How it works
The Overseas Healthcare Placement Specialists. Nothing else comes close.
Discover how Work the World will turn your dream of an extraordinary overseas clinical placement into reality—simply choose your dream destination, secure your spot, and enjoy seamless, consultative planning and support every step of the way.
An award-winning placement takes ruthless planning, locked-in hospital networks, elite supervision, and 24/7 on-the-ground teams. That is the Work the World standard - engineered to maximise your overseas placement.
Do your elective with us if you're studying (or have graduated with a degree in):
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Medical Electives
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Nursing Electives
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Midwifery Electives
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Biomedical Science Electives
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Physiotherapy Electives
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Pharmacy Electives
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Radiography Electives
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OT Electives
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Dentistry Electives
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Paramedic Science Electives
Work the World caters to a wide range of healthcare electives and placements abroad for both students and professionals. If you're looking for something that isn’t listed above, please get in touch using the enquiry form.
1. Discover your dream destination
Don't spend hours wondering which destination is right for you. Our experienced placement consultants are here to help you work it out.
Tell us what you're studying, what you want to achieve and together we'll talk you through your options and help you find a placement that fits your goal.
- Travel whenever you like (we operate year-round)
- Placements start from 1 week upwards
- Travel with friends or go solo and meet new people in the Work the World house
2. Secure your placement
You need to secure your space as soon as you can — there are limited available places. So, to make sure you get your first choice, we advise booking early.
The process is easy. You can either phone us and pay your registration fee or use the Book Now button in the menu.
We understand that spreading the cost can make planning your placement that little bit easier. That’s why you can pay in smaller, manageable instalments, whenever it suits you!
Choose a payment schedule that works for you, giving you greater flexibility and peace of mind as you prepare for your adventure. All we ask is that your balance is paid in full at least 90 days before departure. Once you've paid your £300 registration fee, you'll get confirmation of your place within 24 hours.
Ready to start your journey? Speak to one of our consultants today.
3. Consultative Placement Planning
Anyone can drop you at a hospital door and wish you luck. We don't gamble with your career.
Planning your trip with Work the World 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 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.
In the lead-up to your trip, you can log into your online planner to see your trip timeline and get detailed information about your placement and expert insider information on your chosen destination.
You’ll feel totally prepared by the time your departure date arrives.
4. In-country support begins the moment you land
When you land at the airport, you'll feel confident knowing that a member of our team will be waiting to meet 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.
To help you find your feet and feel at home, the team will deliver your welcome briefing and 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.
5. Exclusive, catered accommodation. Your own space. Your own freedom.
Forget homestays. Forget being a guest in someone else's home. Forget compromising on the experience you want.
During your stay, you’ll live in one of our private, spacious, fully-catered houses, which are exclusive to healthcare students and graduates on a Work the World programme.
This is a step up from a homestay (often with a non-English-speaking family and other students on programmes unrelated to yours) that you might find with other less experienced providers.
You get a more premium, specialised experience with our team-run houses. You’ll live safely and comfortably the whole time you’re with us. And the house will feel like your home away from home.
Your house doubles as a fun social hub where you can make friends (and professional connections) from all over the world.
Your placement should take you out of your comfort zone clinically — not make you compromise on where you live.
6. Established Hospital Partnerships.
No turning up and hoping for the best.
Your clinical experience is too important to leave to chance. To make sure you’re brimming with confidence from day one, Work the World's in-country team will take you to your placement hospital for your welcome session before your placement begins.
In the hospital, you’ll see unfamiliar cases, inventive practices and techniques, and unique cultural attitudes towards delivering care.
And you don't need to worry about learning the local language — your hospital supervisors speak English. Patient notes are in English, too. Placements 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 on any time you spend in the hospital.
7. TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE
Your trip is also your chance for once-in-a-lifetime travel and adventure. Your evenings and weekends are yours to explore 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 travelling solo for your placement, you can spend your weekends adventuring with the new friends you make in the Work the World house.
8. English-speaking hospital supervisors
It’s important that you feel reassured that you’ll be fully supported in your overseas placement hospital.
With Work the World, 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. Your only job is to approach your placement with enthusiasm, and you’ll quickly become a part of the team.
