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Work experience is more about quality than quantity. Medical Schools expect you to have learned from and reflected on your work experience – regardless of what you did. This means that volunteering can often be just as meaningful as a clinical placement, as long as you effectively reflect on the experience and extract key learning points.
Medical Schools like to see that you’ve done work experience because it shows that you’re really motivated to study Medicine – and that you’ve done your research into what being a Doctor is really like.
The key thing to remember is that Medical Schools want you to reflect on your work experience and discuss what you learned from it throughout the application process.
This table shows what Medical Schools are currently saying about work experience on their websites.
Many of them also recommend consulting The Medical Schools Council’s latest guidance on work experience.
| University | What kind of medical work experience do they prefer? |
|---|---|
| Aberdeen | Relevant hospital or GP experience is very useful, and you need to show an understanding of what a career in Medicine entails. They say that if you’ve had difficulties obtaining work experience, describe these in your Personal Statement and discuss other ways that you have attempted to research a career in Medicine. |
| Anglia Ruskin | It is desirable for applicants to have work experience in the healthcare sector. Clinical and non-clinical experiences are important - which could be in a nursing home, charity, voluntary organisation or pharmacy, as well as GP surgeries and hospitals. They also consider other forms of work experience where you have gained transferable skills such as communication and problem solving. |
| Aston | As standard, applicants are not required to provide evidence of healthcare work experience in their Personal Statement or in answer to interview questions. However, they say it is important that Medicine applicants have a realistic view of what is involved. They recognise that not everyone will be able to secure healthcare work experience, and that it is possible to gain valuable, relevant work experience in a non-medical environment. |
| Barts | It's essential that applicants gain people-focused experience of providing care or service. They say that work experience can take many forms and can be a voluntary opportunity or a paid job. They acknowledge that shadowing a Doctor is not attainable for everyone and that volunteering in a care home or with a charity is just as valuable. |
| Birmingham | At interview, they are interested in experiences where you had some role in providing care or support to vulnerable individuals or witnessed others providing care or support to vulnerable individuals. They say that if you have been unable to observe a professional delivering care or support, or have been unable to do this yourself, the next best thing is a virtual experience such as Observe GP. |
| Brighton and Sussex | They do not have requirements for the amount or type of work experience that an applicant should have. However, they do expect you to have a realistic understanding of Medicine and what it means to be a Doctor, plus some experience of engaging with a wide range of people. BSMS also offers a virtual work experience course for aspiring medics. |
| Bristol | They encourage applicants to obtain a minimum of two weeks’ work experience. They understand it may be difficult to obtain clinical work experience, so applicants are encouraged to seek out opportunities to work with the public in a customer service role, or volunteer in a care/health environment or a youth group. |
| Buckingham | No work experience requirements specified. |
| Cambridge | To develop understanding of what a career in Medicine involves and your suitability for it, you’re strongly advised (though not required) to undertake relevant work experience, either paid or voluntary, in a health or social care organisation. |
| Cardiff | Candidates should demonstrate insight into a career in Medicine and evidence of experience and reflection in a caring environment. They recognise that opportunities for certain types of work experience and participation in similar activities will vary according to individual applicant’s background, including socioeconomic, cultural, and geographical circumstances. |
| Dundee | They will be interested in your work experience at interview, but they recognise that your ability to gain this may have been affected by the pandemic. |
| Edge Hill University | No work experience requirements specified. |
| Edinburgh | Applicants should have an understanding of the realities of a career in Medicine. This could be gained via work experience and shadowing with health professionals or in health promotion, as well as talking to Doctors and medical students, attending university open days and medical conferences/lectures, and reading/watching/listening to medical content. They value quality of experience over quantity. |
| Exeter | Work experience is not part of their standard entry requirements - and they say that whether you have work experience or not, you are welcome to apply. |
| Glasgow | Work experience in a medical setting is not necessary, but it is expected that candidates will have at least spoken to a Doctor about a career in Medicine or have researched it through reading careers books or newspapers. An awareness of current issues facing the medical profession is expected, which can be obtained from newspapers, journals and the internet. An interest in caring for others is also expected, which can be demonstrated through voluntary/paid work in a community setting. |
| Hull York | They require applicants to demonstrate experience of providing people-focused care through relevant work experience. Applicants are advised to have a range of experiences, either voluntary or paid, in healthcare settings and other areas that require interaction with people. Clinical work experience is not an essential criteria for applying to Medicine. |
| Imperial | They recognise that it has been more difficult for many people to gain work experience in healthcare settings due to the pandemic. You may need to look at alternative resources such as online platforms to gain insight into clinical work, or gain experience in another setting where you have interacted with the general public and/or worked successfully within a team. They’re looking for future medics who have participated fully in school/college life, can reflect on experiences of society beyond their immediate environment and understand what it is like to work in a responsible, caring role. |
| Keele | A roles & responsibilities form is used to select applicants for interview. You can use the form to tell them about experiences that demonstrate your direct engagement with people in a supportive/assistive/caring role, your ability to handle responsibility and your understanding of how somebody has benefited from some help, support or care you have provided. These experiences are not expected to be medical or undertaken in formal caring settings. They say they do not give any credit for workplace shadowing. |
| Kent and Medway | No work experience requirements specified. |
| King's | They normally expect you to have undertaken some work experience in a caring environment and/or observation in a medical clinical setting. If this has not been possible, they look for evidence that you have worked in a setting where you interacted with the general public, e.g. in a pharmacy or restaurant. |
