Optimist.

I promise that my apparent laziness was completely intended. I like so totally meant to not write for two weeks. Honestly.

And this is because I have had some fantastic news!

So, my last blog post was a sarcastic little dig at the whiney exam students and I had my Psychology exam left to go. Psychology was fine; it's a bizarre subject where you can kind of 'make it up as you go along'. I'm awful at remembering exam content after I leave the hall, but I do know that most of my (extremely effective ;) revision consisted of YouTube

I can't remember quite how much complaining I've done in these blogs RE: gap year jobs but if you ask Jordan you'll realise I've been pretty stressed about the whole thing.

The cliché medical gap year job tends to involve lots of cleaning out bed pans, sick and dribble - namely Nursing Auxiliary work. But this doesn't have to be the case- lots of roles within the NHS require little more than good GCSE's and enthusiasm, and can provide diverse work, from roles on the wards as Nursing Auxiliaries/Assitants to admin/HR and technician work 'behind the scenes' in a hospital. In addition, Health Care Assistants and Phlebotomists work both in hospitals and general practices and again, require little more than a good standard of education.

If this is the type of thing you're looking for, a good place to start is reading the job descriptions on the NHS careers website before searching for jobs on the NHS job site. They can also set you up a daily email with relevant jobs in your area (this was perfect as it narrowed down roles quickly and efficiently).

Sounds fantastic right? I was thinking I could swan into a job easily, get myself sorted for the year, learn a few clinical skills, brilliant. The main piece of advice I would offer is prepare for some intense competition. Although all jobs are listed with a closing date, they will close as soon as sufficient applications are received - this can be as little as 24 hours. Most roles will specify desirable and essential characteristics. 'Desirable' tends to include healthcare type qualifications and experience in the NHS - without these (like me) I think it can be difficult to secure a job.

But don't let that put you off - Friday I received a letter inviting me for an interview at Cirencester hospital as a Health Care Assistant. Unfortunately, I've had to decline due to other job offers...



NB. This isn't standard NHS uniform.

However, when I spoke to Cardiff University they made it clear that they do not necessarily expect prospective students to take doctor-in-training jobs for their gap year. I.e. a job working in the NHS, whilst showing commitment, is not necessary; many, many different jobs, if written about carefully, can demonstrate a multitude of skills including communication, empathy, understanding and teamwork. 

The way in which you choose to interpret Cardiff's opinion is up to you - personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable working in a shop or office for a year and then claiming it's made me a better clinician. Conversely, I wouldn't want to take a NHS job just to look like the model student. If you are really stuck about what to do, just apply for everything. Your local council website (Swindon's is here) should list job vacancies in your area. Although you'll probably also want to look at more generic job searches, council positions tend to be more focused on health and social care services and may offer some inspiration.

The route I've decided to go down is work involving disabled children, mostly inspired by my voluntary work with The Chalet School. The week before last I was offered a position with the council, working with disabled children and young adults through the holidays as a 'sessional worker' - basically my purpose is to help stimulate and occupy these children through means of play sessions and day visits. And then last week I was lucky enough to be offered a role at a Swindon school as a SEN (Special Needs) Teaching Assistant, with added responsibility of working with autistic children.

I'm extremely excited and hopeful for the new roles; I know they will be challenging, particularly working as a TA in a school with a sixth form- where some students are as old as I am- but I am aware of just how lucky I am to be given this opportunity and anyway, I love a challenge.


*PLUS, I get to wear 'teacher' clothes- like little blouses and cute court shoes and I'm genuinely equally as excited for my new wardrobe; there almost definately will be a 'workwear' blog coming soon!

Dole.

So after the tears of rejection, the bitterness of a gap year, and the denial by writing (irrelevantly) about Derren Brown I'm finally manning up.

I'm not really one to dwell much; usually I forget that I'm supposed to be angry about ABC or that I'm ignoring DEF. I think it's kind of, well... childish?

Generally, I'd much rather get on with my life and things that are important, than cry over spilt milk. So, for now, that involves revising for my exams (dull) and lookin for jobs (frustrating) and then applying for afore mentioned job (cumbersome) by writing an interesting and potentially career-securing statement (hand-aching).

Essentially, life isn't allowed to be interesting or exciting for the next few weeks as I spend all my time perusing the NHS careers website or the local council's job vacancy page. The most exciting thing to recently happen has been a sudden acquisition of books, which unfortunately I don't currently have time to read. Among them, a book on Mental Diseases written in 1898 and a fabulous book of quotations, collaborated by the producers of QI (possibly my favourite thing ever shown on television).

