Pre-Medicine Work Experience

Want to know what being a doctor is really like? Our overseas medicine work experience placements are the perfect way to find out. Whether you are looking to gain valuable medicine work experience to put on your UCAS application or an in-depth insight into working in a hospital, there is no better way to learn more about medicine than shadowing clinical experts carrying out their day to day duties.

During your time on placement, you will be placed in a different department every week, according to your interests. Within this department, you will be assigned a doctor who will act as your mentor, explaining cases to you and answering any questions you might have. 

The type of cases you will observe depends on which departments you are working in. You can choose from: General Surgery, Paediatrics, Orthopaedics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Internal Medicine and many more. As well as spending time on the wards or in the operating theatre, you will also receive several clinical teaching sessions a week, after you have finished in the hospital for the day. These classes are a great way to understand more about healthcare in the region you are working in, and to pick up some clinical skills, such as sutchering or dressing wounds. 

Our placements are perfect for a range of students, including those in year 12/13 looking to gain experience before applying to study medicine at university, gap year students, those studying for their undergraduate degree in a non-clinical subject (for example biomedical science) who hope to go on to medical school and students in their first year of a clinical degree course.

Students generally spend two weeks on a medical placement with us, although it is possible to join the programme for anything from one week upwards. Our programmes run all year round, so you can choose when you would like to go, and how long you would like to go for, 52 weeks of the year.

Working in a hospital overseas is a great experience, not only because of the close up clinical experience you will receive. It is also a great way to learn about healthcare in other countries and to observe the ethical dilemmas doctors face day to day in less well-funded hospitals in other parts of the globe. The cases you will observe will also differ from what you would generally see at home – Typhoid, Dengue Fever, Tuberculosis and Malaria are all a good contrast to what you might find in your local hospital! 

A placement overseas is also a great way to turn two weeks of medical work experience into the adventure of a lifetime! From going on Safari in Tanzania to elephant trekking in Thailand, there are plenty of opportunities to make this experience truly unforgettable!