Hey team!
So recently, I have had loads of conversations with you guys on my Instagram about how tough you are finding it to work experience for medicine during the pandemic!
Firstly, please do not panic, you are not alone! Everyone is finding it particularly tough at the moment.
With that in mind, if you can be just a bit more inventive, creative and resilient than the next applying medic… You have already won an incredible advantage!
I was in your shoes not long ago! I too struggled to find the right work experience for medicine.
So, don’t fret! I am here to give you 15 top tips for medical work experience in lockdown.
Keep reading to put your medical application on beast mode. **cringe**
Let’s get started on medical work experience!
1. Online work experience for medicine:
Some incredible courses have been put together over lockdown, some of which I am sure you are aware of.
I can see courses like BSMS virtual work experience and Observe a GP becoming expected material for medical applicants shortly. They are free and easy to start so get those in the bag.
I have done both of these and they were incredibly helpful.
There are loads of more online courses that I think are amazing:
- Medic mentor University Hospitals Birmingham trust Online work experience! This is going to be incredible, it’s run LIVE from the hospital using simulated patients and it is completely free! I think places may be full now but check it out and keep an eye out for future events if you missed it this time.
- Nottingham’s virtual work experience for vets!
- Operating theatre live broadcast insight from surgery, every Thursday! ( some of their opportunities are paid for so please do be wary as I don’t recommend this.)
2. Seminars and talks:
Throughout lockdown I have attended some great talks given from doctors, medical students and researchers about what life is like in medicine!
This is a brilliant way to gain the type of insight necessary for a career in medicine!
- Medical projects often have great live streams from doctors!
- UCL science centre lectures
- We are medics on Instagram! They have a range of live streams with Doctors and medical students.
Instagram is an incredible way to get connected to medical students and doctors who are providing talks like this!
3. Volunteering within the medical field:
Volunteering is also really hard right now but if you can swing some it will be great work experience and also reflect well on your character.
- Age UK befriending scheme. They have a system where you can sign up to call an elderly person regularly to have a conversation and just keep them company!
- Do it- find loads of volunteering opportunities at your fingertips.
- See if you can help your community by doing the shopping for an elderly person or a Doctor or nurse who is busy at this time!
- If you are well, why not volunteer to babysit key workers’ children? Many of them will be grateful.
4. Make your own work experience for medicine!
If you have read my conversations with healthcare professionals you will know this is what I did to make things work during the pandemic!
Use LinkedIn, family contact and Instagram to find a doctor or a nurse or any other healthcare professional who is willing to give you a 10-minute phone conversation!
Have a list of questions ready to ask them that will help you gain insight into the attributes needed as a doctor, and what their role entails.
This has been the single most beneficial thing I have done during lockdown to gain insight and I highly recommend it.
Alternatively, you could read my conversations with healthcare professionals, as the doctors and nurses gave some seriously valuable insight!
5. Be proactive and independent:
This is a hugely important point in gaining work experience for medicine.
Medical schools don’t want to see that you can pay for an opportunity, or that your parents are great at organising things!
They want to see how proactive and brave you can be in creating opportunities for yourself!
It doesn’t matter how small it is, if you have arranged it, that is perfect!
Don’t be afraid to use contacts, but do the digging and asking yourself!
6. Be resourceful:
Many of these suggestions are not things that automatically come to mind when you think of work experience.
Get creative and use what’s available to you to create some opportunities.
7. Be reflective:
My blogs on work experience for medicine give you some great tips and have interactive bits to get you reflecting on what you have learnt.
This is the only reason for getting work experience, so you can reflect.
It’s never about how much work experience for medicine you have but how well you can reflect on your learnings.
And, that’s a wrap of part I of this post, but there is more to come!
I hope this has been useful for you and you have taken note of some things you can get doing!
If you have enjoyed this, make sure you subscribe to my email list so you’ll get Part II straight to your inbox!
I am also on Instagram! Follow me there for even MORE tips to get you into the career of your dreams.
Send a link to this post to a friend who needs some work experience for medicine!
See you next time!