Emergency Department Volunteer – Ulster Hospital

I started in the Emergency Department in August 2016 as I recognised how volunteering would help me develop the skills for a career. I was initially wary about approaching patients, but I developed the confidence to walk up to patients and chat to them.

I found that offering cups of tea or coffee to the patients to be a great ice breaker and often patients were more than happy to have someone to chat with. After volunteering every week, I was more certain that working in a medical profession was what I wanted to do, and I started studying medicine at Queen’s in 2017. In the interview they asked me ab out the volunteer role and I was able to chat about my experiences in the Emergency Department, and the skills and experiences I gained.

They told me that universities across the UK that offer Medicine strongly recommend applicants to take a volunteering role in a hospital, a GP surgery or even a nursing home.