How much weight is given to personal or professional experience in healthcare or related fields when reviewing Access to HE applications?

While professional experience is valued and very important to include in the personal statement, it is also important not to overlook other life experiences that may have given students the transferable skills or influenced them in the choice of profession they want to go on to do, for example, caring roles, voluntary roles, personal experience, and non-professional related jobs. Although some professions do require specific experience, so for example, our Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy BSc Honours course asks for experience in the dental field, however this could include voluntary work.

So while some courses, like Dental Hygiene and Therapy, need that direct professional experience, students shouldn’t underestimate the value of other experiences too. Caring for a family member, doing voluntary work, or even jobs outside the health sector can all demonstrate commitment and transferable skills that strengthen their application.