How To Get Work Experience for Medicine

Dreaming of becoming a doctor? Getting work experience in medicine is absolutely crucial for your medical school application. But don't worry – it's not as impossible as it might seem, even if you don't have family connections in healthcare.

This guide will show you exactly how to get work experience for medicine, from hospital placements to volunteering opportunities. We'll walk you through every step, so you can build a strong application and discover if medicine is truly right for you.

 Key Takeaways

• Medical schools don’t just look at grades; they want to see that you understand what being a doctor really means.

• Work experience doesn’t have to be hospital shadowing. Care homes, charities, admin roles, and volunteering can all count.

• Getting placements takes persistence: apply early, write polite emails, and be flexible with your time.

• Reflection is key. Think about what you’ve learned and how it shows skills like empathy, teamwork, and resilience.

Why Work Experience Is Essential for Medicine

Good grades alone aren’t enough to get into medical school. Admissions tutors want to know you’ve seen what being a doctor is really like, and that you’re still motivated to follow this path.

Work experience shows admissions tutors three vital things about you:

• You're genuinely committed to medicine, not just the idea of it

• You understand the day-to-day reality of healthcare

• You can reflect thoughtfully on your experiences

The Medical Schools Council (opens in a new tab) says medical schools want to see your understanding of medicine and your motivation for this career.

The truth is that many students change their minds about medicine once they see what it actually involves. Medical schools would rather discover this before you start your degree, not halfway through it.

What Counts as Medical Work Experience?

Here's some brilliant news: you don't need to be shadowing a doctor in a hospital to get valuable work experience for medicine. 

Medical schools look for a wide range of experiences that show your grasp of healthcare and your ability to care for others. These include:

Working with patients:

• Supporting hospital patients through volunteering schemes

• Observing at a GP surgery

• Helping out in a care home

• Volunteering in a hospice

Healthcare environment experience:

• Admin or reception work in a hospital or clinic

• Assisting with patient flow 

• NHS volunteering programmes

Caring and communication roles:

• Volunteering with a mental health charity

• Helping people with disabilities

• Taking calls for a helpline

• Working with vulnerable groups

Remember, it's not about how prestigious your placement sounds. What matters most is your ability to reflect on what you've learned and how it's shaped your understanding of medicine.

Types of Work Experience for Aspiring Medical Students

There isn’t just one way to get medical work experience. Here are three main types to think about:

Clinical Placements (Hospital or GP)

Clinical placements give you front-row seats to medical practice. You'll observe patient consultations, see medical procedures, and witness the day-to-day reality of healthcare.

How to secure clinical placements:

Start by contacting the work experience coordinator at your local NHS trust. Most hospitals have dedicated programmes for students, though competition can be fierce.

For GP surgeries, write directly to practice managers. Smaller practices are often more flexible and may offer more personalised experiences.

Top tips for getting accepted:

• Apply early (6-12 months ahead)

• Write a professional, enthusiastic email explaining why you’re interested in medicine

• Be flexible with dates and times

• Follow up politely if you don't hear back

Volunteering in Health and Social Care

Volunteering can be very rewarding and often easier to get into than formal clinical placements. Examples include:

• Care home volunteering: You'll work directly with residents, help with activities, and see how healthcare professionals work as part of a multidisciplinary team.

• Hospice volunteering: You’ll gain a profound insight into end-of-life care and the emotional aspects of medicine.

• Mental health charities: Mind (opens in a new tab) and other local support focus on psychological wellbeing, an increasingly important part of medical practice.

• St John Ambulance (opens in a new tab) provides first aid training and event coverage, giving you hands-on experience with medical emergencies.

The key is choosing something you can commit to regularly. A few hours every week for several months is much more valuable than a one-off day.

Where to find opportunities:

• Doit Life (opens in a new tab) - UK's largest volunteering database

• NHS Volunteering (opens in a new tab) - official NHS volunteer programmes

• Local charity websites

• Your school's community service coordinator

Non-Clinical Experience

Don't overlook non-clinical roles in healthcare settings. These positions teach you about the broader healthcare system and develop crucial skills.

Options include:

• Reception or admin roles in GP surgeries in hospitals show you how healthcare runs behind the scenes. You'll see patient flow and how appointment systems work.

• Helpline volunteering with organisations like Samaritans (opens in a new tab) or Childline (opens in a new tab) develops your communication skills and emotional resilience.

• Working with vulnerable groups like the elderly, the homeless, or people with disabilities fosters empathy and understanding of social factors affecting health.

