India

In a country so vast that a train from north to south takes more than two days, deciding where to start isn’t easy. We chose our base in the state of Kerala, where a well-integrated mix of Hindu, Muslim and Christian populations enjoys a relatively good healthcare infrastructure. It’s an ideal setting for a wide range of clinical placements, and offers enormous scope for exciting weekend travel.

The City of Trivandrum

Trivandrum is the bustling capital of Kerala State and the closest city to the southern tip of India. Hundreds of yellow auto-rickshaws buzz around chaotically, dodging cows and the odd elephant wandering down the street. Burning incense from Hindu temples mixes with the smells of the fantastic south Indian street food and tall coconut palms spring up on every inch of available land.

The Placements

Our partnerships with government and private hospitals across the city and surrounding area allow us to arrange placements in all major fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry and physiotherapy, tailored to individual students’ requirements. We also have a formal agreement with the Kerala Department for Health, which removes much of the bureaucracy that students often battle with for months trying to arrange elective placements in India.

For those interested in learning more about the traditional Indian systems of healthcare we offer a one-week course in Ayuveda (literally meaning 'science of life') designed exclusively for Work the World elective students by leading Ayurvedic specialist Dr V. Franklin of the Panchakarma Institute.

The Work the World House

The main Work the World house in the Kannamoola area of the city accommodates 12 students in bedrooms shared between two or three, most of which have en-suite bathrooms. The upstairs living room opens onto a balcony with steps leading to a large rooftop terrace that provides the perfect setting for our optional daily yoga classes led by our expert Yoga Master, Mr Shiva Kumar.

The food is, for many, one of the highlights of living in south India and Kerala is particularly famous for its rich coconut and fish curries. Our full-time cook prepares a variety of local dishes and is always happy to cater for vegetarians. Breakfast is typically idli (steamed rice cake) or dosa (a kind of pancake) served with coconut and tomato chutneys, and there’s always lots of fresh fruit available in the kitchen whenever you want it.

Chilling in Varkala

Weekends & Travelling

Trivandrum is a great base for exploring south India at weekends and after your placement. You can take the train just 45 minutes up the coast to Varkala, where a lively backpacker scene has developed in a beautiful cliff-top setting overlooking the Indian Ocean. The restaurants here offer an amazing range of seafood, serving up the likes of swordfish steak, reef shark and lobster, all locally caught and cooked with Tandori spices or as Thai-style curries.

As you travel inland from the coastal coconut groves, the Western Ghat mountains rise up through jungle to the higher forests of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. The best way to experience this spectacular wilderness – and one of the highlights of travelling in South India – is a three-day trek through the Reserve, led by expert guides and getting up close to wild elephants, Indian bison, monkeys and a host of other wildlife in its natural environment.

India placements: quick facts

Location(s)	[google maps]Trivandrum, Kerala
Nearest Airport	Trivandrum International Airport (TRV)
Clinical Settings	Government and Private Hospitals city-wide
Available electives	[clinic info] Medical Electives
	[clinic info] Nursing Electives
	[clinic info]Physiotherapy Electives
	[clinic info]Dentistry Electives
	[clinic info]Summer Placements
Available add-ons	Ayurvedic Medicine
Available add-ons	Yoga Courses