| Lancaster | It is important that you have some relevant work experience to help you decide if Medicine is the right career path for you. This does not have to be shadowing a Doctor but can be any experience (unpaid work, paid work or volunteering) within a healthcare setting that gives you an insight into what it is like to be a Doctor today. You can also draw on non-healthcare work experience, if you can relate the skills you developed to a career in Medicine. |
| Leeds | They are aware that work experience opportunities have been affected by the pandemic and will take this into account. They add that clinical work experience is not generally a requirement for applying to Medical School in any year. |
| Leicester | Medical work experience is not essential, but you should be able to demonstrate that you have undertaken some kind of work where you are able to communicate with the public. |
| Liverpool | They advise applicants to read The Medical Schools Council’s statement on the core values and attributes needed to study Medicine and the guidance on gaining relevant work experience to study Medicine. |
| Manchester | Applicants are required to complete a Non-Academic Information Form about non-academic activities, including experience in a hands-on caring role which may or may not be medically related. They want to see that you have a clear idea of what it is like to study Medicine and what the role of a Doctor entails. They state that shadowing doctors in a hospital/GP setting is not essential or considered to be a substitute for hands-on caring work experience. |
| Newcastle | They do not have any specific work experience requirements, but at interview they will be looking for examples of how applicants have shown a commitment to caring. They understand that finding suitable work experience in a primary/secondary care setting can be difficult, but say there are many ways you can show that you are a committed and caring individual, such as volunteering. |
| Norwich/UEA | Before committing to studying Medicine, you should find out as much as you can about being a Doctor - so any experience that gives you an insight into your suitability is valuable. This could include work experience in a healthcare organisation (e.g. a hospital, hospice or primary care setting), volunteering in a care-related setting, or paid employment as a healthcare assistant or similar. If you’re invited to interview, you will be required to fill in a work experience form and bring it with you. |
| Nottingham (Lincoln pathway too) | Applicants are expected to have work experience which could include volunteering in a care-related setting, volunteering with disadvantaged groups, or paid employment in a job that involves working with the general public. |
| Oxford | They are aware that hospital work experience can be very difficult to arrange, so they have no specific requirement for it. They say that any form of voluntary work is beneficial in the context of applying for Medicine. Applicants should show that they have a realistic understanding of what a medical career will involve, and that they have the potential to become effective and caring Doctors. |
| Plymouth | No work experience requirements specified. They do not consider Personal Statements or work experience when selecting for interview. |
| Queen's Belfast | The Personal Statement should include evidence of what the candidate has done to find out about Medicine as a career. This can be demonstrated in ways including: opportunities for observational experience in a clinical setting, attending medical careers conferences, or undertaking voluntary work in a care setting. |
| Sheffield | Applicants are normally expected to have undertaken work experience to show that they have a realistic insight into the medical profession and the complex nature of a Doctor's role. They recognise that it isn’t always possible for students to obtain work experience in a medical environment and suggest looking into other areas, such as paid/voluntary experience in a residential care home or hospice, working in a youth centre or working with young children, and participating in community volunteering schemes. They say that work experience in a hands-on role is extremely valuable. |
| Southampton | Any form of work experience is valuable for a career in Medicine as you will be working with people from all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. For example, retail, restaurant and bar work can provide opportunities to talk about customer service, handling problems in fast-paced environments and demonstrating initiative. However, if you can secure experience within the medical professions it can give a greater insight into the career pathway ahead of you. |
| St Andrews | They say that applicants should have work or shadowing experience in a caring or health environment. This experience can be gained in hospitals, GP surgeries, nursing homes, local hospices, or by working with people who have ill health or a disability. |
| St George's | They chose to relax their work experience requirements due to the impact of the pandemic. However, they still require applicants to have an understanding of the realities of working as a healthcare professional and to show they have the necessary skills and attributes for a career in Medicine. Online resources can offer valuable insight into working in the healthcare sector. |
| Sunderland | They do not place requirements on the amount and type of work experience a prospective medical student should have. However, they expect candidates to have a realistic understanding of Medicine and what it means to be a Doctor, to have some experience of engaging with a wide range of people, and to understand the realities of a caring profession. |
| UCL | The ability to demonstrate and reflect on what you learned (about yourself and about Medicine) is the main factor they are looking for when assessing your work experience. There is no specific requirement for clinical work experience or a specific duration of time spent completing work experience. They understand that it has been difficult to gain relevant experience in healthcare during the pandemic and recommend that applicants read The Medical Schools Council’s work experience guide. |
| UCLan | Practical experience in a caring role is extremely valuable to understanding what a career in Medicine entails. Applicants who have taken paid employment may also discuss examples from their interactions with people at work. Active involvement in helping underprivileged, unwell, disabled or distressed people is valuable in gaining experience for a future career in caring. Other valuable experiences can include contending with demanding situations or going above and beyond your basic duties to help someone in a work based situation. |
| Warwick | All applicants must have completed at least 70 hours of health or social care related work experience in the last three years. These should be a variety of different experiences; including at least two different health or social care organisations and at least two roles/professions. |
As part of your interview prep, you should refresh your understanding of what each Medical School’s work experience requirements are. This means you’ll know what to focus on when discussing your work experience at interview.
The table above will help you to understand what each Medical School is looking for – but make sure you also check university websites for more specific detail, and have a look at work experience interview questions for tips on how to answer popular questions.
If you want to experience medical work in a real hospital setting this summer, learn more about InvestIN’s medicine summer school programme.
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