These roles show that medicine isn’t just about treatments and procedures. It’s also about communication, compassion, and teamwork.

How To Apply For Work Experience

Getting work experience can take time. Rejections are totally normal. The key is to be professional, polite, and persistent. Here’s how to do it:

1. Research first: Before contacting anyone, research the organisation thoroughly. Know what they do and why you want to get experience there.

2. Write a clear email: Make it clear, concise, and professional. Explain you’re a student hoping to study Medicine, and say what you’d like to learn and when you’re available.

3. Contact the right person: Don't send generic emails. Find the specific person responsible for work experience. This is often a practice manager, volunteer coordinator, or someone from the  HR team.

4. Be flexible: Offer multiple dates and times. Show that you're willing to work around their schedule, not the other way around.

5. Follow up: If you don't hear back within two weeks, send a polite follow-up email. Sometimes emails get lost or overlooked.

6. Prepare for interviews: Some placements require brief interviews or informal chats. Just be honest about your interest in medicine and what you hope to gain.

Want a ready-to-use template? Check out our guide on how to write the perfect cover letter for work experience. It includes examples you can adapt for medicine placements.

Making the Most of Your Work Experience

Once you've secured work experience, the next step is to make it count. Being active, observant, and reflective will help you get the most from every opportunity.

• Keep a journal: Jot down what you see every day. What surprised you? What challenged your expectations about medicine? Include small moments as well as bigger procedures.

• Connect experiences to GMC values: The General Medical Council lists key values for doctors, including compassion, respect, teamwork, and professionalism. Look for examples of these in action.

• Spot ethical dilemmas: Sometimes staff have to make difficult decisions. Watch out for how they handle these and think about why.

• Watch for teamwork and communication: Modern medicine relies on teams. Notice how doctors, nurses, and other staff work together.

• Ask questions: Don't be afraid to ask, but choose the right moment. Healthcare professionals are usually happy to explain things to genuinely interested students.

• Reflect on patient interactions: How do healthcare workers communicate with different types of patients? What makes some interactions more effective than others?

How To Use Your Experience in a Medical School Application

Getting work experience is only half the job; you also need to show what you learned from it in your application and interviews.

Personal statement tips:

• Don't just list where you worked – explain what you gained

• Use specific examples to show skills like empathy, teamwork, and communication

• Show progression in your thinking and understanding

• Connect different experiences to build a full picture of your understanding of medicine

Interview preparation:

• Practice explaining your experiences clearly and concisely

• Be ready to give examples that highlight qualities like empathy, resilience, and communication.

• Think about ethical situations you observed and what they taught you

• Reflect on how each experience changed or confirmed your desire to study medicine

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need hospital experience to apply for medicine?

Not necessarily. Hospital experience is valuable, but medical schools know it’s not always accessible to every student.

Volunteering in care homes, doing charity work, or working part-time in healthcare can offer equally valuable insights into medical practice and caring for others.

What matters most is how well you reflect on your experiences and demonstrate your understanding of what healthcare work involves.

Can I get medical work experience without NHS contacts?

Yes, definitely. Most students don't have family connections in healthcare, and medical schools know this.

Start by contacting organisations directly. Many have established work experience programmes specifically for students like you.

Consider alternative routes like volunteering organisations, private healthcare facilities, or community health initiatives.

Don't let a lack of contacts discourage you – persistence and professionalism will open doors.

At what age can I start doing medicine work experience?

Most formal work experience programmes accept students from the age of 16, though some may require you to be 17 or in Year 12.

However, you can start building relevant experience earlier through:

• Volunteering with local charities

• First aid training

• Community service projects

• Part-time work in caring roles

Starting early gives you more time to build meaningful experiences and reflect on what you learn.

Getting Started on Your Medicine Journey

Remember, getting work experience for medicine requires patience and persistence. Start early, be professional in all your communications, and stay open to different types of experiences.

Use these opportunities to boost your application and truly find out if medicine is the right path for you. See which A Levels you need to study Medicine for guidance on the best subjects to support your future applications. 

Wondering what it takes to get into Medicine at university? Check the University Medicine Acceptance Rates to see what top programmes are looking for.

Good luck with your medical school journey!

References

Work experience - Medical Schools Council (opens in a new tab) 
Mind (opens in a new tab) 
St John Ambulance (opens in a new tab) 
The UK's biggest volunteering database - Doit Life! (opens in a new tab) 
NHS Volunteering (opens in a new tab) 
Volunteer for Samaritans | Support us (opens in a new tab) 
Get involved | Childline (opens in a new tab)