Work experience & professional placements

Our placements are not just for elective students. Gaining experience during your undergraduate years at university, or working as a professional overseas is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the delivery of healthcare in developing countries.

Our placements meet the requirements of all major British medical schools and are supported by the MDU and MPS. We offer you:

• A guaranteed clinical placement, organised by our professional staff in your chosen country
• Freedom to choose your preferred specialities, arrival and departure dates
• A placement supervisor who will oversee your work in the hospital
• Extensive pre-departure support from your dedicated project manager, with advice on visas, support letters and general preparation
• Meals and secure, comfortable accommodation in a large Work the World house.
• In country support from our well-trained, local staff
• No hassle – we cut through all the red tape so that you can arrive and get stuck straight in

Choosing your clinical specialities

Our most popular placements are in paediatrics, obstetrics / gynaecology, A&E and general medicine, but we can also arrange more specialist fields such as plastic surgery, psychiatry, oncology and neurology. Undergraduate students will receive an adapted placement to accommodate their earlier stage of training whilst professionals will have the opportunity to discuss their interests so that we can design a placement giving the best experience in an environment where skills are desperately needed.

If you are there for more than four weeks, we can also split your placement across hospitals or arrange for you to join one of our Village Healthcare Experiences (Africa only) or Ayurvedic Medicine Courses (India only) to give you a broader view of healthcare in your chosen country.

Read more about potential clinical specialities for each destination through the "available elective placements" links on the sidemenu and don’t forget – if yours is not listed then call us. We can usually arrange something suitable.

Choosing your destination

We have a good relationship with each of the hospitals we work with and most clinical specialities can be accommodated within each destination. This leaves you free to choose between the safari, white-sand beaches and tribal culture of Africa; the intricate temples, colourful festivals and mountains of Asia or the leafy plazas, fine dining and tango of Argentina.

Read more about the highlights and lifestyle of each country on our destinations page.