The "Do I have a chance?" thread again...

[sara7000]

Hey, apologies in advance as I know the title has probably annoyed a few before even reading the post I got my ps (draft) checked by a few people on this forum, and they gave me good feedback. However, I am still worrying that I don't have MUCH MEDICALLY RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE. My guidance teacher mentioned a girl who got in with absolutely nothing medically related, but I find it hard to convince myself. Plus, I don't know how far behind that was, things are now different. Would really appreciate if people with less or none medicine related w/e could post some reassurance for me. Here is what I have:

- a week at the nhs (administrative tasks and spoke to a gp about a medical career)
- started vol at a day care service centre on saturdays (mainly socialising with the elderly)
- Will InShAllah do a week or so at Monklands Hospital

and that is pretty much it....NO WARDS, NO NOTHING, NO PATIENT CONTACT....I am begging people to find me something but NO USE. I wrote seven letters to various places and heard only from two with a NO. Applied for st. andrews first aid course but that will take MONTHS to even begin. Here is some other stuff I have:

- one year of my own National Youth Led Project with Oxfam and the Big Lottery based on equality amongst people from different back grounds.
- pupil council member
- represented my school at the first ever scottish youth knife crime conference
- Master of Ceremony at the Scottish Youth Parliament 10th anniversary
- for two years have done the CAA programme in school
- Hope to feature in a National Youth Theatre performance in 2010.
- Goto the gym at a regular basis
- Like to spend my time worrying lolzzz
- In the UNICEF steering group for school (first ever such group in Scotland)

I know it is what you learn and not what you do, but then the thing again about experience in a medical environment. Any advice????

Thanks.

Sara xxx

[The P]

Hey, don't diss the elderly. Contact with the elderly is patient contact. You're not going to be able to do anything else but observe and communicate at this stage, and the interviewers will understand that - they don't expect everyone to have sat in on surgery + done the rounds with the docs.


I hate to say it, but write more letters - and ask for any work experience or voluntary work that may be available, not just medical experience. And keep up the day care service, it's more valuable experience than you might first think!

[House Jr.]

my advice to you (which may not be worth much) is to not worry XD
you do not need much work experience which is medically relevant if you have done other voluntary work/activities which demonstrates your skills which are relevant to being a doctor, and as you said, its not WHAT work exerpeince you did but what you LEARNT from it. E.g. working in the administration sector in the NHS can show capabilities as a team player whilst organising a charity project can deomstrates organisation and leadership. You won't be expected to have been in an operating theatre and to know all the diseases affecting a certain organ before ou go to med school XD

hope this helps in an irrelevant and meaningless way XD

[Sammyfc]

Hey Sara,

Just read your post and I can totally connect with what you are saying.

I obtained a place on the Access to Med course at the COWA and I was told that I should try get as much experience as possible through voluntary work, shadowing, etc so that I can use it to strengthen my application for uni. I have had absolutely no luck whatsoever. I have applied to loads of places but it seems that nowadays you need a CRB for everything (even to shadow a doctor) which takes atleast 6 weeks to come through. I am worried that because the deadline for uni applications for 2010 is only a couple of months away, I will have little experience to include in my personal statement.

I dont really want to take a year out before uni in order to obtain more experience but if I dont get any offers for 2010 then im guna have

I know this post isn't very helpful to you, but I thought you might like to know that you're not the only one in your position

[doctors-do-it-better]

Hey Sara

Okay I thought I would reply to you before you faint from worry, and we don't want that! lol

First of all what you have is good as admissions at university are looking to see you can work as part of a team and communicate essentially. You have shown that you are good with people and by having a varied range of activities you demonstrate this quite well. The fact you set up a day care centre for the elderly is something that should make admissions go "hmm this girl is worth considering". As long as you can write (as you stated yourself) WHAT you learnt from your experiences and relate them to the core qualities a doctor should have i.e team work, communication skills, time management etc etc but also convey how much enthusiasm you have for doing these things then you should be fine

Secondly, relax a little bit and enjoy the process of applying to medical school

[Gizmo says -]

'ow do you socialise wif the elderly, macca?
wat kind of fings do the elderly like to 'ear or talk about?

wat contribution did you make to youth knife crime?

what did your Project equality acheive?
and for who?

what do you do as a pupil council member?

what did these experiences tell you about yourself.

[sara7000]

thnx alot for the replies guys. I just send away 20 LETTERS to different consultants in the SAME HOSPITAL yesterday lolzzz I hope the postman and the person receiving the letters doesn't faint haahahahah Even within the same department I wrote to different consultants, if even now no one gets back to me then I have the right to scream and faint The P you have just raised a good point, I did feel that there was a degree of dimentia associated with everyone I talked to at the centre. So on second thought there is patient contact. And Gizmo those are good questions to make me think what else to add in my ps. Thnx for that Doctors-do-it-better the worrying is the most enjoyable part of the process lolzzz but thnx that makes me feel better, if you noticed that then they will also, that I am trying my best to gain any experience I can

[The P]

The P you have just raised a good point, I did feel that there was a degree of dimentia associated with everyone I talked to at the centre. So on second thought there is patient contact.

Is the day care service for elderly people who are unable to look after themselves (allowing carers respite on a Saturday)? Or is it just for them to socialise?

[Gizmo says -]

thnxAnd Gizmo those are good questions to make me think what else to add in my ps.

yeah i am asking you the questions now.

good interview practice, see if you can answer them, macca.

[sara7000]

Is the day care service for elderly people who are unable to look after themselves (allowing carers respite on a Saturday)? Or is it just for them to socialise?

Just to socialise, is that any good?