An overseas healthcare placement is one of the most significant things you can choose to do during your training. We know that, and it's why we don't leave a single detail to chance. From the moment you first get in touch to the day you set foot in your placement hospital, here’s exactly how we put your trip together, and why we do it the way we do.
It Starts With Finding the Right Fit
We offer destinations across Africa and Asia, and if you're not sure where to go, our placement consultants are here to help. Together, you'll uncover the programme best suited to giving you the clinical and travel experiences you're looking for. You’ll have a proper conversation about what you want to get out of your time abroad, so we can get you closer to your ideal placement right from the start.
Securing Your Space
Places are limited, so we advise booking as early as possible. Once you've paid your £300 registration fee, you'll get confirmation of your place within 24 hours — and you'll have instant access to your online MyTrip planner, where your full trip timeline, hospital details, destination guides, and packing information will build up as your departure date approaches. You can also spread the cost of your placement by paying in instalments up to 90 days before your trip.
Consultative Planning
Planning your trip with us is stress-free. Your dedicated placement coordinator will guide you through the process from start to finish. You're in control throughout, and you choose where to go and which departments to experience. Then, we make it happen — from organising the hospital placement to advising on details like flights and entry visas. You can rotate through as many departments as you have time for, and whichever departments you choose will be locked in before you travel. If your university needs documentation — confirmation letters, risk assessments, health and safety paperwork — we take care of that too.
What happens before you go?
Around two to three months before you depart, your dedicated placement consultant — someone who knows your chosen destination inside out — contacts you for a clinical interest call. During this conversation, they go through your clinical interests in detail and help you decide which departments to rotate through in order to meet your specific goals.
Pre-departure support is handled on a case-by-case basis, with your consultant listening carefully to your unique needs and concerns, rather than sending you a generic information pack. They'll also ensure you have everything you need to prepare for local weather, hospital rules, and cultural expectations, covering practical considerations such as vaccinations, visas, and equipment.
Language preparation is built in too — you get access to comprehensive language guides and videos through MyTrip, and once you arrive, a language teacher provides twice-weekly lessons at the Work the World house. Crucially, the departments you've discussed are confirmed and guaranteed before you travel, so you know exactly where you'll be and what to expect — no surprises when you land in an unfamiliar country.
We'll meet you at the Airport
When you land, a member of our in-country team will be there waiting for you. You'll head back to the Work the World house together, meet your new housemates, enjoy a home-cooked welcome dinner, and settle into your room.
The next morning, we'll take you out on your city orientation so you can get your bearings and start feeling at home. From that point on, you have 24/7 support from your in-country team — as much or as little as you need — all the way through your trip.
Your Accommodation
During your stay, you'll live in one of our private, fully-catered houses, which are exclusive to healthcare students and graduates on a Work the World programme. This is a step up from the homestay arrangements you might find elsewhere — our team-run houses are designed to make you feel safe, comfortable, and genuinely at home. The house also doubles as a social hub where you can make friends and professional connections from all over the world.
Your Clinical Placement
Before your placement begins, our in-country team will take you to your hospital for an introductory tour, so that when you arrive on your first day, you’ll be brimming with confidence. Inside the hospital, you'll encounter unfamiliar cases, inventive techniques, and a genuinely different approach to delivering care — the kind of experience that stays with you long after you've come home.
Your hospital supervisors speak English, and patient notes are in English too. Placements run Monday to Friday, and you'll travel to the hospital with your housemates each morning. If you need to log a certain number of hours for your university, that's not a problem either; your hours are guaranteed, and supervisors will formally sign off on any time you spend in the hospital.
A Multi-Layered Support Structure
We provide a multi-layered supervision structure in the hospital itself. Your English-speaking supervisors and their teams will have been briefed on who you are long before you arrive, so you won't be walking into an unknown situation. Our in-country team maintains strong in-person relationships with hospital staff and has a presence in the hospital throughout your placement. If you ever need anything, they're there.
Why choose Work the World?
This level of pre-departure and on-the-ground support is something we've built and refined over a long time. Since 2005, we've tailored over 20,000 placements for healthcare students and graduates. Unlike generalist providers, we focus solely on healthcare elective placements — and every part of our service reflects that specialisation. When you travel with us, nothing is left to chance.
Explore Destinations
Browse all of our destinations to see what kind of once-in-a-lifetime travel opportunities are in store for you.
Browse all of our destinations to see what kind of once-in-a-lifetime travel opportunities are in store for you.
