Is My Work Experience Enough?

[Bally]

Hello there. Basically I am a bit worried about the amount of work experience I have. I am currently applying for some more hospital volunteer work. However, my previous experience include me shadowing doctors in a GP for 2 weeks, doing volunteer work at a hospital for about 2 and a half years (I did this during my time studying at uni) and I've also gone done voluntary work in Africa and South american hospitals.

I am not currently doing any voluntary work in hospitals or a caring environment. I am trying to get to that.

But I need some help as to how to go about getting some volunteer experiences in care homes. Would that be any good?

[Dr Casey]

Yes your on the right track. I personally would say thats an ample amount of work experience how ever the more the merrier.

Get in touch with the NHS careers and ask them for contact information for your local primary and care trust along side mental health trusts, they will let you know of any thing available locally maybe even ask them for care work.

It is a tad bit tricky finding volunteer work at times so it doesnt just have to be a in a hospital by the way im becoming a special constable and apparently that will look good on my application. (Shows a bit of compassion)

As for Care Homes i have personally come accros alot but they most likely will be paid work but with a flexible schedule so you can do it when you can... reason being because of all the hassle with the CRB and other paper work.

Anyways the number for the NHS Careers is 0845 60 60 655.

Best of luck mate !!

[Bally]

Thank you so much.

But one question. I've been advised by a friend to do volunteer work at Cancer research shop (i'd be working as an assistant), and use that (among other experience) in my med school application. Would this experience be considered relevant? Because I don't see how it could.

[Dr Casey]

Well if you go about it the right way it can help.... Its more about what you gained from it not necesarily how long you have been doing the volunteering.

I spoken to a few people and med schools know how hard it can be to get voluntary work at times so do it if there arent anything more suitable
plus its voluntary work so it looks great regardless, so yah as long as you mention the positive things you have gained from it it wont hurt at all.

[AmyG]

Wow! I think you have enough experience! 2 and half years volunteering is very impressive!!! My advice is to get a real mix of work experience. Maybe contact your local A&E and see if they will allow you to shadow staff for a week or a few days at least! Another thing - I did a weeks placement as a volunteer at a Vitalise centre (google vitalise!) which is a charity that provides short holiday breaks (in UK) for people with physical disabilities and their carers! I went to Netley for the week and stayed at the centre in accomodation with other volunteers (the others were foreign gap year students). It was really good experience - hard work as the days are long but well worth it!! And easy to get placed as Vitalise are desperate for volunteers - theres an online application form and you will need to do a CRB! If you want more to say in your PS maybe do a first aid course? I pretty much tried to make everything I wrote about link to medicine.

Its hard work getting experience and then having to write up the dreaded PS. I spent months trying to write mine ( I dont recommend spending that long!)! But I wouldnt worry too much about the quantity of work experience - just mainly focus on the skills you learned/seen doctors use and say what skills you have acquired throughout your degree and how/why the doctors/medical team impressed you.

All the best!!

Amy

[AmyG]

p.s defo do the cancer research assistant job if you have time around your other committments/work experience that you may get. I wrote about doing the race for life in my PS which isnt really related to medicine in a direct sense but still helped me! Writing about that would help I think!

It adds another dimension to your work experience and you can really say how its helped you to learn more about the charity and its visions and about the disease itself etc.

At the end of the day you want to come across as well rounded. What you dont say in your PS maybe try and get your reference to say!

Amz x

[Bally]

Wow. Thank you for all the help. It's really made my head a lot clearer.

Thanks once again.

[Dr Casey]

Im due to start a lot of work experience in a hospital / care environment but just out of curiosity can i
mention the fact that im also volunteer police officer as well, i can draw many positive life and inter personal
skills that would help/use in the role of a doctor but will the med school take it into account in a positive way ?

Many Thanks in advance to those that reply / give insight.

[yazoo]

Hello there. Basically I am a bit worried about the amount of work experience I have. I am currently applying for some more hospital volunteer work. However, my previous experience include me shadowing doctors in a GP for 2 weeks, doing volunteer work at a hospital for about 2 and a half years (I did this during my time studying at uni) and I've also gone done voluntary work in Africa and South american hospitals.

I am not currently doing any voluntary work in hospitals or a caring environment. I am trying to get to that.

But I need some help as to how to go about getting some volunteer experiences in care homes. Would that be any good?

You have plenty of work experience. Is some of it recent? If not, something recent/current might help. It is also how you write about the experience. Remember your personal statement is quite short and you have to cover a lot of issues other than work experience too.

[yazoo]

but just out of curiosity can i
mention the fact that im also volunteer police officer as well, i can draw many positive life and inter personal
skills that would help/use in the role of a doctor but will the med school take it into account in a positive way ?

Yes yes yes! Very relevant. Very useful. Don't miss it out even if you are struggling with the word limit.