So, you want to apply to Medical School but don’t know what sort of work experience you need? Read on to find out about the best opportunities that will strengthen your application, giving you the greatest chance of success. 

Top Tips: 

1. The more experience you have, the better❗ 
2. Utilise your contacts – speak to anyone you know who works in the NHS 🤝 
3. Start gaining experience immediately ⌛ 

GP Practice work experience: 

 There are a lot more GP surgeries than hospitals, and so, more places to enquire about work experience opportunities 

 Your own GP may be unable to take you on for work experience due to issues surrounding confidentiality 

 However, your GP should be able to point you towards doctors in other practices who may be able to offer you work experience  

 Be polite, and explain what you hope to get out of the work experience 

 Take any opportunity you can get within a GP surgery – it doesn’t have to be shadowing a doctor, just by being in the environment, you never know when a doctor might be able to show you something valuable to your application.

Quick Summary:

Work experience in a GP practice is one of the most common types of medical work experience, given the abundance of practices which you can contact to try and gain a placement.

Hospital work experience: 

 Spending a week or more on a hospital ward will give you a brilliant overview about what a doctor does 

 You will also see how doctors interact with nurses, healthcare assistants, physio therapists and occupational therapists 🏥  

 Call your local hospitals to try to organise a placement 📞  

 Visit the websites of local hospitals to find shadowing opportunities 💻  

 Email doctors to ask if they are able to offer any work experience opportunities 

 Some hospitals offer 'work experience programmes', such as specific weeks during which they offer shadowing opportunities for students 📅  

 Alternatively, you could volunteer at a hospital – this may be easier to secure as there are no shortage of volunteering opportunities in hospitals❗ 

Quick Summary:

Whilst it is more difficult to secure work experience in a hospital, there are a number of way to go about it and it is definitely worth it. You will experience what it is really like working as an NHS doctor in a busy hospital environment.

International work experience: 

 Gaining work experience overseas can increase your understanding of medicine on a global scale 🌎  

 Witness the comparative care offered in developing countries, and here in the UK 

 You may even see patients with rare tropical diseases that you wouldn’t find in the UK❗ 

 Organisations to find placements include: Global Medical Projects, GapMedics, and Medical Projects 💻  

 However, this type of experience can be expensive and is by no means essential 💰 

Quick Summary:

Medical work experience overseas will allow you experience, first-hand, the contrasts between medical care here in the UK and in developing countries. You may also get to see patients with tropical diseases which are not present in the UK!

Voluntary work experience: 

 Volunteering looks great on your medical school application ✅ 

 It demonstrates your genuine passion for caring 

 You could volunteer in: a care home, a hospital ward, a charity shop, helping an elderly neighbour or relative etc. 🏘  

 Volunteer for a few hours a week for at least a few months 📅  

 Volunteering shows your commitment to the career and offers the opportunity to develop your skills in a caring environment  

Quick Summary:

Volunteering opportunities in a care home are much easier to secure than hospital or GP practice work experience. As such, you can commit to volunteering for a few hours each week for as long as possible to demonstrate your commitment to the caring profession.

Medical Summer School work experience: 

 Gain practical experience to strengthen your application 💪  

 Valuable hands-on experience of a range of medical specialties  

Quick Summary:

Medical summer schools allow you to gain practical work experience to talk about in your application, and find out what medical school is really like!

Paid work experience: 

 You could get a relevant job such as a Healthcare Assistant  

 Experience what it is really like to work in the NHS 🏥  

 Learn valuable clinical skills e.g. taking blood or observations 

Quick Summary:

Over the summer holidays, or perhaps if you take a gap year, it can be really useful to get a job that is relevant to medicine, and will look good on your application.

Inspire Medics virtual work experience:  

 A unique opportunity to gain additional work experience 💻 

 Run by GMC UK Qualified Doctors 

 Guest speakers, including: GPs, hospital consultants, current medical students, and real patients 🗣  

 Learn about a range of important topics for any aspiring doctor and actively participate 

 Follow this link to sign up 💻 

Quick Summary:

We are excited to offer this unique opportunity to enhance your application even further! Hear from a range of experts, watch demonstrations and get actively involved. This will give you some really great discussion points for your application or interview!

Summary:

1. GP Practice work experience - e.g. shadowing a GP or even doing admin work
2. Hospital work experience - e.g. shadowing doctors or working as a healthcare assistant
3. International work experience - witness first hand the difference in medical care in developing countries
4. Voluntary work experience - show your commitment to caring by volunteering e.g. in a care home
5. Medical summer schools - get a range of practical experience in different medical specialties
6. Inspire Medics virtual work experience - hear from a range of experts and get actively involved in learning