DS has work experience at drs surgery..

[4andnotcounting]

He is wanting to study medicine at university. He has really struggled to get any work experience. We are from a disadvantaged background and I am limited to how much I can help him. He’s got to where he has pretty much on his own. He has had a response from only one gp surgery - for three day work experience. However, When I googled the surgery, I realised it has really shockingly poor google reviews. (I’ve never seen a surgery receive so many poor reviews (2 stars from 57 reviews) he was initially happy he got a response but now he’s realised the surgery is so poor he is visibly upset (he usually has a very good poker face)
he doesn’t know whether it will harm his ucas application by even mentioning the surgery and is now in two minds whether to go. I can’t advise as I never studied beyond my alevels so feel a bit clueless. He will be entering ur 13 in September this year. Wwyd?

He has completed bronze and silver duke of Edinburgh as the school he attends takes in large amounts of students from deprived backgrounds and so the school paid for it and provided equipment. Should he mention on ucas he did d of e? Will it help?

He can write about being a carer to his siblings. And his school should certainly be made aware of that and include it in their reference.

Given that, then it's very likely unis won't expect anywhere near the usual amount of consistent work experience as he has home responsibilities. A few weeks in the autumn term in a care home would really make him a stand out applicant though, but please be assured that it won't be vital at all.

He sounds amazing - good luck!

@titchy I didn’t know the school provided a reference ? . I will mention this to him. There has been social services involvement so the social worker knew of his home routine - I’m not sure about school though. I will mention care homes to him. Thank you

If he doesn’t get offered a university place, it’s still worth reapplying the next year. I know two people who got in on their second attempt. One spent the year working as a phlebotomist and the other worked as health care assistant in a hospital.

"He has helped out a lot at home with younger siblings - Sch pick ups , morning routines etc as unfortunately I haven’t been well. He’s the oldest and has had the brunt of everything that went wrong at home. Year 12 flew past and I’ve told him year 13 will go even quicker."

This is precisely the sort of thing that universities should be bearing in mind when comparing candidates, and part of the reason for contextual offers. He might not have done as much work experience as another applicant, or been able to put in quite as much time on his studies, because he has had family responsibilities. Check whether he would count as a young carer because of your illness, because if so, that should probably be on his UCAS form. I believe the personal statement is being replaced by some more focussed questions next year, and that might work well for him.

It sounds as if he's done plenty around achieving some excellent academic results. If he can do a bit of volunteering in a hospice/care home, that would be great, but the main thing is to make sure of his A-levels. I hope he gets a place.

I agree with @titchy - do make sure the school have him recorded as a Young Carer. It is now a census requirement so the Data Team at least will be aware of that.

He could look at the RI website and youtube channel. The RI offer all sorts of courses, seminars, science days. Many online, if you are not close to London. https://www.rigb.org/explore-science

Francis Crick Institute offers work experience, but again seems to have lectures and blogs on line. https://www.crick.ac.uk/careers-study/students/work-experience

I wonder whether he would be interested in the Royal Navy's Medical Cadetships:

https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/joining/funding-and-scholarships/medical-and-dental-cadetships

I have nothing useful to add but I just wanted to say he sounds great and I with him the best of luck.

Just to say, your son sounds amazing! Good luck to him in his A levels and future medical degree. 😊

Your son sounds incredible! I interview at medical school and would snap him up!!

What about something with St John Ambulance?

There are some good things on their website.

The one called NHS Cadet looks especially interesting. Be sure to read that one.

https://www.sja.org.uk/get-involved/young-people/

Your son sounds like a wonderful young man, OP. I wish him the best of luck in the future!

People who are happy with their GP don't go on to google to say so. I'm a GP and I sometimes look at our reviews - often, I can recognise the patient, and I know the other side of the story they are telling, which is very different. Just ignore them.

Parent of 2 med students here - 1. Most med schools dont read the personal statement at all or ask the name of any work experience placement (caveat, a few do) 2. He needn't mention the name of the surgery anyway in his PS (just say during my experience at a GP surgery ...) 3. Med schools are more interested in how a candidate reflects on any experience they've gained rather than whether it was in a 'good' place so a partly negative experience can actually be better food for thought for e.g. interview answers 4. Most med school applicants don't have GP surgery work experience so just getting it off his own bat could be seen in his favour. My Ds2 was never asked in any interview about his work experience despite 2 years of care home volunteering. Ds1 was asked (in interview) to talk about his work experience with no expectation of what that was. He had no clinical experience at all (due to covid restrictions) so talked about non med experience with lots of positive nods and offers. And last of all 5. Just focus on UCAT as a high score in that opens far more doors to med school than any work experience. If he hasn't already, get him to use med entry UCAS practice website. It has a cost but he is at a disadvantage if he's not using it as nearly all of them are.
Good luck to him. He's doing great!

I have absolutely no advice to give but your son sounds amazing and I wish him the very best in the future!😊

We have a great doctor with horrendous reviews on google because of a poor receptionist and them changing doctors and not taking new patients on. The two we always go to have saved us time and time again. Tell your son people are more likely to leave a bad review than a good one and well done on getting the experience, it’s like gold dust around here!!!

The surgery really doesn’t matter - it’s work experience and it’s real life and reflective of society now.

get him to also join the Patient participation group at your own surgery. We have students join us for a year and it’s a great way of building contacts with the GPs. We are always looking for younger people to join this group. If he offers to take the notes of the meetings even better.

People I know who got onto medicine courses (and are now doctors) got part-time jobs in a pharmacy and a care home.

If you haven't already seen it there's a thread on the higher education board of parents of children applying for medicine in 2024 <a class="break-all" href="https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/4704552-medicine-2024-entrywww.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/4704552-medicine-2024-entry" target="_blank">https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/4704552-medicine-2024-entrywww.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/4704552-medicine-2024-entry

Sorry no idea what went wrong with the link! Go on the higher education board and you'll find it

Joining the nurse bank as an hca may be an idea, he can pick shifts, it usually pays fairly well & you can always tell an FY1 who’s done some nursing work!
he will also get to see a range of wards.

I work in a community pharmacy, every year we have 3 or 4 med school hopefuls do a weeks work experience. Gives a different customer focused end of the medical business. They see patients in a different way.

@Haffdonga thanks for your advice it is really helpful. He said he is using Medify as he got a discount through school? Would this be sufficient? His test is on 7 September so he hasn’t got long left. I think he left it a bit late to study for it - he’s been doing it almost every day of the summer holidays

Sorry I meant medify. Sounds like he's on the ball and has had plenty of practice. He'll be fine!

Our local hospitals have a summer volunteering scheme and also offer work placements - not sure if you can shadow doctors but you can certainly work in the physiotherapy dept. I know several medical students who worked in care homes and volunteered with MIND before they went to university.