So, as an excuse to read I'll be peppering this with quotations. Hopefully philosophers regularly mention the dwindling job opportunities in the NHS.

Options

My biggest worry is what universities want from a gap year. It's mostly about proving your commitment and medical interest, which is easier said than done. Whilst at school, universities can't expect students to have committed more than a few hours a week volunteering, or maybe a week or two work experience placement. But a whole year to play with? That's a lot of potential.

Half our time is spent trying to do something with the time we have rushed through life trying to save - Will Rogers

The common preconception is that gap year students go travelling. Backpack. One way ticket. Hostels. Bar work. Diphtheria. You get the picture.

Which would be perfect, except travel requires money. And money is gained through work. So, work, save, leave, right? Well, apparently nothing is hated more by application reviewers than 'I'm planning on doing this...' or 'I'm hoping to do that...' They want concrete evidence. Preferably you've already done it. Or you're submitting your statement whilst trekking through the Borneo jungle. Or at the very least booked a plane ticket.

Which is difficult, when the application is written over the summer, directly after leaving college when nobody's had a chance to make any money yet... Ah.

And on a practical note, medical interviews can range from November through to April time, with very little warning. Meaning being abroad risks a last-minute trip home for an interview. Nightmare.

Sooner or later we must realise there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip - Robert J. Hastings

Another option is work placements abroad; there's plenty of fabulous opportunities to work in schools and hospitals all across the world and reflect/contrast with the magnificant yet underappreciated institution we call the NHS. But these all cost money. Big money.

One company emailed me to ask if I was interested in their 'Gap Year Medics' scheme which sends prospective medical students to hospitals in India, Tanzania or the Caribbean islands for work experience. Places start at £990 for two weeks in India up to £2490 for four weeks in the Caribbean. Sounds like very expensive volunteering to me.

As somebody interested in Medical Anthropology (watch any of these and you'll see why) I can see the benefits of excursions like this. But unfortunately, not all of us can afford it.

You don't seem to realise that a poor person who is unhappy is in a better position than a rich man who is unhappy , because the poor person has hope. He thinks money would help. - Jean Kerr

So the only other really feasible option seems to be working. Obviously a health-related job is ideal; medical schools want students who have at least tried to understand what life as a doctor consists of.

Health jobs seem to be difficult to find - obviously many, many careers require degree-level education so they are scored out. Others accept non-qualified candidates on the condition that the relevant qualification is studied for after joining (Dental Nurses work this way for example.) Clearly most gap year students don't have the time available to commit to this.

Not everything is ruled out; common jobs for 'non-qualified' people tend to include Nursing Auxiliaries, Health Care Assistants, Phlebotomists and various technician/assistant/ward bitch roles. The other big employer tends to be care homes for care assistants and NA's.

Personally, I've developed an affinity for working with SEN children so I've also been looking into Teaching Assistant work in Special Needs schools. It appears now that jobs many people think of as 'unqualified' actually can now be studied for e.g. Teaching Assistants. And for everything else experience is nearly always essential, at the very least listed as 'desirable'. 

Coupled with the factors of high numbers of unemployed graduates, NHS job cuts, increased numbers of under-18s studying NVQs and increased numbers of prospective medics taking gap years means application is looking bleak. Nearly everything I've applied for I've barely been qualified to do, and if so, experience (which is impossible for me to have) is highly desirable.

Full time healthcare employment would be ideal for me, not only for the extra income and kudos on my statement but simply I feel so motivated and energised all the time, I couldn't cope with working part-time in a retail-type role and sitting on my ass for the rest of my week.

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity - Dorothy Parker.

And if I can't find a job..?

I'll work unpaid. And take extra hours in my retail job. And fill the rest of my time with nourishing, interesting, stimulating things. Like reading and writing and exercising.

One could even argue that unpaid work would be more appealing to an admissions tutor that being paid for it. But they would probably be the ones who are going to the Caribbean for work experience.

About the only thing that comes to us without effort is old age - Gloria Pitzer

When I was a young man I observed that nine out of ten things I did were failures. I didn't want to be a failure, so I did ten times more work - George Bernard Shaw

* And if you do have any exciting and unique ideas for spending a gap year I'd be interested to know; not to steal them off of you but I do enjoy hearing good ideas
** The title of this blog is a pun. Before you ask.