Duke Of Edinburgh

**jenniewren** · 27-01-2007, 02:36 AM

Hey!

Im working towards my Duke Of Edinburgh sorted, apart from my residential, I am finding it really difficult to find a place, plus im not even sure about what i want to do, i was hoping to get something medically related, which could class as work experience. anyone any ideas?

I have heard that Medlink/medsim events can be classed as residentials, but they seem rather expensive and the 'oh look a free stethoscope, we must go', thing puts me off. Are they worth it?

Thanks

**Miss Monkey** · 27-01-2007, 02:53 AM

I am just finishing off my Gold award now,so have completed my residential. I did mine on a weeks camp with disabled children... was such a great experience! Obviously I wasn't directly involved in the medication etc, but I was responsible for ensuring the child I cared for took her tablets and emptied her catheter at the right time etc. The youth centre I do my D of E through told us about the camp and we all applied, then they picked three of us to do it (as well as 17 other teenagers from the rest of the county.)

I have no idea about the Medlink/Medsim events as I have never actually been on any of then. I don't think they are at all necessary to get into medicine, but could be helpful. However I felt it was a lot of money to pay for information I could find out myself. Maybe someone who's actually been can tell you more though!

Good luck!

**j_mason85** · 27-01-2007, 03:55 AM

Hi,

Was just reading your thread (obviously), and just thought I'd get my thoughts in. The DoE is definatly a good thing to stick on your personal statement, but I wouldn't worry to much about what exactly it is that you do for each component (e.g. the residential project).

The admissions staff will know exacly how the award works so it's not really necessary to break down what you have done for each part, if anything I think it could be a bad idea, because it gives you something "new" to talk about in your interviews.

When writing my personal statement I just said that I had completed the DoE, and that this (along with other things I had mentioned) demonstrated my intiative and ability to act when required etc.

Well, that's my thoughts on the matter! If you disagree then that's cool, I'm sure there is more than one way to write a personal statement that will land you an interview at a medical school.

**Medic2013** · 27-01-2007, 04:03 AM

Originally Posted by jenniewren

Hey!

Im working towards my Duke Of Edinburgh sorted, apart from my residential, I am finding it really difficult to find a place, plus im not even sure about what i want to do, i was hoping to get something medically related, which could class as work experience. anyone any ideas?

I have heard that Medlink/medsim events can be classed as residentials, but they seem rather expensive and the 'oh look a free stethoscope, we must go', thing puts me off. Are they worth it?

Thanks

gg-you are well on your way to a good ps, so well done on that. with the residential, you may want to check out the national site, which has LOADS of gold residentials being organised by different operating authorities to loads of different places, as well as that AWARD mag that they have. IMHO, medlink and medsim are crap. full stop. nor do they sound like vents which will count towards your gold expedition. tbh, youll get far better experiences from long-term volunteering and work shadowing than from medlink/sim-the only good ill think youll get from them is a slight idea of how uni life is and get well pissed.

ps-IMHO, i think you must be already well pissed in order to pay 250 quid to get pissed-but thats my opinion.

http://www.theaward.org/participants...s=48,123&id=57

best of luck-you probably wont need it though!

**elz** · 07-03-2007, 09:17 PM

i did find the medism course useful as it reinforced my passion to study medicine, and i did write about this in my personal statement. i didnt like the night call out because it was a bit phoney and people were just shouting orders at us like we were in the army. but it was interesting to practise taking patient histories, we did blood pressures, cardiograms, looked at the eye and various things.

though for my d of e residential i just went away with my old school who i did d of e with and helped on a d of e trip with the younger children. although like suggested something with disabled children or medically related would be good, so can many other things, its more what u can say u got out of it. eg team work, leadership skills, maybe sorting out a problem with some kid or sumthing. dont think too hard about it!