Pandemic positives: medical work experience from home

Abstract

Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) have developed a sector-leading virtual work experience (VWEX), attracting over 55,000 users world-wide. It serves as a tool for aspiring medical students to gain insight into a career in medicine and explore the roles of a doctor within various specialities. The COVID-19 pandemic has seen interest rise even further. The VWEX was conceived as a resource targeted to applicants to medicine from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is freely accessible, therefore overcoming potential financial challenges that many students from underrepresented backgrounds face, but also in relation to social capital, which can hinder access to professional networks. The programme introduces the NHS and its structure, showcasing six medical specialties through a variety of interactive elements. Participants are encouraged to submit a piece of reflection to complete the course, and no limitations are set on the form that this reflection must take, leading to creative and effective summaries of the insight gained. Whilst the VWEX has been an overwhelming success thus far, there is room for improvements. Some of these key areas include access to more ringfenced specialities, incorporating more interactive elements, and exploration of the numbers gap between registered users and those who complete the course.