Remember: The in-country Work the World team is there to support you 24/7. They have strong in-person relationships with hospital staff and a presence in the hospital itself. If you ever need help with anything, they’ll be there for you.
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Why choose Work the World? Because your placement should deliver more.
With Work the World, you’ll be in the most experienced hands in overseas placements. We’ve tailored 20,000+ elective placements abroad in Africa & Asia for healthcare students and graduates like you.
An overseas healthcare placement can be a defining experience. It can expose you to different disease profiles and healthcare systems, deepen your understanding of global health, strengthen your cultural competence and challenge you to become a more adaptable, confident healthcare professional.
The quality of your experience depends on the quality of the programme behind it. The planning. The hospital relationships. The clinical environment. The preparation.
We've specialised exclusively in overseas healthcare placements since 2005. We don't spread ourselves across unrelated programmes. We concentrate on creating, supporting and continually developing the experiences healthcare students come to us for.
So if you're serious about making the most of your time overseas, don't choose a provider on price alone. Look at what sits behind the placement — and what that means for your experience.
Social Stories
Tanisha, a child nursing student from the University of Nottingham, recently completed her overseas placement with us in Iloilo, the Philippines! From exploring a new country and making memories with new friends to discovering white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, she captured some of her favourite moments along the way. Thank you Tanisha, for sharing your experience with us in our video competition! Thinking about taking your healthcare placement overseas? Head to our website and complete our short enquiry form to get started. #WorktheWorld #Philippines #ChildNursing #NursingPlacement #OverseasPlacement @uniofnottingham @tanishaakili
Jennifer, a nursing student from Nottingham Trent University, recently completed her placement with us in Vietnam. “As soon as I started my nursing degree, I knew I wanted to do an overseas elective placement, and I needed some solo travel in my life! My placement in Huê really opened my eyes to the differences in practice and conditions. It made me more grateful for what we have in the UK, despite the NHS challenges.” “The staff were fantastic and so kind and welcoming, and it was so lovely to learn from each other, where they taught me their nursing routines and skills, and I was able to teach them English and learn cultural and practice differences from each other.” “I was lucky to see births and look after newborn babies. I particularly enjoyed washing and cuddling the babies and learning about maternity care in Vietnam. I really enjoyed getting to know and spending time with the housemates - it was like a second family.” “We all got along so well, and we were able to share experiences on placement and hang out in the evening, whether relaxing in the house, around the pool at lunchtime, or going out in the evenings for shopping, enjoying local bars and restaurants and meeting locals and fellow tourists from all over the world!” “My advice to others who are considering an overseas placement is to go for it! A Work the World placement is a fun, fulfilling experience, and you are well supported every step of the way!” #WorktheWorld #Vietnam #Nursing @nottinghamtrentuni
Four weeks in Sri Lanka with Work the World 🇱🇰 Congratulations to our September video competition winner, Ella, who captured some incredible moments from her four-week child nursing placement with us in Sri Lanka! From experiencing healthcare in a completely different setting and taking part in our Village Healthcare Experience, to exploring with new friends, tuk-tuk rides, sunrise hikes, swimming with turtles and spotting wild dolphins, Ella made the most of every moment. An overseas nursing elective is about so much more than just the clinical experience. It's a chance to discover a new country, gain fresh perspectives on healthcare and make memories that will last a lifetime. Could you see yourself spending your nursing elective in Sri Lanka? Discover what's possible with Work the World and start planning your placement via the link in our bio. Been on a Work the World placement? Share your video with us for the chance to win back your registration fee! We choose a new winner every month (link in bio). #WorktheWorld #NursingElective #ChildNursing #SriLanka
One day you're in scrubs, the next you're out exploring the Philippines with new friends. Your overseas elective is about so much more than just the clinical experience. It's a chance to gain a fresh perspective on healthcare, explore somewhere completely different, make lifelong friendships and create memories you'll be talking about for years to come. From hospital placements to adventures around Iloilo and beyond, there's so much to experience - and Immy, a children's nursing student from the University of Nottingham, captured a glimpse of it all in her video competition entry. Thanks, Immy, for sharing your video with us! Planning your elective for next year? Discover what's possible with Work the World and start planning your overseas placement via the link in our bio. #WorktheWorld #OverseasElective #Philippines #NursingElective
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.
