At BHRUT, we run a structured one-week shadowing programme which runs throughout the year which enables students to experience a broad view of working in a hospital as well as attending clinical skills teaching with our Fellows. The programme is Monday to Friday, with the approximate hours being 10am-4pm. Students must ensure that they are available to attend the whole week. As our programme runs through the academic year, your placement may take place during term time – you will need to get permission from your school or college to release you during this time.

About the placement 

Our programme runs across both of our sites, so you will be expected to attend sessions at both Queens and King George Hospitals.

Students cannot be placed in high-risk areas such as A&E, ICU, Paediatrics or Surgical Theatres.

Students cannot be placed out of hours, weekends, or bank holidays.

Whilst a full timetable will be provided during your induction, here is what you can expect:

Monday	Induction and first placement (half day)
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday	Students will be shadowing and learning from healthcare professionals from a variety of specialties.
Friday	Clinical skills session with Teaching Fellows

 

My placement experience 

I found Maxfax at Queen's really interesting because of the consultant there. He was so enthusiastic and energetic that being with him in that place also made us excited to see things we saw for the very first time in our lives and this is going to be a forever memory for me. And I found the medical assessment session at King's interesting. The staff was so friendly and answered our every question with great details and everything we as a student would want to know

This work experience was a great opportunity for me to delve deeper into a clinical setting and learn how various healthcare departments work to ensure care of patients is undertaken to a high standard and I enjoyed being able to further develop my medical knowledge and gain knowledge of practical applications of working in this industry, and can use this to reflect a lot on the skillset required to be a healthcare professional

I had the chance to speak to many medical professionals who offered valuable information and advice on their roles and opinions of their roles, which aided me in anticipating what it will be like to work in the NHS, as well as learning  the steps taken to become successful in gaining a place to study medicine, and the fundamental journey one goes on during their time at medical school to develop their knowledge but also their emotional processes.

Eligibility

Below are the essential criteria for the programme. Students must meet ALL criteria.

• Students must be in Further education, Year 12 or Year 13, Students must meet the minimum age requirement of 17 by the time of their placement.
• They must study or reside in the following boroughs: Barking and Dagenham; Redbridge or Havering
• They must be planning to study Medicine and achieving the predicted grades required for university entrance to the professional training qualification you are pursuing.

How to apply

We encourage applicants to give at least 8 weeks' notice, especially in times of high demand such as school holidays. Students are permitted one placement only; you must ensure you gain permission from your school to attend before confirming your dates.

If you meet all eligibility requirements, please email the Medical work experience team.

Elective placements 

Please be advised this type of placement is for university students currently studying Medicine only.

Any elective placement offered would be on an observational basis only. You would need to check with your medical school to see whether this would meet with their curricula requirements as we would be unable to complete any assessments. Also, any placement offered would be for a maximum period of 2 weeks. We are also only able to accommodate students during the summertime when our own students are not on site. If you are looking for an observational placement during the summer, please apply before April of that year.

Should you wish to proceed on an observational basis which is subject to the supervising consultants’ availability, then please provide the following: -

1. A CV
2. A covering letter which should give the reason you have chosen BHRUT for a placement rather than the one that your medical school is affiliated with.  Please also provide some dates.  Please note that we would require a minimum of 6 weeks-notice. 
3. A reference from your medical school agreeing to the observational placement.
4. We would also require a DBS check.  If you do not have one to hand, you would need to apply for one via the UK.Gov. website.  You would not be able to commence a placement until evidence of this had been seen.

Should you wish to proceed we look forward to receiving items listed in points 1-3 initially, with the DBS being forwarded once a placement had been agreed. Please send these by email to: bhrut.medical.workexperience@nhs.net