Work Experience Feedback

[blephen_stoom]

Can I just get some feedback regarding my work experience? The title was self-explanatory really. This is for a medical application this year. The work experience total will be as follows:
6 weeks - when I was 16 - in the Children's Ward School at my local hospital
2 weeks work experience on a surgical ward
2 weeks work experience on a medical ward
Occasional Special Educational Needs teaching
Occasional counselling for the homeless
Voluntary work - 1 or 2 days a week at the Royal Liverpool Hospital - from now until October 13th

It's not really enough, is it? Bollocks. I'm a graduate by the way. My academic stuff is first class honours in BA (Hons) English Language and Literature, Jardin Prize for the best final year Literature Student, Alfred Dale University Undergraduate Scholarship (thats for exam results, not for being a poor person), AAA at A-level (English Language, English Literature, Pscyhology).

A string of mediocre GCSE's including science (dual award) at B.

I was looking at doing the MANCAT Access to Medicine course, with a view to going to Manchester Uni. But I got in contact with them today, and they said that they weren't really interested in work experience as such. They were interested in voluntary work - as not everyone can get work experience. So, do people think its even worth applying this year? Or should I take another year to apply, and work as a HCA for the two years?

[pilly84]

WHAT?! That is a lot of work experience! Also, I would have thought that 'occasional special educational needs teaching, occasional counselling for the homeless and voluntary work - 1 or 2 days a week at the Royal Liverpool Hospital - from now until October 13th' would all count as voluntary work.

I don't have experience of access to Medicine courses but the rest of your qualifications seem fantastic.

Maybe you could contact them again to ask their opinion on whether you should apply this year.

[blephen_stoom]

Yeah, I'd think so. The woman was quite mean to me though. And they don't even have a crying smiley thing for me to insert. I think she said that if i did solid voluntary work between now and october 13th I'd be considered a 'middling' applicant. You see, for me to pull off the access to med. course is going to be tricky - well, the course won't be, but finding a job and trying to have a relationship with my best friend/possible girl friend is going to be pretty intensive. I figure 35 hours a week paid work, and then another 35 for the access course, at least. And if i need solid voluntary work between now and october, then I can't have a holiday with said friend/girl friend. Which means she might well remain a friend. And not anything more. I don't fancy working 70 hours a week for a year for nothing. I'd rather study AS/A-levels at night over two years, work as a HCA in the day, and then actually have some free time. The reason I haven't done loads of work experience is because I was trying (and succeeded) to get a first instead of dropping out. I wanted to quit my degree half way through, but stuck it out. I really don't want to have to spend another 2 years getting into medicine, when I've already spent 18 months doing a degree I don't like just because I thought a first would look better on my application instead of being a drop-out.

[pilly84]

Ah you poor thing. And by the way, well done on getting your 1st. Have you looked at other graduate Medicine courses? Maybe they'd be a bit nicer to you.

[blephen_stoom]

Thats not for graduate entry. Thats for 5-year entry. They expect you to jump through more hoops when you're a graduate. The woman was like 'We expect you to have done work experience throughout your whole degree' and I was just like 'What?!'. I don't think so. It's a bloody cheek though. The aforementioned friend is a medic, and she did 2 weeks at a GP's. Woo. The whole system is just so they get free serf's to do dogsbody's work for them. Which they don't have to pay for. The only other job in the world where you could get someone with a first to work for nothing would be if I was trying to get into TV.

[pilly84]

You're right. It is a cheek. I'm a bit stumped for what to suggest to be honest. All I can say is good luck and I hope it works out for you hun.

x

[blephen_stoom]

Thank you. And thank you for your congratulations as well. I was writing a diatribe, and forgot the small ray of niceness. To anyone else reading the thread, I would be grateful for your feedback too.

[pilly84]

no probs !

xx

[matt-the-burgess]

my man i understand completely. Ihave just graduated from uni of liverpool wit a 2.1 in microbiology! ive got similar work experience with a shade more voluntary work! but if you put it all down should be more than enough! if needs be be a little bit economical wit the truth and say you've been doing it longer then you have! how do they know and you've still been doin it so it aint a lie! anyway i know loads of medics that did the same! i agree it seems much harder as a graduate and in my opinion it shouldnt be! anyhow we have more qualifications anyway ;-)!!! take it easy and good luck!

[blephen_stoom]

Did I say that my degree was from Liverpool? I'm not sure I did. Oh well, it is. BA's at Liverpool mean sodding pink robes! What a joke. A bit of exaggeration is inevitable - I am an english graduate, so spinning it shouldn't be a problem.

Just a thought...you're not Matt of Matt-that-is-friends-with-Hamish-that-I-went-for-a-drink-with-at-the-end-of-the-year-at-Kelly's are you? I'm Nadia's friend and future housemate. If indeed you are that Matt. And if not, I will be editing this post anyway, so no harm done.