Medical Work Experience: What You Need to Know

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Work experience is one of the best ways to explore whether medicine is right for you.

It can help you move beyond what you see in books, television and social media and develop a realistic understanding of what healthcare professionals actually do.

But getting medical work experience isn't always straightforward — particularly when you are under 16.

Why is medical work experience important?

Medicine is a people-focused profession. Doctors work with patients from a wide range of backgrounds, often in challenging and unpredictable situations.

Work experience can help you understand:

  • What a doctor's working day can involve
  • How healthcare teams work together
  • The importance of communication
  • How doctors interact with patients
  • The emotional and practical realities of healthcare
  • The differences between medical specialties
  • The responsibilities involved in caring for patients

It can also help you decide whether medicine is genuinely something you want to pursue.

The most important part of work experience is what you learn from it.

Simply saying that you spent a week in a hospital is not enough. Think about what you observed, what surprised you and how the experience changed your understanding of medicine.

Can I get work experience in Year 10?

Yes — but it can be more difficult.

Many hospitals and GP practices have minimum age requirements, meaning some formal placements are only available to students aged 16 or over.

This does not mean you cannot explore medicine.

Year 10 students can consider:

  • School-organised placements
  • Hospital or healthcare insight days
  • Care home volunteering
  • Charity volunteering
  • First aid programmes
  • Healthcare-related workshops
  • Virtual work experience
  • Careers events
  • Medical work experience workshops

Your existing Year 10 guidance highlights that volunteering in settings such as care homes, disability support organisations and healthcare-related charities can provide valuable opportunities to develop communication, empathy and teamwork.

What about Year 12?

Year 12 is an important time to gain more meaningful experience before submitting your medical school application.

At this stage, you can look for opportunities such as:

  • Hospital placements
  • GP placements
  • Care home volunteering
  • Hospice volunteering
  • Community healthcare
  • Shadowing healthcare professionals
  • Medical insight days
  • Virtual work experience

The Medic Life's Year 12 work experience guidance also highlights the value of hearing from doctors working across different specialties and learning about both the positive and challenging aspects of working in medicine.

You don't need to work in a hospital

One of the biggest misconceptions about medical work experience is that you need to spend weeks shadowing a doctor in a hospital.

In reality, useful experience can come from many different environments.

For example, volunteering in a care home can help you understand:

  • Communication with older patients
  • Compassionate care
  • The impact of long-term illness
  • The importance of patience
  • The role of a wider care team

Similarly, volunteering with a charity or community organisation can help you understand the needs of different groups of people.

The key question is:

What did you learn about caring for people?

What if I can't get a placement?

Don't panic.

Medical work experience is highly competitive, and some organisations have strict age, safeguarding and capacity requirements.

If one organisation says no, try another route.

You could:

  1. Ask your school about existing partnerships.
  2. Contact local NHS trusts.
  3. Contact GP practices directly.
  4. Ask care homes about volunteering.
  5. Look for healthcare charities.
  6. Explore university insight days.
  7. Attend medical careers events.
  8. Complete virtual work experience.
  9. Look for medical workshops aimed at school students.

The Medic Life's guidance for Year 10 students similarly recommends contacting schools, healthcare providers and local organisations while considering volunteering and virtual opportunities when traditional placements are unavailable.

How should you approach a doctor or hospital?

Be professional.

If you are contacting a GP practice, hospital or doctor, explain:

  • Your name
  • Your age and school year
  • Why you are interested in medicine
  • What type of experience you are looking for
  • The dates you are available
  • Any relevant experience you already have

Keep your email polite and concise.

Be prepared for some organisations to say no. This does not mean you are unsuitable for medicine — they may simply have restrictions on age, capacity, confidentiality or safeguarding.

Quality matters more than quantity

You do not need to collect dozens of certificates or experiences.

One meaningful experience that you can reflect on thoughtfully can be much more useful than a long list of activities that you cannot explain.

Instead of asking:

"How many hours of work experience do I need?"

Ask:

"What have I learned about medicine and caring for patients?"

Make the most of your experience

Before you attend:

  • Research the organisation
  • Find out what you are likely to see
  • Prepare a few appropriate questions
  • Think about what you want to learn

During the experience:

  • Listen carefully
  • Be professional
  • Respect confidentiality
  • Ask questions at appropriate times
  • Observe how staff communicate with patients and each other
  • Keep brief notes when appropriate

Afterwards:

  • Write down what you learned
  • Reflect on anything that surprised you
  • Consider what the experience taught you about medicine
  • Think about how it relates to your own motivation

Work experience is not simply something to tick off your medical application checklist. It is an opportunity to find out whether medicine is the right career for you.