WORK Experience. The phrase strikes fear into the heart of students.

By definition it means one whole week in a small office above the butcher's, photocopying, filing and worst of all -- making the coffee.

This year, however, I knew that my work experience would be somewhat different.

In February, I spent a week shadowing David H Adams MD., an eminent American heart surgeon. Dr Adams travels around the world teaching new techniques in heart surgery but is based in the Division of Cardiac Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, the teaching hospital affiliated to Harvard Medical School.

I am currently in my first year at St Mary's Sixth Form College, Blackburn, studying for A-levels and intend to pursue a career in medicine.

The remarkable opportunity to take part in an American placement was brought about by a stroke of luck. I was able to stay with an aunt in Boston, who works with Dr Adams and arranged the week, without whom I could never have had such an amazing experience.

"I've got an important job for you," Dr Adams informed me as I arrived on my first day -- my immediate retort being: "I've heard this on work experience before, do you take cream and sugar?"

Surprisingly, I was handed surgical scrubs and flew to Bangor, Maine, with a team of surgeons to collect a heart for a transplant.

The rest of the week was just as amazing. I observed coronary bypass surgery, heart valve reports and the highlight was being woken at 4am to watch a highly successful heart transplant operation.

I can recommend to all students that with a little extra effort and a certain amount of luck, anyone can find a work experience which can really open up the vast range of career options available.

PAUL LORD, St Mary's RC Sixth Form College, Blackburn.