Are You Eligible for an Overseas Healthcare Placement?

by Joe Jamieson

Undertaking your elective placement abroad allows you to broaden your clinical knowledge while immersing yourself in a different culture.

You’ll connect with other healthcare students and graduates from all over the world and various disciplines, too, which means growing your portfolio of professional contacts.

You can feel confident knowing you will have even more flexibility when booking your Work the World placement. We've also introduced additional procedures in our accommodation to give you total peace of mind while you're overseas.

Margaret Roth (ROTH25606)

An overseas placement is, for most, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that opens doors further down the line.

Many UK-based universities offer overseas placements as a degree module, and we can facilitate such a placement for you while you’re at university.

But if you can’t make it work for any reason, you can go on your placement outside of term time or once you’ve graduated.

Why go overseas?

VILLAGE EXPERIENCE

An elective abroad is your chance to hone your clinical skills in a fast-paced hospital setting. A hospital setting that differs considerably from the NHS, both from a clinical and, indeed, an ethical perspective.

Healthcare systems in low-resource countries are often under extreme pressure, so local staff usually use extraordinary ingenuity where equipment is lacking. You’ll also note that nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals' roles differ significantly from their UK counterparts due to cultural and socioeconomic reasons.

Why Work the World?

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Since 2005, we have taken more than 20,000 undergraduates and graduates away with us.

Each of our placements is tailor-made, meaning we'll build yours based on your experience and areas of interest.

What can I expect from My overseas placement?

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Your overseas placement will differ from your standard placement or work setting. Local staff face complex challenges in low-resource healthcare systems and have specialised knowledge and skills developed over years of firsthand experience.

Because of this — whether you’re a first-year medical student or a qualified adult nurse — you won’t treat your patients directly. That said, as long as you operate within your scope of practice, nothing is holding you back from getting involved.

Lotte Eyckmans (EYCKMANS17685)

The long-standing relationships with our partner hospitals mean staff on the wards will be briefed on who you are, why you're there, your level of experience and how to best support you.

Our hospital partnerships allow for enormous flexibility. If, for example, you decide to do extra hours or night shifts, we can arrange this while you’re in your chosen destination.

You can read more about our electives abroad.