Work Experience Abroad

[Profanius]

Hello all.

Like many of you I am finding very difficult to get work experience.

I have to work full time in IT and cannot get a full time job in healthcare and expect to pay the mortgage. I'm studying part time for a degree and doing Red Cross volunteer work, which doesn't leave me much time for anything else.

Trying to get work placements in my holidays is proving very difficult as I'm competing with 18 year-olds who are a lot more flexible than I am (no pun intended).

I'm looking at 2011 GEP entry and just need to get as much experience as possible. Both to investigate my career choice but also, I'm ashamed to say, to pad out my CV.

Now then. I've done volunteer work for years and have many contacts in the world of international volunteering. I have the opportunity to work at a medical clinic in Bolivia for a month (it specialises in treating burns victims). Is this something that Unis will look favourably upon.

There are literally hundreds of international volunteer opportunities in comparison to UK ones, and it seems you can really contribute something worthwhile rather than being a fifth wheel in a care home for a week. But how is this generally regarded by University admissions. Does it have to be Uk based or NHS work experience?

Any feedback would be greatfully recieved.

[Winchester]

Hi

As far as I can tell, what the admissions people really want to know is whether you actually understand what it is a doctor does all day, whether you're a caring, compassionate sort of person, whether you can deal with the emotional strain and so on. As long as you've got good answers at interview with some experiences to back them up it doesn't matter whether you've got a few nights at a care home or months shadowing with a world expert. I know people who've got in with very little healthcare experience, and I got in with a bit of volunteering on a ward and a few hours shadowing a doctor.

Your long-term volunteering will be a positive thing and the clinic work should go down well I'd get the opportunity to observe a doctor if you can. If you can't get NHS experience, then read up and ask people what it's like. But most importantly think about what you've seen so you can get it across - that's what most people seem to do wrong.