A Medical Work Experience internship is an excellent way to observe experts in your field and learn how they work in India. The experience you gain will be an excellent entry on your CV or Résumé as well as being invaluable to you in the future. No qualifications are required.

Our Medical Work Experience placements are based in the delightful bustling city of Madurai in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. We work with many different hospitals and clinics which have a variety of departments. All of our medical placements work extensively with the local community and all have excellent facilities. Some of the clinics where we work offer free services to the poor and needy of Madurai; and one clinic visits a local church once a week to treat the underprivileged. They also hold a free clinic once a month and they are inundated with patients.

"I am certain that this unusual experience helped me to obtain the three offers that I have received following interviews at my chosen universities." Natasha Bell after her medical placement in India

WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:

• An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into beautiful India and it's fascinating culture.

• New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional development.

• An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head and shoulders above most others in the job market

• And best of all ... an unforgettable experience!

Please contact us if you have a particular area that you would like to gain experience in that is not listed here and we will do our best to arrange an appropriate placement for you.

Where you're placed for your Medical Work Experience will depend very much on what you’d like to get out of your placement and in your area of interest in medicine. Once we know what you want maximum exposure to, as well as the kind of experience you want to gain most, we'll arrange for you to be placed in the most suitable institution. We want to ensure that you gain the maximum benefit and experience from your placement!

Most of your work will be to accompany the doctor or nurse on ward rounds and sit in on doctor-patient consultations. The type of work you are allocated will depend to an extent on your experience and abilities so you may spend a lot of time shadowing the doctor. However you will gain valuable experience just by observing. One of our volunteers, Brett Smith, who is currently in his 3rd year of a BSc in Biomedical Sciences, had this to say about what he observed on his placement:  "The trip was incredible, it was everything I expected and more. The medical placement was very insightful. The staff always made me feel very welcome. I managed to see around 15 surgical procedures in the 3 weeks I was there, ranging from 9 hour brain surgery to 2 hour removal of a benign ovary via key hole surgery."

Your working hours are usually subject to a shift rota, Monday to Fridays only; one session in the morning and one in the evenings with the afternoon off to rest or explore the city! However, some of the hospitals arrange surgeries in the afternoons and you may have the option to attend these instead of going back for the evening session.

All of the staff are very friendly and helpful and they will make you feel extremely welcome.

Requirements: You do not need any qualifications to apply for a medical placement. We do ask however that you are enthusiastic, self motivated and confident in working both alone and as part of a team. Ideally you should have an interest in the area of medicine that you’d like to work in, or be studying towards.

"The Doctor spoke excellent English and he always explained what had been going on afterwards. If there was a particularly interesting case I would be asked to come and observe or feel the problem. The Doctor would describe what I was looking at or feeling and he would also direct me what to feel for in relevant cases. This way I became familiar with recognising hernias and swollen abdominal organs." Natasha Bell (Click here to read a Medical Case study by Natasha Bell)

"‘It has been the pleasure of the management of Harley Rram Nursing Home to host the volunteers from other countries and educating them not only about the various aspects of medicine but also in planting in them the seeds of community service. The volunteers have been found to be very attentive in their work. They have shown great enthusiasm in wanting to observe, listen, learn and do new things. The volunteers have shown interest in attending and observing the different surgeries that are conducted at the nursing home. The management of Harley Rram Nursing Home would like to continue its association with the volunteers and in nurturing their interest in the field of medicine" Dr Ramesh, Urologist.

Please contact us if you have a particular area that you would like to gain experience in that is not listed here and we will do our best to arrange an appropriate placement for you.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DO WHILE ON THIS PROJECT:

• 1-Week Intensive Tamil Language Course prior to starting your project. Learning a little Tamil will enhance your time in India immeasurably, as you’ll find out things about the culture and the way of life that someone without language skills simply wouldn’t have access to!

• Tamil Language Lessons with a private tutor taken at the same time as your main project. Courses range in length to suit your needs.

• Yoga and Medication Lessons: You have the choice of combining the two or focussing on Yoga on its own. These courses vary in length to be done as an optional extra to your main project. Start the day with yoga and meditation – it’ll set you up for the day!

• Cookery Courses: Cooking is an institution in India. If you’d like to learn how to cook some of the mouth-watering dishes this is the perfect way to do it; you’ll be able to choose from an extensive choice of recipes, visit the market to purchase the fresh produce and then learn how to cook the south Indian style food with your own private chef! Again, this activity runs concurrently with your main project.