Getting a job in healthcare isn’t easy, regardless of your discipline. Granted, the number of potential roles is growing, but there are also more people qualifying than ever. The job market is increasingly competitive, and this is true both in the NHS and the private sector.
All of this applies whether you’re still studying or you’re already working in healthcare and looking for a new opportunity. The solution? You need to show that you’re different.
This is where your overseas healthcare placement comes in. Undertake a once-in-a-lifetime overseas elective with us and you’ll become a stronger, more capable and more confident practitioner. Better still, when employers are slogging through stacks of CVs, your rare overseas experience will jump out at them.
“A placement abroad stands out on your CV as a badge of durability, resourcefulness, and cross-cultural aptitude. It says you’ve seen and experienced things unknowable in places like the UK.” — John Hansen-Brevetti, Nurse, UK
In this article, you’ll discover exactly how an overseas healthcare elective can be a pivotal step in your professional journey.
You’ll even get an official completion certificate from Work the World that you can present to employers. How do we know that employers value overseas clinical experience?
Why are we so confident in shouting about how highly employers rate the unique overseas experiences we offer?
It’s because both employers and students have been telling us for years. We get feedback from people who’ve travelled with us and then gone on to do amazing things. And we get feedback from employers.
Let’s take Jonathan Clark. Jonathan runs a group of physiotherapy clinics and business is booming. He has opened four clinics and is showing no signs of stopping. Naturally, he’s always hiring.
We asked Jonathan the following question to get his opinion:
"From an employer’s perspective, what can an overseas elective give to a candidate that might make them stand out?"
Over to Jonathan:
“For me, it shows that a candidate has valuable life experience outside of their education. It tells me that they have a sense of perspective, both about the world we live in and about healthcare more broadly.
It demonstrates to employers that a candidate is aspirational and willing to go above and beyond. I can tell straight away that a candidate has certain values and an above-average work ethic.
If you go to these lengths to develop yourself, that’s very attractive to employers. It makes you stand out, there’s no question about that.”
And Jonathan should know. He travelled to Tanzania with Work the World to undertake a physiotherapy placement himself while he was at university:
“For me personally, I drew upon my experiences in Tanzania during my first Band 5 interview. It was well received by the interview panel, and I landed myself the job over 200 other applicants.”
“After my placement, I had a better understanding of what it might be like to be a physiotherapist in the working world. This helped drive my passion and motivation to become a physiotherapist in the end.
I set up my first clinic at the University of Southampton. I rented a room there and built up my client base from their gym. I got recognised by AXA, Bupa and Nuffield Health and started to get a lot of contracts. I’ve now got four clinics and our team is 21 strong.”
Are you eligible?
If you're a student:
As long as you’re studying towards a healthcare degree, you can travel with us. Here’s a list of the major disciplines we cater to. But, if you don’t see your discipline listed, get in touch — chances are we’ll still be able to tailor an elective to suit your skills and interests.
If you're a qualified professional:
Whether you're newly qualified or you’ve been practising for a few years, you can still go on a once-in-a-lifetime overseas placement. You’ll get exactly the same level of trip customisation that students enjoy.
Discover more about our graduate placements.
Your next steps:
So, now you’ve heard it straight from the source — a Work the World placement is for you if you want to:
- Gain perspective that reframes your view of the NHS
- Build your confidence by stepping out of your comfort zone
- Get a competitive edge that boosts your career
Explore destinations
Want to start dreaming up your own career-boosting overseas placement? Choose a destination to get started.
Want to start dreaming up your own career-boosting overseas placement? Choose a destination to get started.
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