How much experience does everyone have before applying?!!

[heyeyya83]

How much experience do most people have before applying...particularly to the Graduate Entry courses?

I work within a hospital carrying out clinical trials but I'm scared that won't be enough Hard to do any volunteering around the sorts of hours I do!

Because I'm applying on my own and not through a college I don't really know how to go about finding any Work Experience

Any help appreciated muchly

[AimsRJ]

Your situation may be a bit similar to mine. I am a pharmaceutical sales rep working in hospitals. I have 3 years experience at that and have a very good knowledge of the NHS through work with pharmacists/ managers/ nurses as well as Drs. I have also done a fair bit of shadowing work. I organised most of this through a very helpful consultant but also through the manager of the volunteer serviece at the hospital- I assume most large hospitals will have a similar person.
I havent applied before so I havent had any feedback from admissions services but talking to current med students inc people from my industry who have gone into med school this should be enough if I can demonstrate what I have learnt. This seems to be the overriding opinion of everyone- its not what you've done its what you can say about it. Presumably if you work in a clinical environment theres a lot you can talk about already and if you can get a bit of shadowing then all the better.

[curlysin]

hi heyeyya83,


You are right it is very hard to gain experience particularly when you have a full time job already. However if you do work in a hospital already you can contact human resources department and enquire in regards to one week attachments to particular areas. I know where i work we have had independent individuals come and do this. A friend of mine actually done it and managed to get into theatres etc!!

If you do clinical trails you must be associated to a Doctor in some sort of way try and see if they could help out in anyway also, as sometimes its not what you know but who you know.

Hope that information is of some use to you