Work experience opportunities in primary care
When considering a career in healthcare, including medicine, it is essential to gain an understanding of what such careers involve. There are many GP practices across the north east who offer work experience opportunities.
With regards to in person work experiences, the best option would be to contact local GP offices (there is a list of GP practices on this page) or trusts. Unfortunately as we are moving out of pandemic conditions, not all of these places will be offering work experience yet so its can depend entirely on the practices capacity.
In the meantime, there are a few online work experience insight opportunities available:
These experiences are intended for those who want to become a doctor, but they also give a great insight into the NHS and a handful of medical specialities. They provide participants the opportunity to reflect on what they have seen during the experience, which is always a valuable exercise.
Its also worth mentioning that any paid work experience is also applicable work experience. This document from the medical schools council mentions the level of work experience that medical schools expect and that a part time job or other volunteering opportunity is appropriate.
If you still wish to have a physical attachment to a practice further information can be found below:
You should make initial contact with a practice using the contact details listed. Please note that due to patient confidentiality, the practice you apply to should be outside of the area where you live/ or attend school/college. If they provisionally agree to accommodate you, you will need to complete the application form, and arrange to get confirmation from your tutor that you have both the aptitude and the commitment to consider a career in medicine. This form will then need to be sent to the practice.
After reviewing your application form, if the practice is able to accommodate you, you will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement which should be returned to the practice.
The length of a placement is for you to discuss with the practice, but between two and three days should provide you with adequate experience to reflect on.
You should plan to complete the evaluation of work experience document at the end of your placement. This will encourage you to reflect on your experiences in preparation for a medical school application.
Information for schools and 6th form colleges
Please use the information above to point prospective students in the direction of a general practice who would be able to offer them suitable work experience.
Should you wish a GP in training to come into your institution and talk about a career in medicine then we have a cohort of such doctors available. Please contact england.gprecruitment.ne@nhs.net to arrange.
Information for general practices
Together with the RCGP northern faculty, we would like to thank those practices which have agreed to be listed on this site as willing to accept prospective medical students for a work experience placement.
We believe that being able to access such experience independent of personal contacts will go some way to widening access to medicine, and that by offering this in primary care it will add to the work being done to encourage young doctors to consider a career in general practice.
By agreeing to be on this list you are not obliged to accept everyone who applies. Students are expected to complete an application form which includes a section for their tutor to sign confirming aptitude and commitment. It might also be appropriate for the practice to set an annual limit you could accept to avoid the risk of overburdening systems.
The list of practices can be viewed here. If you no longer wish to be included on this list, if your contact details change, or if you would like to be added, please contact england.gprecruitment.ne@nhs.net
This information will be useful to you but the process is not intended to be proscriptive and please feel free to deliver whatever form of work experience you agree with the individual.
If you need further information, including letting us know if contact details don’t appear to be correct, please email england.gprecruitment.ne@nhs.net