Meg Naylor

Having watched those in the year above me do their elective, I was inspired and excited to organise my own. It seemed like an excellent opportunity to develop my clinical skills and explore a new country. Sri Lanka stood out to me because of the beautiful landscapes and the fascinating culture. 

The first thing that struck me during my placement was how busy the hospital was. It seemed there were nurses, doctors, and medical students everywhere, and hundreds of patients were queuing for appointments. Once I arrived at my ward, the first thing I noticed was just how friendly everyone was. All the medical students were eager to talk to me, and the consultant made sure I was involved in the ward rounds. 

The high amount of patient exposure meant my clinical knowledge vastly improved during my time in Sri Lanka. In general medicine, I got to learn about diseases I’d never come across in the UK, such as dengue fever. While in the obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) department, I saw real-life examples of every disease and emergency I had read about in textbooks.

During my first day in O&G, I saw more than I did in my entire 6-week placement in the UK. It’s difficult to choose a single case as most memorable, as I saw so much during the three weeks. However, if I were to choose one, it would be watching the consultants do a classical C-section on a patient with a placenta accreta. This stood out to me as it was one of the most high-risk surgeries I’ve witnessed and also because I had not seen a classical C-section before.

The biggest difference between healthcare in Sri Lanka and back home is the attitude towards doctors. The doctors are respected, and the patients never question the staff. 

We managed to fit lots of travelling into our weekends! On the first weekend, I went to walk up Adam’s Peak (Sri Prada). We started at 7 am so walked up in the dark - it was a big adventure!

Sigiriya and Trincomalee were also highlights. We packed so much into one weekend: visiting Sigiriya Rock (the Lion’s paw), an elephant safari, snorkelling, and dolphin watching! 

I would strongly encourage students to do a Work the World placement. It gives you both the opportunity to develop your skills as a clinician as well as explore a new country. The placement was so well organised, and everyone was so friendly - I would really recommend it!