm a psychology graduate myself (just finished) and i got into COWA (had my interview in april). basically I realised I had the same problem - if you have limited experience before COWA, i believe thats all you can put down in your UCAS, unless you work REALLY hard over summer in a relevant post. So basically I asked to defer (they were really nice about it) and got myself a job as a healthcare assistant for the year. Not only will it give me much-needed money (houses at COWA are £70-100 a week for 40weeks, so not cheap) but it means i will be feeling more confident come UCAS time in the first week or so at COWA, knowing I have that extra experience, and the edge over kids fresh out of college. Plus, the course is intensive from what I've heard, so that rules out any work of any sort over the access year if you want the best results. I'm also planning to join St Johns Ambulance this summer as a bit of added experience. I'd say get as much experience as you can before september, or defer.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

[Gizmo says -]

tbf, a would wager very few COWAs would apply to oxbridge or the ivy league/elitist unis....simply becos they would be more interested in the courses that further their medical careers more ie. the new ones, or the ones that integrated their courses furst (scots and the big four med skools in england are good examples.)

[elz]

yellowjellybaby hav u tried applying with just ur degree? coz u could always try that for nxt yr and then if u dont get in, u havnt lost anything and go to cowa?
what ur doing sounds v sensible though.