Learning to drive while at uni doing NHS Hospital placement

[chloe3215]

Hi,

I am wanting to learn to drive next year but am starting uni in Spet 2022.
I will be doing Bsc Occupational Therapy - is it possible to learn to drive while on placement and attending uni?
Thank you :)

Depends entirely on the shift pattern you are expected to work while on placement.
If you can manage your lessons around shifts then that’s fine.

You will be able to get to and from the hospital by public transport won’t you?

It's a lot to have on your plate, practically and mentally. How easy do you find learning and new situations? Do you feel up to tackling two learning curves at once?

It could certainly be done by a determined person who had the funds for lessons, but I'd be a bit cautious about committing to both at once if you had other options.

If you have limited time, I would do an intensive course of driving lessons with a test at the end, hopefully pass (and then learn to drive properly)

@RingBinderInjury

Depends entirely on the shift pattern you are expected to work while on placement. If you can manage your lessons around shifts then that’s fine.

You will be able to get to and from the hospital by public transport won’t you?

Thank you! Hoping to go on public transport or get a taxi when needed :)

@ZoeTheThornyDevil

It's a lot to have on your plate, practically and mentally. How easy do you find learning and new situations? Do you feel up to tackling two learning curves at once?

It could certainly be done by a determined person who had the funds for lessons, but I'd be a bit cautious about committing to both at once if you had other options.

Thank you I find new situations quite easy and am open to try to learn to drive while at uni I can go on public transport but I am wary about not learning to drive while at uni and then not being able to apply for graduate jobs within hospitals that need a full driving liecense. I may learn and see how I get on - my number one priority is my degree and then learning to drive

@BeyondMyWits

If you have limited time, I would do an intensive course of driving lessons with a test at the end, hopefully pass (and then learn to drive properly)

Is the test a driving test that would get me full liecense? I may look into this route thank you :)

My ds is doing his degree in radiography at the moment and is learning to drive. He has had lessons in different areas of the Country due to clinical placements, doing his test in February.

@MissyB1

My ds is doing his degree in radiography at the moment and is learning to drive. He has had lessons in different areas of the Country due to clinical placements, doing his test in February.

Thank you! How has he managed to learn to drive while in different areas? That would be something I would look into - is he with AA or RED?

@chloe3215 due to backlog from the pandemic he’s had to take lessons with whoever was available, so it’s been mostly small local driving schools, sometimes friends taking him out, and sometimes me. It’s definitely been a tricky way to learn but he’s desperate to pass before he finishes his training.
One piece of advice I would be inclined to give is to consider learning in an automatic, electric cars are the future and they are automatic.

If you can get started as soon as possible, it might be possible to get the bulk of your learning done before you even start. I started to learn last January and then passed my test on the 31st of August. If you can start learning early in the year hopefully you'll be up to just practicing by the time you start uni and that'll free up a lot of time. However I did have several friends who learnt to drive while in uni for clinical degrees and they all seemed to have managed it ok.

[quote MissyB1]@chloe3215 due to backlog from the pandemic he’s had to take lessons with whoever was available, so it’s been mostly small local driving schools, sometimes friends taking him out, and sometimes me. It’s definitely been a tricky way to learn but he’s desperate to pass before he finishes his training.
One piece of advice I would be inclined to give is to consider learning in an automatic, electric cars are the future and they are automatic.[/quote]
Okay thank you :)
I will learn in manual but if I do not get the hang of it then I will learn in automatic

@seadreams

If you can get started as soon as possible, it might be possible to get the bulk of your learning done before you even start. I started to learn last January and then passed my test on the 31st of August. If you can start learning early in the year hopefully you'll be up to just practicing by the time you start uni and that'll free up a lot of time. However I did have several friends who learnt to drive while in uni for clinical degrees and they all seemed to have managed it ok.

Did they learn during the pandemic or this year? The only concern I have is starting to learn and then moving away for uni and having to find a new instructor :(

How many threads are you going to make about this question?

People learn to drive while working, studying, looking after children etc. It's typically takes up 1 - 2 hours a week, driving instructors tend to work evenings and weekends. It's very doable, you just have to organise your time.

If you are moving away to uni and won't be buying a car anytime soon, then I'd think about whether you want to learn yet or not. If you will be getting a car while at uni, then don't wait until September, the best times to learn to drive are the spring/summer really, when it's lighter in the evenings. Get your name on a waiting list for an instructor and start revising for your theory test.

Doing placements and having to rely on public transport can be a pain in the arse, unless you're in London.