Hue is one of Vietnam’s most lively cities. You’ll find adventure around every corner and have the chance to immerse yourself in local culture. From Hue, you can explore national parks, experience Vietnamese nightlife in the coastal cities, kick back on tropical beaches… there’s more to do than you’ll have time for.

The Work the World House

The Work the World house is a big part of your experience in Vietnam and your home away from home. What's more, you'll live with other healthcare students and graduates from all over the world, giving the house a social atmosphere.

The house is located in a lively tourist district in the centre of Hue and is within walking distance of the famous imperial city, the Perfume River, along with plenty of bars, restaurants and shops. The house itself offers a peaceful retreat from the bustle of the city, with a beautiful garden and a swimming pool for good measure.

Some of the city’s best markets, temples, and street food vendors are a stone's throw from your front door.

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In-Country Team

Management team: Based in the house, they oversee your entire Work the World experience — 24/7 — from the moment you land to the moment you leaveCatering team: Cook a variety of both local cuisine and familiar home comforts, accommodating all dietary requirementsHousekeeper: Keeps the house clean and tidy from top to bottom, making sure you're comfortableLanguage teacher: Visits the house twice per-week. During their lessons, you’ll learn everyday phrases and clinical terminology to help you get more from your placementSecurity team: Monitor the house 24/7 for your peace of mind

Electives in Hue

Nursing Electives in Vietnam

Nursing Electives

Vietnam is a great choice if you want to get a range of clinical experience. You can spend some time in departments like OBG, NICU, cardiovascular, orthopaedics, surgery, and paediatrics. Following the theme of broadening your experiences, you can also shadow doctors to learn more about the healthcare system as a whole. Moving back to departments, you can undertake your clinical placement in A&E, psychiatry, oncology, gastrointestinal endoscopy, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility centre — whatever takes your interest. As with our other destinations, you can actually split your placement across multiple departments, so ask us about this when you enquire.

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Medical Electives in Vietnam

Medical Electives

In Hue, you can spend time in A&E, OBG, internal medicine, and general and orthopaedic surgery among others. Oncology is particularly insightful. Modern ‘Western’ medicine remains unregulated in some areas, so you could even see cases of arsenic poisoning in infants who have ingested unregulated baby formula. You may also see cases like chronic malnutrition in paediatric patients, and high volumes of patients involved in RTAs. As of 2024, you can also rotate in our partner hospital's dermatology department. 

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Midwifery Electives in Vietnam

Midwifery Electives

If you compare Vietnam to the UK, Vietnam has a high infant mortality rate. But in the last ten years, local specialists have done a lot of work to bring the numbers down. While you’re on placement here you’ll spend time in our partner hospital’s OBG department where you’ll see this work being done. You can get involved in areas like prenatal and postnatal care, and live births. In the birthing unit, you can see how differently local midwives approach breech births, pre eclamptic shock and undersized babies. You can also get experience in the ‘high risk unit’ where staff treat mothers with diabetes, hypertension, abnormal bleeding and miscarriages.

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Physiotherapy Placements in Vietnam

Physiotherapy Placements

You’ll do your physiotherapy placement in our partner hospital’s rehabilitation department. The department houses physiotherapy, speech therapy and OT. Physiotherapy is the largest of the three areas, with a busy outpatient service. You’ll see a lot of patients from some of Vietnam’s most economically disadvantaged areas. The caseload is diverse and will prove eye opening. You’ll see post-surgical patients, paediatric patients, and patients presenting with cerebral palsy (and other neurological conditions), spinal conditions (including spina bifida), and severe burns. You can also get involved in clinical rounds and even emergency consultations.

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Biomedical Science Electives

Choose Hue for your biomedical science placement and you could get specialised lab experience in areas like microbiology, haematology, and immunology among others. Our partner university hospital even hosts a Medical Science degree, so local staff are experienced not only in practising but also in teaching the discipline. Time in oncology could prove particularly insightful, and you can see the results of a lack of regulation in cases like arsenic poisoning in infants who have ingested unregulated baby formula.

