ABSTRACT
Voluntary work, either in a hospital or with a residential care provider, is an excellent opportunity to gain skills and demonstrate the personal qualities, specifically: care and compassion, good communication skills and respect for confidentiality. Maintaining such commitments around a difficult academic schedule shows good organizational skills and effective time management. Teaching requires dedication and commitment, but it can improve the communication and interpersonal skills significantly. Doctors are also expected to continue their learning throughout their careers and carry out research. Each student could then read up one article each week and summarize it to the rest of the group at a meeting. Journal clubs are a mandatory educational activity for doctors, and there is no doubt that starting a voluntary one for sixth formers will impress admissions referees.
