How to organise work experience

Not only will you be assessed on your qualifications, you will also need to show your ability and enthusiasm to become a doctor. As medicine is a vocational degree, medical schools will be assessing to see your potential as a doctor and not just an able student. You will need to be able to show you have experience or volunteering in the field.

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Some advice on ways to gain this experience in a medical settings are:

  • Ask your school or college or careers office to see if they have any work experience or if they run any programmes:
    • Programmes such as Inspiring the Future and they will be able to give advice.
    • BSMS also run a virtual work experience programme. This programmes specifically provide work experience for those looking to apply to medical school.
  • Contact hospitals directly to ask if they have work experience schemes.
  • Volunteer for medical charities or a care home such as St John’s Ambulance.
  • You can also contact your local GP. Observe GP will be able to give you advice and help. As a free video platform, it will give insights into the role of a GP and the wider care team.
  • The NHS has a volunteer programme to help tackle COVID-19: NHS Volunteer Responders.
  • The NHS provides advice on gaining experience in this field. 

Here are a number of organisations where you can find out more about getting voluntary placements: