LANCASTER UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SOCIETY
Work Experience
This is something that all medical schools look for within your application and so it's important to know where to look.
Here's some advice from Sukhy and Matt.
Students often get worried about how much work experience to have and where to do it - just remember quality over quantity.
A good tip is to go onto the website of the medical school that you are applying to and see what skills and qualities they are looking for e.g. communication, team-work, empathy and find examples from your experience to illustrate these.
Also have a quick read of GMC 'achieving good medical practice' guidelines for more key skills. So whether it's five years or five days in a care home, it's what you have learnt and your reflection about the experience that matters.
Sukhy Khoash, Year 3, Lancaster Medical School
Whilst not all medical schools require you to have experience in a healthcare setting, some do. In addition, some medical schools have a minimum number of hours of work experience that they require candidates to have completed prior to submitting their application. Remember to check the requirements for your chosen universities on their website. Work experience in a clinical setting can often take longer than usual to arrange so it is best to apply as early as possible to get this kind of work.
Whether your work experience is in healthcare or not this is your opportunity to demonstrate that you are aware of the characteristics required by medical students and doctors and that you possess these qualities. Keep a record of the activities that you undertake during your experiences and use these to reflect on when writing your personal statement and when preparing for interviews.
Matt Madden, Year 3, Manchester Medical School