Work Experience and Placements

Work experience gives those interested in a career in the NHS the opportunity to gain hands-on experience observing what happens in hospitals, the day-to-day work of NHS multi-disciplinary teams and an understanding of the attitudes, the behaviours and values that are expected in a healthcare setting. Shadowing our teams, you will have the opportunity to see first-hand what is involved in the job role you are considering.

As a major employer in the UK, the NHS has over 350 different career possibilities in clinical and non-clinical areas and each one makes a difference every day.

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is committed to supporting young people and adults looking to pursue a career in healthcare. Our placements are open to students and adults resident in the Berkshire or surrounding South Oxfordshire area. Students from outside these areas and outside the UK will not accepted for a placement. 

The trust offers clinical placements and non-clinical placements at set times across the academic year.

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust receives a very high number of requests for placements each year. The Trust cannot accommodate all of these requests so unfortunately placements are not guaranteed once the application has been made. 

How to Apply

Year 12 and 13 Medicine Placements

Due to the high level of applications, medicine placements for 2024 are now full. 

Year 12 and 13 Placements (All Other Areas)

To apply for a placement for other areas including nursing, midwifery, allied health professions, pathology, clinical engineering and medical physics, pharmacy, and oral and maxillofacial surgery please contact:
healthcareworkexperience@royalberkshire.nhs.uk.

Please note we are unable to offer placements within Psychology, Psychiatry, Paramedics, Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Drama Therapy, Dietetics, Social Work or Mental Health.

Adult Placements

Adult placements are offered at different times of the year depending on the capacity of the hosting department at the time.

Please contact healthcareworkexperience@royalberkshire.nhs.uk. 

Eligibility

• To be eligible to apply for a placement with us applicants must be a school/college student in Yr 12/13 who is resident and at school/college in the Berkshire or surrounding South Oxfordshire area or an adult who is resident in the local area.
• Students must be in Yr 12/13 and achieving the predicted grades required for medical school, university or the professional training qualification required for their career of interest.
• Applicants must be able to attend on the designated placement weeks.
• Applicants will need to demonstrate their interest in a career in the area for which they are applying for a placements and some understanding of the role in their application.