Clinical Work Experience For Medical School Application

[HamsterOnWheels]

I wonder if anyone can give me some guidance. My DC is applying for medicine this year. They are really struggling to get any work experience in a medical setting. My DC has lots of general volunteering experience (e.g. long term volunteering with vulnerable people) but is finding it impossible to get any work shadowing in a medical setting. We have tried all local hospitals, GPs etc. I have heard people say that it is less important in Covid times but some of my DC's peers at school with medic parents seem to have been able to access it. I would be very grateful if anyone has any alternative suggestions we may have overlooked.

It doesnt have to be in a HP setting.

Even some time volunteering in a care home if possible would be great.

She needs to write to local GP's, hospitals and care homes.

Thank you @Porfre she has done all that. All our local hospitals are saying that work experience programmes have been put on hold and GPs have said that they aren't allowed either at the moment. She has approached a few local care homes and they said they are only letting paid staff on site at the moment with all the restrictions. I'm not sure what more she can do. She has volunteered a lot in a cancer charity shop and had been told that she could move over to one of their hospices to do some weekend volunteering (making tea etc.) Sadly that is not possible either at the moment. She's determined to keep trying but feels like she is not really getting anywhere at the moment.

Could she volunteer to visit elderly people in their homes?

www.nhs.uk/mental-health/advice-for-life-situations-and-events/loneliness-in-the-elderly/

Hopefully as things open up more opportunities will crop up.

Have you seen if there are any opportunities to get involved with St John's Ambulance

There is lots of good online stuff that the Unis like. Here is the BSMS one

bsmsoutreach.thinkific.com/courses/VWE

Thank you @TheOccupier and @Pofre for the suggestions. She will try both.

What about a part time job as a HCA? You can even do bank shifts if they can't commit to PT hours.

Check with her school, they may have links

Thank you @seekinglondonlife she has thought about a job as a HCA in a gap year if she isn't successful first time round in applying. Hadn't thought about it as an option this year with her still at school. It would really have to be a weekend shift but worth exploring.

A lot of a&e departments are assisted by volunteers from red cross or League of friends, they make tea for patients, sit with relatives in the relatives room, bring food and drinks to patients waiting on ambulances etc. This might be an option worth researching.

Lots of ambulance services now have clinical desks manned by paramedics and advanced practitioners consulting over the phone and providing clinical advice (ie not working from a script), which obviously isn't patient facing but might be an option whilst waiting for NHS covid restrictions to lift.

Other than that, pool lifeguard award offers fairly good first aid training and the role gives lots of contact with the public.

Definitely worth exploring, I know of a few girls doing it and I think it would look very favourable on a medical application.

Volunteering at a vaccine clinic? With the over 75 programme about to begin, the clinics will be busy again.

...And there are quite a lot of useful things to 'reflect' on: observing how the medics interact with nervous patients, reassure them about the vaccine, how they deal with people who won't wear masks. How important the data entry is and the process of asking questions before the jab is given, etc, etc.

I’m a HCP we’re no longer offering any shadowing experience. We get a lot of requests but it’s not been practical since covid and we are now just busier than ever so having someone shadow is unfortunately seen as a drain on our time.

We’d only take someone on actual placement now.

Thank you all. Very useful suggestions. Really appreciate you taking the time to post.

Where does she want to apply? Very few medical schools require experience in clinical settings. For some it might provide an advantage at interview but for many others any kind of experience that involves working with people and demonstrating appropriate personal attributes is more valuable.

The medicine applicants who stand out to me are those who have worked directly with vulnerable people (e.g. in homelessness charities or food banks, with isolated people needing support at home, etc.). A lot of current applicants have volunteered in vaccination centres but a lot have also done things in their communities - or even onine - to support people affected by the pandemic.

Anything that demonstrates NHS values and/or the 6 Cs is good.

One of my year 13 form group who wanted to apply for medicine got a job in a care home - he does a couple of shifts a week. I am so impressed with his commitment and maturity. In the end he didn't have the predicted grades for medicine but has carried on working there.

@Abra1d1

Volunteering at a vaccine clinic? With the over 75 programme about to begin, the clinics will be busy again.

Yeah, my nephews volunteered at some covid vaccine sites.

Thank you @NoNotHimTheOtherOne. That is so very helpful. DD is not sure of specific Universities yet but she is drawn to an integrated course. She has been volunteering weekly for a while, helping vulnerable people in our local community. It is quite gritty and emotionally challenging and can also be physically demanding but she loves it. Maybe this is more relevant than I had thought. It's just when you hear of DC shadowing surgeons and such like, it is a bit worrying that her application might be lacking.

Daycentres or support groups? Serving hot food or drinks. Hospital shop? Fund-raising for a related charity.

It can be very difficult to get work experience these days. The Trust I have recently retired from had stopped a lot of opportunities even pre Covid. Under 18s only had very limited work experience or volunteering options as they weren't allowed any access to patients. I know of a few youngsters who got work experience in the labs or other non patient facing areas and some who've been allowed to participate in medical student tutorials etc, but the days of having a school child following a Consultant round for the week are long gone in our area. So your DC won't be alone.
Our Trust runs events for would be HCPs though, usually at weekends. It's not the same as actual work experience but they get to talk to various people, go in the simulation suite etc. Might be worth seeing if there is anything like that local to you.
Personally I think work experience is very over rated to be honest. It gives young people a highly idealised and sanitised view of the job which is totally unrealistic. Even in the days when school pupils were allowed to shadow us, of course nobody took them in whilst they told someone their loved one had died, or to see someone with horrific injuries. Nor did we wake them up repeatedly through the night then ask them to sit through a massively overbooked outpatient clinic next morning, Despite my best efforts I don't think I ever managed to dissuade a work experience pupil from applying, because you just can't show them reality.

You need to focus on healthcare volunteering opportunities rather than work shadowing which is virtually impossible to get. DS has been volunteering at our local hospital as a ward helper and found it really useful experience for interviews.

Thank you @AgeingDoc. DD is going to look into any events for intending HCPs. You make very interesting points about the actual value of work experience. @notnowbernadette that's great that your DS has been able to help on the ward. I believe that has been put on hold in our area due to Covid but DD will check again.

Agree with @AgeingDoc, there is much more relevant and valuable experience to be gained in other settings where the student can observe and reflect on the realities of arduous shifts and learn about, for example, the impact of social inequality on health. Any uni course worth it's degrees should see straight through an attachment with a contact. I'd always choose the applicant who had put in the effort for themselves.

Pt work at a nursing home would look very good. Most need staff