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Paramedic Science Electives in Vietnam

Paramedic Science Electives

Spend time in our partner teaching hospital’s A&E department on your placement in Vietnam. You’ll see cases like RTA’s and trauma, and unfamiliar diseases. Many patients travel in from some of Vietnam’s most rural areas, so the patient demographic is mixed. You’ll also see how modern practises complement ancient traditions.

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Radiography Electives in Vietnam

Radiography Electives

Your radiography placement in Hue takes place in a busy radiography department spanning three floors. You’ll find the MRI and CT scan units on the ground floor. This floor is mostly inpatients who have had head trauma, a stroke, or are suffering from cancer. Inpatient X-rays are on the first floor, which also has a busy sonography area. The second floor deals with outpatient X-rays, and this floor also has its own sonography area. You’ll see some fascinating cases and practises while you’re here, like injecting contrast into patients’ biliary tracts through the ribs while under X-ray instead of CT.

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Pharmacy Placements in Vietnam

Pharmacy Placements

If you spend time in our partner institution in Hue, you’ll learn how a Vietnamese hospital pharmacy runs from top to bottom. The way this works is through participation. You’ll help dispense outpatient medicine, help take stock of pharmaceutical supplies, provide drug information, refer to patient records, and visit specialised wards — like oncology and cardiology — to see what role the Vietnamese pharmacist plays. You can choose to get some experience in the renal pharmacy, the OPD pharmacy, the drug stores, the inpatient department pharmacy, or all of the above.

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VILLAGE HEALTHCARE WEEK

Deepen your experience in Vietnam by spending a week living with a local family in a riverside village surrounded by rice paddies.

You’ll spend your mornings in the local healthcare centre where you’ll see how staff use traditional medicine alongside modern practices. Hop on the river ferry one morning and you can visit the district hospital to see how secondary care is delivered.

Each afternoon presents you with a new adventure - cycle to a nearby beach through stunning tropical landscapes, try your hand at the ancient craft of kite making, learn about centuries-old farming and fishing techniques, and more.

VILLAGE EXPERIENCE

Medical Electives in Vietnam
Medical Electives in Vietnam
Medical Electives in Vietnam

"From the techniques and machines to the staff roles and hierarchy, there were plenty of differences."

Zoe Ross, Teesside University 2024

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"Our head doctor was so accommodating and spent lots of time with us, teaching us different techniques and protocols they have in Vietnam".

Anna-Marie Reid , University of Sunderland 2024

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"I left Vietnam with a wealth of experiences and memories that will stay with me as I transition into my professional career as a pharmacist".

Tony Tran, South Dakota State University 2024

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"I have felt supported at every point. All of the staff, both in the UK and Vietnam, have been so lovely and accommodating".

Olivia Sharpe, University of Birmingham 2024

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"You experience the cultural differences first-hand and quickly develop professional relationships with local staff"

Joseph Shaw, University of Nottingham 2024

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What healthcare disciplines do Work the World cater for?

Work the World organise supervised healthcare electives for the following disciplines: - 1. Nursing (all branches) 2. Medical 3. Midwifery 4. Physiotherapy 5. Radiography 6. Pharmacy 7. Dentistry 8. Occupational Therapy 9. Paramedic Science 10. Biomedical Science

What is the Work the World house like in Vietnam?

Our house in Hue offers a peaceful retreat from the bustle of the city. The garden is beautiful, with a stream, an ancient wishing well, and a swimming pool. The house is located in the centre of Hue, within walking distance of the famous imperial city.

What travelling opportunities are there for me whilst I’m in Vietnam?

Hue is one of Vietnam’s most lively cities. You’ll find adventure around every corner and have the chance to immerse yourself in local culture. You can explore national parks, experience Vietnamese nightlife in the coastal cities and kick back on tropical beaches.