We are currently unable to accept any nursing, medical or AHP students on elective placement.
This page will be updated when this situation changes.
Information for overseas doctors on clinical attachments has been updated below.
University Hospital Southampton is a designated acute teaching hospital, covering two main sites at Southampton General Hospital and Princess Anne Hospital, as well as supporting some services at the Royal South Hants Hospital, Lymington Hospital and the New Forest Birthing Centre.
We support a large number of students as well as learners from within the organisation. Student learners included non-medical students such as operating department practitioners, physiotherapists, pharmacists, nutrition and dietetics and nursing students, as well as medical students and medical trainees.
Our departmental clinical profiles will give you an insight into the structure of the organisation (divisional breakdown), make you aware of the policies that apply to you whilst on placement, and let you find out more about the area that you have been allocated to.
You can find out more about the types of job we have at the Trust here.
We hope the information on these pages helps you to gain an insight into UHS and the learning and education that can be accessed, as well as the resources available.
Due to COVID-19, nursing student electives will not be able to commence at UHS until further notice. When the situation changes and we are able to accept elective students, you will be able to follow the process as detailed below. We will remove this message at that time.
UHS welcomes applications from pre-registration nursing students for an elective clinical placement experience.
Please view our departmental clinical profiles for more information about our placement opportunities.
To apply for an elective placement please complete the elective placement student application form and ask your tutor to complete the elective placement - supporting information from tutor form. Details for returning these are on the bottom of the forms.
Students applying for an elective placement who are outside the Wessex area will be required to complete an honorary contract unless UHS has a valid practice agreement with your university.
Process
Students should review the departmental clinical profiles and decide on a placement area of interest.
Students should then complete the application form for an elective placement and send this to training and development, UHS.
Students will give the tutor form to their tutor to complete and return.
Training and development will contact the ward or department to ask if the placement can be accommodated.
Ward manager will review the request.
Ward manager will confirm if the student can be accommodated.
Training and development will inform the student whether their request for a placement can be accommodated.
Student will be sent an honorary contract for completion if needed.
Due to COVID-19, AHP student electives will not be able to commence at UHS until further notice. When the situation changes and we are able to accept elective students, you will be able to follow the process as detailed below. We will remove this message at that time.
At UHS, we offer placement opportunities to students across a variety of allied health professions, including
dietitians
orthoptists
occupational therapists
operating department practitioners
paramedics
physiotherapists
podiatrists
radiographers (diagnostic and therapeutic)
speech and language therapists.
Professions that host allied health profession (AHP) students
Case study: dietetics
In Southampton, we have excellent facilities to support dietetic students. We currently provide 12 week clinical training programmes for up to six students a year at varying stages of their course, predominately from Surrey University.
We take one or two students at a time. All students are provided with a buddy during their placement to support them with any concerns they may have. All of our student trainers have completed appropriate courses to give them the necessary skills to support students through their placements.
Our student coordinator plans a well-structured, flexible programme tailored to the individual needs of the student. We are able to offer a wide variety of patient experience across both adults and children. Student dietitians will be able to work with inpatients and outpatients in a variety of settings. This will include working in Southampton General Hospital and community hospitals, delivering outpatient clinics and groups, and visits to nursing homes and patients' own homes.
Students will be given plenty of opportunities to work in specialist areas such as diabetes, cancer care, surgery, neurology, cardiology, home enteral nutrition, paediatrics, learning disabilities and medicine for older people. As well as undergraduate dietetic students, we also offer student open days twice a year for prospective dietetic students looking to find out more about becoming a dietitian.
For more information about placements within dietetics, you can email our dietetic student coordinator Lisa Szymanski at lisa.szymanski@uhs.nhs.uk.
If you would like to find out more about work experience at the Trust, please see our career experience pages.
Find out about other AHP departments and contacts via their clinical profiles below.
Elective clinical placement experience may be available across the AHP groups for pre-registration students.
If you would like to know more about elective placements please contact the AHP education lead in the particular department you are interested in. The education lead may then ask for your student application and supporting information documents to be completed and returned. Please see the details below for the appropriate contact numbers.
Students applying for an elective placement who are outside the Wessex area will be required to complete an honorary contract unless UHS has a valid practice agreement with your university.
Contact details
Contact the lead for the specific AHP group you are interested in completing a placement with to check availability:
Unfortunately UHS is currently unable to accept any medical students for an elective placement.
Clinical attachment are open at UHS for doctors seeking opportunities to take part in this observer role.
A clinical attachment will help you prepare for working in the NHS. It allows you to gain an overview of medical processes and systems in the NHS, by observing a consultant in a relevant speciality at work.
Key information about the process
You must already have approval from a named consultant at UHS and they must be named within your application form.
The application process can take up to 12 weeks to complete from start to finish.
There is a fee to pay. This will be requested when the application has been provisionally approved. The fee is non-refundable. Please note there may be an additional occupational health fee should you require further testing and/or vaccination.
Start dates for clinical attachments are the first Wednesday of the month.
This is strictly a hands off, observational role.
Candidates are responsible for arranging their own accommodation.
Theatres (theatres (centre block and neuro), day surgical unit, Lymington theatres and Knightwood surgical day unit, sterile services, acute pain services, anaesthetists, eye theatres, Princess Anne theatres)