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[Undergrad] Did you do work experience?

did you have work experience

  • I am a med applicant and have done work experience

  • I am a med applicant and I have not done work experience

  • I am a med student and I did not do work experience

  • I am a med student and I did work experience


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rellikami

Member
I've done the mandatory yr 10 work experience at westmead hospital but apart from that, none whatsoever...might try and find a job somewhere post-hsc period
 

Cathay

🚂Train Driver🚆
Emeritus Staff
What other ways could you demonstrate an interest in medicine as a career? Reading newspaper about medical field, reading about medical research??
The question wasn't asking you to demonstrate an interest, the question was asking if you've tried to find out about it. I'd have thought such things as "reach out to relatives, family friends, or friends' relatives who are doctors and ask them" would be a way to find out more about medicine as a career.

I have heard that some people go and attend free, public seminars at universities and research facilities. These are held surprisingly regularly and I think are a great way of demonstrating interest in medical sciences.
Unfortunately interest in medical sciences isn't exactly the same as interest in medicine. Yes, "learning about medicine" involves plenty of medical sciences, but as far as I'm aware "a career of practicing medicine" is a pretty different story - there's plenty of continued learning, mind you, but "demonstrate interest in medical sciences" is a little detached from the question, which is "what have you done to find out more about what a career in medicine is actually like?".

[box=Sarcastic Comment]Yes, attending public seminars about science is a great way to find out what practicing medicine is like.[/box]
 

miss_universe

muse.
Emeritus Staff
The question wasn't asking you to demonstrate an interest, the question was asking if you've tried to find out about it. I'd have thought such things as "reach out to relatives, family friends, or friends' relatives who are doctors and ask them" would be a way to find out more about medicine as a career.


Unfortunately interest in medical sciences isn't exactly the same as interest in medicine. Yes, "learning about medicine" involves plenty of medical sciences, but as far as I'm aware "a career of practicing medicine" is a pretty different story - there's plenty of continued learning, mind you, but "demonstrate interest in medical sciences" is a little detached from the question, which is "what have you done to find out more about what a career in medicine is actually like?".

[box=Sarcastic Comment]Yes, attending public seminars about science is a great way to find out what practicing medicine is like.[/box]

Yes, that is technically true, but if you have done the above, it won't hurt to mention it in the interview. it should not be a replacement, however, for actually trying to seek work experience.
 

Cathay

🚂Train Driver🚆
Emeritus Staff
it should not be a replacement, however, for actually trying to seek work experience.
And that's not what I'm saying, all I'm saying is "there's more ways to approach something like that than 'work experience'".
[box=Sarcastic Comment]Well that was a wonderfully reassuring comment inkeeping with the themes of "go for it if you can, but you're not screwed if you can't" and "it's not what you've done that matters, it's what you've learned along the way by reflecting on your experiences".[/box]
 

Xenon Hexafluoride

here comes trouble
Has anyone done the work experience program at UNSW Rural Clinical School, or heard about it?

No, I hadn't heard about the program, but after having a look at it I think that it would have been a great opportunity especially if you were interested in UNSW medicine. The program allows you to show that you are interested in rural medicine which is a bonus (and probably important if you are a rural applicant).
 
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miss_universe

muse.
Emeritus Staff
And that's not what I'm saying, all I'm saying is "there's more ways to approach something like that than 'work experience'".
[box=Sarcastic Comment]Well that was a wonderfully reassuring comment inkeeping with the themes of "go for it if you can, but you're not screwed if you can't" and "it's not what you've done that matters, it's what you've learned along the way by reflecting on your experiences".[/box]

Someones feeling a bit on edge. :/

I was quoting you, but not talking really at you. I was making to comment for the readers, sorry if you misunderstood.

And I always think if you have the opportunity to do work experience, you should, though you are not screwed if you can't. Agreeing here man.
 

Akyri

Member
I did work experience over the 3rd term holidays of year 12 at my local hospital. It was an amazing experience and definitely confirmed for me personally that the field of medicine was where I wanted to go with my life. I am a little worried about not having done any volunteer work though (technically I wasn't paid for the 3 week work experience but I'm not sure if it counted being that it was short-term).
 

miss_universe

muse.
Emeritus Staff
I did work experience over the 3rd term holidays of year 12 at my local hospital. It was an amazing experience and definitely confirmed for me personally that the field of medicine was where I wanted to go with my life. I am a little worried about not having done any volunteer work though (technically I wasn't paid for the 3 week work experience but I'm not sure if it counted being that it was short-term).

Yeah, I would say that is more of 'work experience' not volunteer work, but still, its a very valuable one.
 

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Akyri

Member
Yeah, I would say that is more of 'work experience' not volunteer work, but still, its a very valuable one.

In that case, would you say there's much worth in me seeking out volunteer work so late into the year? I certainly wouldn't want to have my chances compromised by not having done it. :(
 

miss_universe

muse.
Emeritus Staff
In that case, would you say there's much worth in me seeking out volunteer work so late into the year? I certainly wouldn't want to have my chances compromised by not having done it. :(

There is always worth seeking out more experience, although I wouldnt say you are at a disadvantage from other people without it, given what you have under your belt.
 

