Work experience and exploring a career in medicine
The Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC) is a leading centre for primary care research and teaching in the UK, and one of nine centres that form the NIHR School for Primary Care Research. CAPC Teaching is the dedicated medical student teaching part of CAPC. We are part of Bristol Medical School, an internationally recognised centre of excellence for population health sciences research and teaching.
Can I do work experience with CAPC Teaching?
We receive many enquiries from school and college students who are interested in a career in medicine and would like to arrange work experience or shadow a doctor.
Unfortunately, CAPC is unable to offer individual work experience or clinical shadowing placements in response to these requests. We would only be able to offer this type of opportunity through a formal, organised scheme, with a fair and transparent process for students to apply.
We appreciate that arranging work experience can be challenging, particularly if you do not already know someone who works in healthcare. The good news is that there are many other ways to explore what a career in medicine involves, and you do not need to have shadowed a doctor to develop a realistic understanding of the profession.
How can I find out more about a career in medicine?
- Explore online resources
There is a wealth of material available online to help you understand the realities of being a doctor. You can watch videos, listen to podcasts and follow doctors on social media who talk openly about their working lives, including the rewarding aspects and the challenges.
The Medical Schools Council has useful guidance on gaining relevant experience and preparing for medical school, and the Royal College of General Practitioners’ Observe GP scheme is an online alternative:
- Ask about opportunities in your local community
You could contact your local GP practice to ask whether it has a patient participation group or other opportunities to get involved in discussions about local health services. Some NHS trusts also run work experience, careers or youth programmes, although eligibility and availability vary.
Locally, the Bristol Hospitals offer work experience programmes:
- Consider volunteering or paid work
Experiences that involve supporting, listening to or working with other people can be particularly valuable. You might consider volunteering with a care home, hospice, charity, community group or organisation supporting people who need additional help.
Paid work in settings such as retail, hospitality or customer service can also help you develop communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills.
The important thing is not how impressive the placement sounds, but what you learn from the experience. Think about what you discover about other people, the challenges they face, how you communicate and work with others, and the qualities needed to care for people well.
Do I need work experience to get into medical school?
There is no single route to gaining an understanding of medicine, and access to clinical placements varies considerably between students. Some people have family or personal connections that make shadowing easier to arrange; others do not. We do not think that access to a particular placement should be treated as a measure of someone's potential to become a good doctor.
Medical schools have their own admissions policies, so you should always check the guidance provided by the universities you are considering. In general, it is much more useful to develop an informed understanding of medicine and reflect on what you have learned than to focus on collecting a particular number of hours or securing a prestigious-sounding placement.
We hope these suggestions help you explore your interest in medicine.