Work experience for Medicine

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um
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Work experience for Medicine

Post by um »

Just wondering if anyone had any ideas on this.

My son was told by the careers advisor that a solid amount of work experience was essential for entry to Medicine, and this had to show regular time in a caring role.

As the eldest of 5, my son does do pretty regular time in a caring role - and is brilliant with the younger ones including my autistic son - but as this is unlikely to 'count' he has been searching for work experience that's regular.
He's managed to secure a week with a doctor at a hospital, but so far has not had a single reply to any other letters written to hospitals nearby.
We have also tried repeatedly to get him a place with St John's Ambulance - I must have made at least 8 calls now - and all they ever say is that they will pass on our number and someone will ring us back.

He's particularly interested in genetics and genetic diseases and would love a chance to get some experience in this field too.

If anyone has further suggestions/courses/places to apply to, I'd appreciate it.
Guest55
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Re: Work experience for Medicine

Post by Guest55 »

How old is he um?
kenyancowgirl
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Re: Work experience for Medicine

Post by kenyancowgirl »

Depending on his age - what about working or volunteering in a local care home? Or a day care centre - he could do regular hours and it will all be relevant to a future career in a caring role, as well as giving him a real life insight into social care.

Most Medicine courses are acutely aware that it is very difficult to get experience in a hospital, shadowing a doctor, as there are massive confidentiality issues, especially if he is 18 or under, so alternative care settings are perfectly acceptable. The week he has already got will be valuable experience for him and he can bulk it out with more regular care work.

I would say (and I can hear Amber cheering from the sideline), however, stop trying to organise it for him. There is nothing more off putting to a prospective "employer" than having a parent doing the calling!!
hermanmunster
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Re: Work experience for Medicine

Post by hermanmunster »

Getting work experience under the age of 18 is pretty hard and although I have had year 12/13s with me sometimes, it can be quite difficult to ensure that this doesn't put the patient off (even though they have been consented).

Also have to make sure that they are away from their "home area" - very hard if they happened to know anybody they came across.

Often working with the nurses can be easier - gives them a chance to chat to patients and things like ear syringing, blood pressure checking, dressings, blood taking, spirometry etc are far less intrusive than some stuff can be.

Chatting to patients about how illness affects them can be particularly useful.

Agree re parents not ringing up for kids but even the most confident can find some of the hurdles daunting - and ultimately work experience won;t make much difference to how good a doctor they will be (I know the universities really want it ..) ,
um
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Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Work experience for Medicine

Post by um »

Sorry, forgot to mention that he is 16 and in Year 11.

Thank you for all the suggestions.

He's done all the legwork himself and secured a work experience placement himself for the summer with a consultant, but it is only one week.
He hasn't telephoned the hospitals but sent letters via email. Would it help if he phoned?
The only ringing I did was St John's Ambulance, because I am also trying to get a place for my daughter who is 11.
I'll suggest that he tries a few GP surgeries to see if he can work with the nurses there - but what he's looking for is something pretty permanent, weekly, rather than a one-off placement.
RedVelvet
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Re: Work experience for Medicine

Post by RedVelvet »

I think any experience which helps with developing communication skills will be helpful. Any healthcare career involves dealing with people from all walks of life, which can be daunting at first. Do you have a Time Bank near you, they may be able to help with a voluntary role, some of the training given by voluntary organisations is excellent?

I also came across this recently: http://www.ncsyes.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Might be worth a look, it seems to be a youth leadership programme. It looks very interesting.

Maybe also helping out at a summer play scheme for children with disabilities might be worth a try, that was my first volunteering role.

Hope he finds something useful and enjoyable.
um
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Work experience for Medicine

Post by um »

Thanks for that link - I will show him tomorrow. Looks interesting.
He had wanted to do DofE but his school don't do it and the logistics of doing it elsewhere seemed pretty difficult.

Forgot to also mention that he'd wanted to help out at Autism West Midlands, who have helped a lot with his younger brother, but they only accept volunteers age 18+ which is a pity.
quasimodo
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Re: Work experience for Medicine

Post by quasimodo »

What about volunteering for "Kissing it Better" a charity which allows volunteers to go into hospitals. It started off as a very local scheme but is now in different parts of the country. It allowed my eldest dd in 2012 to spend some of her summer days volunteering at the Manor hospital in Walsall with terminally ill patients who wouldn't normally get visitors and in the paediatric ward. She found it very rewarding. They operate in Birmingham and Sandwell hospitals.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln
Amber
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Re: Work experience for Medicine

Post by Amber »

When my daughter thought she wanted to study medicine she began volunteering at a care home for disabled adults. She was 16 then. She's now into her third year of doing it and loves it- she's made many friends there and has long since decided against medicine. Neither of my sons plans to pursue a medical career but I'm encouraging them both to go and do something similar as the benefits have been so huge and we know from all the cards and presents she gets just how much it is appreciated. I was told by a uni admissions officer that a longstanding commitment to an uns*xy cause like a care home or old people's home said far more about a candidate than a week in an operating theatre on the back of a family connection. And it may do some real good as well. Win-win. :D
hermanmunster
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Re: Work experience for Medicine

Post by hermanmunster »

Amber wrote: I was told by a uni admissions officer that a longstanding commitment to an uns*xy cause like a care home or old people's home said far more about a candidate than a week in an operating theatre on the back of a family connection. :D
This certainly should be the case and I hope they do take notice of such things.
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