Medical Work Experience for 15, 16, and 17 Year Olds

We understand that getting work experience in clinical medicine as a student can be extremely difficult. We offer young people in their Transition Year, Year 5 and 6 during their Leaving Cert a safe, guided experience into the world of medicine through our High School Special Projects.

Our medical work experience projects focus on experiential education, so you learn by doing. You can expect to:

Shadow doctors and other medical professionals in busy hospitals and clinics
Attend medical workshops and seminars
Get first-hand insight into the healthcare challenges people face everyday
Participate in community healthcare outreaches that serve people in need
Learn essential medical skills like measuring blood pressure and blood sugar levels

You’ll be part of an ethical medical project that benefits local communities. Furthermore, you’ll actively demonstrate your commitment to healthcare and helping people, which will help your university application stand out from the crowd!

“As soon as I turned 16 I started looking for work experience that would help me with my application [for a medical degree]. Projects Abroad came up with an amazing choice of fantastic countries that ran a two week special programme for Medicine, perfect!” - Medicine High School Special in Tanzania by Elena L

At what age can you do work experience in a hospital?

Our opportunities for getting work experience in a hospital as a volunteer are open to people between the ages of 15-18 (Transition Year, Year 5 and 6).

High School Specials are designed specifically for young people by our qualified staff, and all activities are age-appropriate and safe. In addition, we ask all students to follow our code of conduct for medical volunteering. This policy helps us ensure that our projects are ethical, and that we really help the local people we work with.

Interested in learning more about our High School Special Projects’ work? Read our blog that tells you all you need to know about medical work experience programmes for young students.

What kind of medical work experience can I do as a student?

For young students interested in getting medical work experience overseas, we have two kinds of volunteer opportunities:

Medicine High School Specials
Public Health High School Specials

Medicine

Medicine High School Specials mainly focus on clinical experience. Here are the project highlights:

Observe doctors in different hospital departments, like General Medicine or Paediatrics
The departments you work with vary between destinations. For example, in Mongolia, you can spend time working with an ambulance unit. In Tanzania, you may view surgery!
As many of you already know, treatment is just one of many aspects involved in healthcare. So you also focus on preventative care through outreach and education. This element is not only deeply rewarding, but crucial to providing communities with effective healthcare

This project is ideal for young people interested in becoming doctors and nurses. It may also help inform your decision that a medical career is right for you.

We do offer projects for 16 year olds looking for dentistry work experience. These particular Dentistry Projects are open to 15, 17, and 18 years olds as well.

Public Health

During Public Health High School Specials, most of your time will be spent out in the field. Here are the project highlights:

Help medical professionals provide healthcare services through community outreaches, in countries like Cambodia and Mexico
Assist with education, and help spread awareness around relevant topics. For example, you may educate communities about nutrition in an effort to prevent diabetes
Have opportunities to practice healthcare in a clinical setting. We offer this to better inform your approach to preventative care

Public Health Projects are a great option for people interested in Healthcare, Advocacy, International Studies, and Social Sciences.

“The most exciting part for me was to be able to go into the surgery room and see a C-section and a hip replacement. I feel that being able to see these surgeries gave me experience that will be very useful when I pursue a career in medicine.” - Public Health High School Special in Mexico by Erica S

Our Project Experts would be happy to discuss these options in order to determine the programme that best meets your needs and goals. Please reach out by email or phone to speak with a representative today!