YOU CAN DO YOUR ELECTIVE WITH US IF YOU'RE STUDYING or have graduated with a degree in:
Looking for a placement that isn’t listed? Enquire now and one of our consultants will talk you through your options.
1. CHOOSE YOUR DESTINATION
You can choose from a range of destinations across Africa and Asia. Not sure where to go? Shortcut the hours of research by chatting to one of our placement consultants.
Together you’ll uncover the programme that’s best-suited to giving you the once-in-a-lifetime clinical and travel experiences you’re here for.
- Travel whenever you want (we operate year round)
- Placements start from one week upwards
- Travel with a group of friends OR
- Travel solo and meet new people in the Work the World house
2. SECURE YOUR space
You then need to secure your space as there are limited available places. So, to make sure you get your first choice, we advise booking as early as you can.
The process is easy. You can either phone us and pay your registration fee, or use the Book Now button in the menu and fill in your details — it’s as simple as that. Once you have paid your £300 registration fee, you will get official confirmation of your place in 24 hours or less.
You can then spread the cost of the rest of your placements by paying in bite-sized instalments.
3. PLANNING YOUR TRIP
Plan your trip with Work the World and your placement experience will be stress free. Your dedicated placement coordinator will guide you through the process from start to finish.
You are in control. You choose where you go and which departments you want to experience. Then we make it happen — from organising the placement itself to advising on things like flights and entry visas. You can rotate through as many departments as you like, and whatever you choose will be guaranteed before you travel.
In the run up to your trip you can log into your online planner to see your timeline and get detailed information about your placement. You also get tips on things like what to pack, and local language video guides.
By the time your departure date rolls around you’ll feel totally prepared.
4. WHEN YOU ARRIVE
You’ll feel confident when you land at the airport knowing that a member of our team will be waiting to meet you.
You’ll head back to the Work the World house together where you'll meet your new housemates, enjoy a home-cooked welcome dinner and settle into your room.
To help you find your feet and feel at home, the team will deliver your welcome briefing then take you out on your city orientation the following morning.
Don't forget: You get 24/7 support from your in-country team, as much or as little as you need, all the way through your trip.
Accommodation
During your stay you’ll live in one of our private, fully-catered houses that are exclusive to healthcare students and graduates on a Work the World programme.
This is a big step up from a homestay (often with a non-English-speaking family and other students on programmes unrelated to yours) that you might find elsewhere.
You get a more premium, specialised experience with our team-run houses. You’ll live in safety and comfort the whole time you’re with us. And the house will feel like your home away from home.
Your house doubles up as a fun social hub where you’ll make friends (and professional connections) from all over the world.
5. YOUR CLINICAL PLACEMENT
It’s normal to feel some apprehension at the thought of undertaking your placement in a country you’ve never been to. So, to make sure you’re brimming with confidence, your in-country team will take you to your placement hospital for your welcome session before your placement starts.
In the hospital you’ll see unfamiliar cases, inventive practices and techniques, and unique cultural attitudes towards delivering care.
Placements then run from Monday to Friday, and you’ll travel to the hospital with your housemates each morning.
Need to complete a certain number of placement hours for university? No problem: Your hours are guaranteed and supervisors will formally sign off any time you spend in the hospital.
6. TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE
Your placement is also your chance for once-in-a-lifetime travel and adventure. Your evenings and weekends are yours to go exploring in whichever destination you choose.
- Kick back on tropical paradise beaches
- Go on an African safari
- Trek through the Himalayan Mountains
- Tour through ancient Hindu temples
- You name it!
If you’re doing your elective solo you can spend your weekends adventuring with the new friends you make in the Work the World house.
CHOOSE your DESTINATION
Your in-hospital supervision
It’s important that you feel reassured that you’ll be fully supported in your overseas placement hospital.
You want to know that hospital staff will know who you are when you head to placement on your first day. And you
With us you get a multi-layered supervision structure. And your English-speaking supervisors and their teams will have been briefed on who you are long before you arrive.
Approach your placement with enthusiasm and you’ll quickly become a part of the team.
Remember: You also have support on hand at all times from your in-country Work the World team. They have strong in-person relationships with hospital staff and a presence in the hospital itself. If you ever need help with anything at all, they’ll be there for you.
Why choose Work the World?
Choose Work the World and you will be in the most experienced and capable hands in the world of overseas electives. This might be your first overseas placement, but it’s not ours — since 2005, we’ve individually tailored 17,000+ experiences for healthcare students and graduates just like you.
You’ll quickly notice that other providers don’t typically focus on any one area— they offer a bit of everything. So you get a much more specialised experience with Work the World, the healthcare elective specialists.
We dedicate 100% of our time to building and overseeing quality overseas elective placements. So you get total peace of mind knowing that we have the best understanding of what makes a perfect overseas healthcare elective. You'll get support tailored to your needs every step of the way, including the safety aspects of the placement.
Take your first step towards your own once-in-a-lifetime overseas experience by getting in touch today to see what’s possible.
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
What are the benefits of elective placements from Work the World?
The benefits of our electives include:
- Expanding your clinical knowledge and skill set
- Becoming more confident, independent and resourceful
- Making yourself more attractive to employers
- Doing some proper travelling
- Building your personal and professional network
- Sharpening your language and communication skills
- Renewing your perspective on the NHS
How long is a typical Work the World elective placement?
An elective placement is as long as you want it to be. Our minimum placement duration is one week, but students typically travel on their electives from 2 - 6 weeks. There is no upper limit to how long you can travel for.
