Health Care Assistant Vs Vounteering

[goldhawkgonk]

Yeh I agree some hospital vol'ing is really basic, like chatting to patients and making tea. However think it really depends on how clued up the trust is where you're vol'ing, as well as your own attitude and how happy/comfortable the ward is with volunteers - with training at the trust I'm in you can feed patients and do some basic lifting, carrying, taking to toilet etc so you're not entirely like a lemon.

Incidentally portering would give you some patient contact (altho I understand not medical) and hospital insight, also seems more exciting than HCAing (from a spectators viewpoint at least)- confident I'll get shot down for this

[icecream]

I worked as a health care assistant for a year prior to starting medical school, and i have to say, its defiantely worth it! I could have accepted better payed jobs with my degree in hand, but i think nothing could have prepared or taught me as much about working in a caring environment, and how a ward is run more than my hca job... i hated it at times, but in hindsight, im mighty glad i did it!

i had interviews at kcl, warwick and barts; and at every interview they all seemed so interested to hear about my experiences as a HCA, and i managed to use my own experiences whilst working as a hca to answer the questions they fired. I think they liked it, and i received offers from the latter 2.

[Francescauk]

Hi all

im currently working as a HCA and gave up a well paid job in advertising to do it. Ive only been working there just under a year and dont come from a healthcare/science background and ive been taking blood and cannulating for the last six months so HCA definately can do all those things. im the only HCA that does it tho but only because the others dont want to learn...i know this as i asked them! also you can work as a HCA in an outpatient department which means you get less of the grosse jobs to do which a ward demands but still get loads of patient contact.

so if your keen n enthusiastic and desperate to get stuck in you can really gain some great experience. i work in Oncology full time and also volunteer in the local hospice as well just to make sure ive covered everything they might be looking for! better to be safe than sorry...if only i could pass the frickin GAMSAT now!!!

[music_geek]

I've just given up a well paid job and start work as a Healthcare Assistant on Monday on an Orthopaedic ward. I found it hard to get anybody to consider me for work experience in a hospital whilst I was working full time - I was told quite rudely that I wasn't going to be any help as they want volunteers in the daytimes, Monday to Friday.

I am still going to try to get some work experience, preferably with children with learning disabilities or similar as a good contrast to the Orthopaedics.

However, I had some work experience organised with a local trust for a week this year. When I was offered the HCA role, I rang the trust I am to do work experience with to ask them if they would advise I continue with this, or could my place go to someone else. The lady who organises this told me that admissions tutors seem to be asking a lot of questions about work experience and what you learn from it, so I would advise to try to organise this as well as either of the above.

[maybe]

Thanks for the fab replies. I want to apply to a mixture of 4 and 5 year courses. I've got voluntary work experience but think HCA experience would be invaluable to an application and think an added bonus would be able to do bank HCA work if I manage to get into medical school.....It is very scarey to give up an old life in pursuit of a furture that may never be....

[Nurse_to_doctor]

It is very scarey to give up an old life in pursuit of a furture that may never be....

Yep - I can imagine how it must be. If it doesn't pay off, well, at least you gave it your best shot - no "if only I'd tried". However, if it DOES pay off - then Yipee!!!

N2D

[maybe]

I agree N2D I think I regret things I don't do more than things I do (if you see what I mean) and welcome back I wondered where you'd gone. Are you thinking of doing GAMSAT in March? It is 11 weeks today..... I saw your post about the level of science for GAMSAT and completely agree.

[Dr. Cool]

As goldhawkgonk started hinting at, there are more options than being an HCA if you're going the paid work route. Most of them will offer some unique insight over other roles.

Porters, will get a lot of insight into how the hospital functions as a whole, they'll also master bantering with patients while chauffeuring them around.

Phsio assistants, will learn a lot about motivating e.g. persuading a stroke patient to at least *try* and move their arm when all they want to do is lament on how their life is now over, can be pretty tough from what I've observed. Lots of direct patient contact too.

Phlebotomists, will have a lot of patient contact, and master a clinical skill. In *some* trusts the phlebs may cannulate as well as draw bloods, which would be extremely useful as an F1 when you meet your first "k, I don't actually have veins, oh and I also hate needles, k, thanks" patient.

Ward clerks, will obviously learn the ins and outs of how a ward functions, and probably have the best view of how disorganised the NHS can be.

There are more. Points is, you're not just limited to HCA'ing.

[aotdowson]

I think you pretty much answered your own thread in your second-to-last post maybe! In my opinion and it is only that, there is no greater commitment to Medicine than packing in a 40k job and starting in any of the above roles mentioned by Dr. Cool. However, the insight that you gain into the working life of a Doctor can be achieved in equal measure through volunteering in the right role (which I understand is pretty hard to come by) or by organising a/several 1/2-week shadowing placements with a Consultant and his team. Think of anyone you know who is a Doctor and fire off some letters or failing that, try getting in contact with the "Work Experience Co-ordinator" or similar of your local trust. This is what I would personally recommend for someone in your situation...as long as you have some holiday left!

I am currently working as a Physio Assistant and the experience had been invaluable. I liaise with junior Doctors on a daily basis as well as getting plenty of patient contact and as a result, have established reasons as to why I would prefer to be a Doctor over a Physio. There is plenty of opportunity out there, you just have to really make a nuisance of yourself to get some of the good stuff!

Best of luck!

[HT :D]

For me, I have learnt and gained more experience as a HCA than a volunteer.

But, in terms of medical schools admissions, I think both are as equally valuable if you can show what you have learnt from them.