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?

Go go go go go! My understanding is that to study medicine you need shit loads of work experience so go! 100%

My own local surgery is pretty decent but they have about 2 stars on google. In fact I’ve never seen any surgery with more than 3 stars.

@Haffdonga that is incorrect, the personal statement and reference will be read, several times, by several members of staff. So very important.

@4andnotcounting will he be getting help writing his PS? Is he at a state or private school?

Your son would definitely get leniency on his UKCAT score/band due to all the other factors he's listed. I would strongly recommend volunteering in either a hospice or care home if possible.

@Sssudio he is at a state school. I’ve just asked him who will help him write his PS and he said he think it will be his sch tutor and maybe the Sch careers advisor. He said he did a routes to professions thing at uni of bham and they said they look at grades and ucat first, then interview then personal statement in that order (something along those lines)

someone posted he could be recorded on the school systems as a young carer. Ive had a quick look and I don’t think it would apply. I’m not disabled.
I have health issues but don’t claim for them I do work- i just had a tough time )won’t go into specifics as bit outing)I have had alot on my shoulders and he has helped me out a lot and the other children look up to him more than they do to their own dad

Yes I just came on to say he sounds fantastic, hope he does really well OP. And you're doing a great job of supporting him. ⭐️

if you require practical support with day to day living (taking children to school counts), emotional support or psychological assistance then he’s definitely a young career.
i doesn’t have to be personal care, it can be shopping, cooking, cleaning etc.
I was a director of a Carers Support Service so do know just how much it can impact on children.

…a tough time…. certainly counts!

Some med schools specifically say they dont use the PS at all in assessment. On open days they will say they wont read it. Others say they only check it for red flags. They DO read the references though. Some use the PS at interview stage e.g. as an MMI question station. Most med schools give clear info on whether or not they use the PS as part of their entrance assessment criteria and none give credit for one that is obviously written by someone who isn't the student themselves despite amazing (occasionally paid for) experience. If you are applying to a uni that does use it then obviously write your PS accordingly (and look carefully at their selection criteria).
Med schools tend not to lie about these things!
Best tip - join the 2024 entry med thread for wise advice and experience from @mumneedswine and others who support many like your ds year after year. mumneedswine in particular is experienced in supporting students from underprivileged backgrounds into med school.

They're important skills to have - everybody needs to learn how to use a photocopier, load paper properly, change sizes, create stapled booklets, etc. It's not just hitting a green button.

My GP practice is really, really good. Easily the best one locally. I saw that on google it had an average 1 star score, because there was only one poster, and they were complaining about lots of things that blatantly obviously not the practice's fault. I immediately posted an (accurate) 5 star review, but sadly that could only bring the average up to 3 stars. There's a joke in the NHS that 1 compliment cancels out 3 complaints, because only angry or disappointed people bother to give feedback.

I agree but lots of work experience kids seem disappointed when they aren't let loose on the anything more exciting than a photocopier.

He needs to look up medicmentors. They do a lot of free/very cheap online events that are incredibly useful

My dc didn’t have any direct medical work experience. She volunteered at hospitals and hospices.

then on her gap year she got a job at our local testing lab sorting samples. This work experience (apart from enabling her to earn money) was really useful for her degree as she was one of very few students who knew all the abbreviations and tests.

so tell him to go for it. The actual real work experience will happen whilst he’s studying medicine. And well done him for persisting.

I've interviewed lots of med school applicants, read a lot of personal statements, seen their short summaries about their WE...

3 full days at GP surgery is as much as most manage in a clinical environment. It's completely irrelevant that the surgery has bad ratings.

Universities don't care if it was at a good or bad surgery just that he's done some. It may even help him if at an interview he can discuss the merits of good practice and ethics and what he saw.

Work experience isn't about it being a good surgery. It's not something he created or had to qualify to do... it's just to express his passion.

I had a boy in my form who got thrown off his work experience in a hospital for groping the breast of a female consultant. Not only did he get on to study medicine, but he's a doctor now. If he can do it with that terrible work experience record, your son is golden.

ps:
some WE in a clinical environment or a care home, helps get a place at med school

Days & weeks more beyond that, doesn't default make it easier to get a place at medical school.
WE in exotic foreign place for 2 weeks doesn't get a place, either.
Fantastic WE, like shadowing your mum the hospital consultant and assisting in surgery doesn't help you get a place

The reason lots of WE doesn't impress is because rich kids are only ones who tend to have a chance of those over-&-beyond WE placements. The med schools do not want to make it harder for kids from less resourced backgrounds to get into medical school, and make it easier for the rich kids.

2-3 days of WE in a clinical environment is what nearly everyone had that I interviewed last year.

Just make the most of it, whatever the opportunities are. Think about what you can learn while there about the practice of medicine.

Helping at .... cadets, sports teams for younger kids, activities for disabled kids, serving tea & biscuits in care homes, painting nails for old gals in care homes, scouts, guides, St. John's Ambul, are other ways to get some relevant experiences. SJA is a really good one, actually. Can actually acquire real skills.

Honestly, OP, he sounds absolutely brilliant - you must be so proud of him. I'm a GP and I would be thrilled to have a young person of that calibre attached to my surgery. I wish him all the luck in the world.

He absolutely could be - as caring for any member of the family be it siblings or older members of the family is considered to be caring. We need or would like to know in school as it could impact attendance or attitude (eg if a student is disturbed at night by family members - that might affect tiredness levels during the day)