Nursing internships abroad in South America, Africa and Asia

The experiences you will have on your overseas clinical placement are likely to be vastly different from anything you are used to in the country in which you train.  In a number of our destinations the medical centers are under-resourced and it's no exaggeration to say that you may find yourself working with equipment and in conditions which really test your skills, abilities and emotions.

In such areas you are likely to see diseases that are rarely - if ever - seen back home, particularly tropical diseases and others which domestic vaccination campaigns have effectively eradicated.  You may find that you see what you consider to be a disproportionate number of certain cases, such as HIV/AIDS in Africa, or burns victims in Nepal.  In addition to this you will generally find pathologies in more advanced stages, as patients often tend to present much later than they do in wealthier countries.

Over the years we have been operating we have established great working relationships with many hospitals in each of our destinations.  This means that you should have a choice of hospital departments in which you can elect to work.  Our most popular placements are in pediatrics, obstetrics & gynecology and emergency medicine.  We can arrange placements in other specialties if you wish, such as anesthetics, neonatal intensive care or HIV counselling, for those with experience.  Please check our individual destination pages on the right side of this page to learn more about available departments within each country, and remember that if you wish to work in an area which isn't mentioned here, you can always get in contact with us to find out if it may be possible.

All our nursing elective students are allocated a preceptor/supervisor who will act as their main point of contact.  We ensure that this person is a senior member of the department that you are working in, and that they understand what you expect from your placement and, in turn, what they can expect from you.  We realize that your university is also likely to have a number of requirements of this individual, and so it is therefore important that you communicate this to us, in the pre-departure period.

Everybody who travels out to an elective placement stays in our local Work the World houses.  These are large residencies which you share with other healthcare students from our nursing, midwifery, medicine, dentistry and physical therapy programs. The fact that we place everyone under the same roof means that you never need worry that you are going to be lonely if you are traveling out on your own; you will soon be surrounded by friendly people who are in exactly the same boat!

We are extremely proud of all our premises, which are "student houses" in name only!  Each one is maintained by a housekeeper who keeps it clean and tidy at all times, and we also have a caterer who will provide you with breakfast and dinner throughout the working week, as well as ensuring the house is stocked with food and drinking water at all times.

Our international staff teams work hard to ensure that all aspects of your time away with us run as smoothly as possible.  During the pre-departure period we put a great deal of effort into the organisation of the placement, informing you of everything you need to know before you go away and answering any questions that you may have. 

Once you actually arrive in the country our local staff will meet you at the airport and bring you to the Work the World house, where you will meet all the other students.  When you have fully recovered from the journey you will be given a full orientation, including how to use public transport, where best to withdraw cash/change traveler's checks, the location of your nearest internet cafe and anything else that you need, or may wish, to know!

On the first day of your placement, you will be shown how to get to the hospital/medical center, introduced to your supervisor and colleagues, and taken through all required documentation and information. After this you are free to start your nursing elective, but our local staff will remain available to you, should you have any problems or questions for them, and you will find them a continuous, supportive presence throughout your time away.

We try to give you all the information and guidance that you require in order to feel safe and secure when you are going about your daily life at the hospital or medical center in which you work, and out in the local area.  Then whilst you are in back in the Work the World house at the end of the day, we want you to see it very much as a safe haven, which is why we take steps to ensure we maintain high health & safety standards, and we do not hesitate to employ additional security measures where we deem them appropriate.

We understand that an international clinical placement is not simply about learning about nursing in a new setting; you are also going to want to allow yourself some time for exploring!  Thankfully Work the World houses come well-stocked with likeminded people!  As a result you shouldn't have any difficulties finding traveling companions, if you want some, for weekend trips and for once you have completed your elective placement.

Our local staff will be able to provide you with travel information and often even specific contacts, who will be able to assist you in planning out exactly where you want to go and what you want to do.  And don't forget to ask other students in the house who have been there for longer than you; you will find that the continuous turnover we have in each house means that current residents are a veritable directory of past knowledge and experiences!

Our Add-on projects vary from destination to destination, but all are intended to provide our students with a broader elective experience, whether of the local healthcare system – such as our Village Experiences in Africa & Asia; or the local culture – like the Intensive Spanish Course in Argentina.

Full information on the available options can be found in the specific destination pages or from the links above.