Local secondary school pupils had ‘unforgettable’ work experience at King’s College Hospital, with one girl saying it has set her up for her dream job.
The NHS Foundation Trust has offered local students the opportunity to gain valuable life skills while they learn more about roles in areas including paediatric surgery, pharmacy and nursing.
Seven secondary students aged 16-19 years old living in Southwark undertook placements at King’s and the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) earlier this month.
Maria Angela Garces Mocanu, 16, from St Saviour’s and St Olave’s Church of England School near Elephant and Castle, spent a week supporting the Trust’s acute deterioration department.
Commenting on her experience, she said: “I witnessed so many different things in the week I have been here, and truthfully, I loved every bit of it.
“This placement made me realise how much I love working in a hospital environment: my goal is to become a healthcare negligence lawyer. This is an experience I will never let go of, and I would do it all over again if I had the chance.”
Sarah Quinn, Deputy Director of Learning and Organisational Development at King’s College Hospital, said: “This is a great opportunity for students from our local community to get out of the classroom and have a taste of an NHS career. This is the first year of our new work experience programme, and we have welcomed over 200 students to the Trust.
“Through these work experience placements, we hope young people have developed new skills, learned about their strengths and areas for development, increased their confidence, and hopefully gained an insight into which career path they want to follow.”
Students living in Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham, Orpington or Bromley are eligible to apply by completing an application form. Between 12-16 February, 35 participants from 26 different schools across South London took part.
The Trust matches students with mentors based on their career interests, so students are selected on the quality of their application and the availability of placements in their department(s) of interest.
For more information go to https://www.kch.nhs.uk/careers/working-at-kings/work-experience/