Akyri

Member
There is always worth seeking out more experience, although I wouldnt say you are at a disadvantage from other people without it, given what you have under your belt.

Great! Then I'm counting solely on not screwing up the interview. Perhaps it's time to start making some friends in medical school. ><
 
Did lot of placements but they didn't really help. The unis only look at your scores to invite you for an interview.

I'm talking about UK medical schools though, not too sure how things work in Aus.
 
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Nimbus2000

Regular Member
Did lot of placements but they didn't really help. The unis only look at your scores to invite you for an interview.

I'm talking about UK medical schools though, not too sure how things work in Aus.

^Yes that's right, doing work experience won't really help you if the interivew selection system is only based on results/marks (which is pretty much all uni's except for JCU and a few others). But I would definitely say they help at actual interviews - if you know what to pull out of it and how it relates to a question you are being asked!
 
^Yes that's right, doing work experience won't really help you if the interivew selection system is only based on results/marks (which is pretty much all uni's except for JCU and a few others). But I would definitely say they help at actual interviews - if you know what to pull out of it and how it relates to a question you are being asked!

Well in a way it does but my personal opinion is get more 'life experience' not just hospital placements for interviews. Because I don't think few weeks or even couple of months volunteering won't help you realise how things work in real life. Understanding what a career in medicine involves is as important as growing as a person which I think is better done if one works part-time or take some real responsibilities.
 

Nimbus2000

Regular Member
Well in a way it does but my personal opinion is get more 'life experience' not just hospital placements for interviews. Because I don't think few weeks or even couple of months volunteering won't help you realise how things work in real life. Understanding what a career in medicine involves is as important as growing as a person which I think is better done if one works part-time or take some real responsibilities.

Very, very true! Doing other things, apart from just going to something related will also help a lot, especially in the long run. Completely agree with that, life experience is very important for interviews, because most of the questions aren't about actual medicine, and how you do answer questions probably reveals a lot about your character. Character building is of course, as you said, mostly built up on life experience, and positive responses are most probably built up from these experiences itself. Not sure if this has any correlation, but now that I think about it, this is probably why older/mature-age applicants seem much more at ease with interviews and feel much more confident coming out of interviews!
 
I've been working at a medical centre as a medical receptionist for four years and I personally think doing volunteer/work experience should be done for the sake of your career, not because it'll look good for your interviews.
I have experienced heaps of things while working (getting a brick thrown through the window because I told a patient a doctor wasn't in, and he thought I was lying etc). I've also worked voluntarily at hospitals and have done some work experience as a medical representative so I definitely think work experience makes you stronger emotionally and makes you very receptive and logical in times of great stress.
Moral of the story, doing work experience because it helps you look better should not be a motive. Rather it should be a genuine interest in your specific field (which I know most of you MSOs are) :)
 

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miss_universe

muse.
Emeritus Staff
I've been working at a medical centre as a medical receptionist for four years and I personally think doing volunteer/work experience should be done for the sake of your career, not because it'll look good for your interviews.
I have experienced heaps of things while working (getting a brick thrown through the window because I told a patient a doctor wasn't in, and he thought I was lying etc). I've also worked voluntarily at hospitals and have done some work experience as a medical representative so I definitely think work experience makes you stronger emotionally and makes you very receptive and logical in times of great stress.
Moral of the story, doing work experience because it helps you look better should not be a motive. Rather it should be a genuine interest in your specific field (which I know most of you MSOs are) :)
Whilst I agree with that, I want to add that even if you do work experience in a medical field, it may not reflect what the profession is really like, so dont make any rash decisions based on what you experience. Rather, use it as a tool among others when making that decision.
 

pi

Junior doctor
Emeritus Staff
As part of 'making MSO great again' (à la big D Trump), thought I'd bump a few old discussion threads that still have some relevance today, especially to those who may have an eye on interviews and on JCU applications :)

Back from when I answered this question a few pages back:
Did work experience in yr11 at the Royal Childrens Hospital, one of the best experiences of my academic life and really changed my career choice from actuary to medicine :)

If you get the chance, go for it, it's incredibly helpful for not only applications, but also for you to experience the field first-hand early on :)

Would love to hear about your experiences? Were you at a hospital or a clinic or somewhere else? What did you like, what didn't you like? Did it sway you towards medicine?
 
As part of 'making MSO great again' (à la big D Trump), thought I'd bump a few old discussion threads that still have some relevance today, especially to those who may have an eye on interviews and on JCU applications :)

Back from when I answered this question a few pages back:


Would love to hear about your experiences? Were you at a hospital or a clinic or somewhere else? What did you like, what didn't you like? Did it sway you towards medicine?
Well i did 2 years of volunteering at a private hospital in sydney. I liked how we could see how the doctors worked in their team and be able to help with some of the patients. It swayed me more towards medicine, further increased my passion for medicine.
 
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