Importance of work experience

[Mo-Zaki]

Hi
I have my year 11 work experience at around mid October 2008. I was just wondering, is work experience very important? At the moment, I have managed to find a place with a cardiologist and he said that I can analyse any interventional surgery that he may do, and he will also explain to me what scans of the heart may show about someone (healthy heart or not), so ill pretty much be with him all day, analysing what he does. Do you think that I should take this work experience up?

Thanks in advance.

[moonshine]

def! Take up any work exp u can get i say, i never did anything overtly amazing- few days in a GP surgery, a week in a hospital working with nurses mostly, but u pick stuff up from doctors on their rounds. It really is quality not quantity though, and SERIOUSLY make sure u write a little down each day, stuff u learn and how u feel. Not extensive details bout procedures or anything but jus how doctors interact, general work atmosphere, specific patients u were interested in. If ur really keen u will go home and research more about a condition that interests u..but i spose ur free to do that closer to interview. Good Luck! xx

[TMG]

Work experience is uber important - check out other threads on the subject.Definately take up the offer and whilst you are there do some networking to try and line up some additional shadowing/volunteering etc. etc.Don't forget you also need experience at Primary care level also (GPs).

[agneishd]

this looks like a great opportunity to learn more about medicine, even if it is specific knowledge, you can talk about it it at interview (i'd recommend taking notes)

work exp is mandatory for medical applicants, and its not often easy to get it, so take it! sounds interesting too

Edit: you don't "need" work exp at a GP (I haven't got any), but a bit of everything is helpful

[*wNaBmEdIc*]

pls help any1 got any advice on getting wk experience in gps rite ive emailled wrote and phoned about 18 diff ones and theyve all turned me dwn got two weeks at a hospital thats about it any advice!!!!

[Singh.Simran]

The most important thing is knowing what you gain from it, and knowing what to say about it. Not just going on it and thinking ok done, out of my mind.

A week or two anywhere medical is plenty to tick the box AS LONG AS you can discuss it in the "correct way".

[agneishd]

Originally Posted by *wNaBmEdIc*

pls help any1 got any advice on getting wk experience in gps rite ive emailled wrote and phoned about 18 diff ones and theyve all turned me dwn got two weeks at a hospital thats about it any advice!!!!

the gps should be fine as long as you get something valuable from it that you can talk about at interview

e.g. something about the doctor patient relationship, the workload/feel for the "day in a life", or even the scientific knowledge behind a case you find interesting