Work Experience, what work experiece?!

**Zappanatic** · 19-02-2009, 01:41 AM

Hey peeps. I'm starting to go through the motions of applying for access courses to start in 2010. I've heard a lot about work experience being considered in applications.

Essentially, I work in retail and despise every minute of it. I wanted to be a doctor years ago, but basically mucked about at sixth form. I shan't bore you with details, but I have 2 music qualifications now.

I imagine working in the caring sector looks great on a CV for stuff like this, but will the fact I work in a shop be held against me? I teach guitar privately some evenings, which I think has developed my interpersonal skills a lot as well as the fact I have to cater to peoples individual needs.

I'd love to get some work ex in the medical/caring sector, but it would basically have to be a proper paid job as I have rent and bills to pay! Shadowing a doctor or making tea in a mental health ward would be very enlightening, but is financially out of the question!

Any advice would be awesome, thanks!

Dan

**Mamba** · 19-02-2009, 02:03 AM

Hey buddy,

I did building work, I worked in Iceland (grocery supervisor- high 5!)
I also taught guitar... I didnt do Alevels. I had very poor GCSE's.
I decided I wanted Medicine. I did Access in Manchester. I did alot of UNPAID voluntary work. Very important. Go to your local hospital, go to the care homes. Go to the local care charities, these are great. Then when you apply reffer to names and charities. The idea of all this care work ? You will be asked what it has taught you about medicine, in the context of 'do you know what your getting yourself into?'

Mate, Im sat typing this to you from my room in Uni, the route works. 2moro morning Im on the wards. It was only 2 years ago I was asking the same thing as you. Go back through the pages of this forum and you will see. Get on A2M, get LOTS of voluntary work done and come play doctors and nurses my friend. Maybe we will jam sometime.... I dunno Eminor blues ?

**Arch_Angel** · 19-02-2009, 02:11 AM

It can be quite challenging getting w/e especially if you go through the usual (fruitless) channels.

However, it's quite easy to stump you in interviews by asking "How do you know this is for you?" without you having done any, so it's quite important to get some. That and it's a vital part of the personal statement.

If you know anyone that is a doctor or that works with one this can help, they were (at least in 2007, although the rules may have changed) happy to let me just tag along for a while and the patients are usually more than happy to have you there. Failing that if you've any academic contacts that might be able to put you in touch...

The fact that you work in a shop and teach guitar will interest no one (except maybe to show that you're not a one dimentional academic), but it shouldn't hold you back at all.

If you haven't got anyone you can ask, ring care homes and such. Also, if you're serious, get a CRB done, it'll open up more options.

Unless you're going to apply to St. Georges graduate entry you actually tend to need very little work experience, but just be able to talk alot about it. Also, it can be done on evenings and weekends, so don't go giving up your job.

Good luck

**Zappanatic** · 19-02-2009, 03:11 AM

Excellent. My friend's sister just finished her medical degree ad has started work. I doubt she would be helpful with w/e as she lives in a different part of the country, but I know she'll be more than happy to give me pointers and advice on things.

We have a salvation army, and I live literally next door to the Royal Surrey hospital, so I'll get on the blower and see what they have for me

**Mamba** · 19-02-2009, 03:53 AM

"The fact that you work in a shop and teach guitar will interest no one "

WRONG ! Theres one problem with this place. False information. You must turn all your experiences into attributes. Playing guitar is a fantastic coping skill for stress. Teaching guitar shows you have great inter-personal skills. Working in a shop you could deal with responsibility and liked working around people.

My CV (required for lots of unis) included every job I ever did including working on a farm, next to all my jobs i wrote scores of info on allthe things i learned and how that would help me in Medicine. Dont doubt your chances mate, medicine is HUGELY lacking intelligent but NORMAL people. They are gobbling them up cos they become warm, affable, approachable doctors and the patients love em.

**Arch_Angel** · 19-02-2009, 07:05 AM

Has it occured to you perhaps that most people have had jobs and can communicate as evidenced by almost anything people do involving anyone in addition to themselves? It's like talking at length about having 2 legs.....

I'm not looking for an argument, but unrelated jobs and minor skills aren't to be raved about....commented in passing maybe, 10 words perhaps... but if you extrapolate too much you'll just look silly. There are more important things to put on a personal statement, like talking about what you learned on your work experience

**Mamba** · 19-02-2009, 09:20 AM

Nobody mentioned Personal Statements. I believe CV was. Anyway, go ahead with it dude.

If you get really stuck for work experience think outside the box
(u cant beat 80's talk) I did alot for a charity with chronic pain patients. BUT I got most of my experience doing work for a sports event on the medical team. I love it too.

**Zappanatic** · 19-02-2009, 04:16 PM

Cheers for your input guys! I think my guitar teaching IS relevant. I had to work bloody hard to get the students, and you really have to take peoples needs into consideration. Everyone is unique, so you really have to do a little bit of digging to find out how each person learns best.

I just remembered last night I have a friend who is actually going to study med in Bristol, and she's local to the town I live in, so I've sent her a message asking what she did in the way of w/e.

**Qazmataz** · 19-02-2009, 06:54 PM

Use everything to your advantage! I am an avid boxer and I want to apply for entry into 2010 as well. I am going to say that my interest in boxing has 'got me interested in sports injuries', which is completely true.
Im using my experiance in call centres as communication skills etc!
USE EVERYTHING MY BROTHER!

**Mamba** · 19-02-2009, 11:24 PM

Exactly right! They have one thing in mind, the years between high school and now what have you done, and will that experience aid you in medicine. In my interview aged 27, they literally spent 30 mins discussing all my choices decisions, since school to then. They asked what would aid in Medicine, what would hinder medicine.... Trust me, it matters and they do care. They are taking on mature students nowadays because of your life experience. Ill stick my neck out and even say I think you have a great chance, the reason being, The BMA and the government have asked the med schools for students with better communication skills. You can sell that so easily matey.