Medical volunteering/work experience

Pet

Hey, apologies if this has already been posted.

Does anyone know if any of the major Dublin hospitals allow prospective medical students do work shadowing or anything of the sort? I imagine it's a nightmare with insurance.

Also, what's the general consensus on ideal work experience? Are we talking working in a nursing home and the like [ie demonstrating care and people skills], or experience that shows you know what you're getting into [such as aforementioned work shadowing, long shifts on call]?

Does biomedical research count, and to what extent?

fitzgese

Maybe try Beaumont, I'm currently in the process of arranging this also, and they seem pretty willing to at least try to arrange something suitable.

St. Vincents don't, for patient confidentiality/insurance reasons. Most of the other Dublin hospitals didn't get back to me (I never got a chance to contact St. James'), but I'd recommend trying them all, because it really does depend on who deals with you. I generally contacted the human resource departments of the hospital, and asked them to pass on my request to anyone who could help me.

I guess it really depends on what exactly you get to do on work experience, either in a nursing home etc. or in a hospital situation. Can't hurt to do both if you have time and the opportunity.

Not sure about the biomedical research bit.
Hope this helps

Stepherunie

I know a few hospitals have taken to running programme type things for this as they had so many people applying.

Beaumont may be more than likely as the RCSI run a med school week during the year in an effort to try and give people experience, which may be another option for you.

One option might be to contact a subspeciality if you can't get medical experience. Whilst you might only see one section it will give you something. I know from my own experience when we get students into the Radiology Dept, they'll spend time with radiographers but we'll always make sure they go to the interventional areas where they can see Drs doing procedures and most are more than willing to talk to you. I know during my student days plenty of the regs talked me through quite a few procedures.

You can often get stuck between a rock and a hard place with English Colleges demanding work experience and it being quite difficult to get here sometimes.

Family connections also tend to come in handy in these situations. If you know anyone who is a dr or are close with your GP they might know someone who might be able to help you out.