15 Medical Internships for Undergraduates in the UK
Completing an internship bridges the gap between academic theory and application, offering you an advantage as you prepare to enter the workforce. By working in a professional environment, you will gain experience that allows you to test your interest in your chosen field and develop job-specific skills. This industry exposure also facilitates networking opportunities and builds soft skills like teamwork and problem-solving.
Why should I do a medical internship in college?
Doing a medical internship during college gives you a head start by letting you develop valuable skills before you graduate. You get experience helping patients and working with doctors and nurses in a clinical setting. This experience helps you figure out what kind of medicine you want to focus on. Most importantly, it boosts your chances of getting hired after graduation because hospitals and clinics typically prefer candidates who have experience and professional references.
If you’re an undergraduate in the UK and interested in medicine, there are a range of medical internship opportunities across hospitals, universities, research institutes, and public health organizations. To help you get started, we’ve put together 15 medical internships for undergraduates in the UK.
For other healthcare-related internships, check out a list of summer-specific internships here, and find a list of more healthcare internships here.
1. University College London (UCL) Medical School – Visiting Student Electives
Location: London, UK (UCL and associated teaching hospitals)
Cost: £100 application fee, plus £925 to £1,325 in placement fees (depending on duration)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; cohort size depends on specific department capacity at the time
Dates: Block 1: September 21 – December 11; Block 2: January 11 – April 2; Block 3: April 12 – July 23
Application Deadline: 10 to 12 months before the start date of your chosen block
Eligibility: Undergraduate medical degree students in their final or second-to-last year of study
This program lets you travel to London to practice medicine in a real hospital before you graduate. You will study hands-on topics like general medicine, surgery, or a specific clinical field of your choice. During your stay, you will shadow doctors on the wards, watch real surgeries in the operating room, and examine patients to record their health histories. A unique feature here is that the hospital treats you just like their own UCL medical students, giving you a completely authentic look at the UK health system.
2. Ladder University Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10–25%; 70–100 students per session
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to undergraduates and gap year students!
Ladder University Internship Program is a selective, virtual internship program where you work with startups and nonprofits from around the world! The startups range across a variety of industries. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with, and present their work at the end of their internship. Interns work closely with their manager at the startup. Apply now!
3. Newcastle University School of Medicine – Visiting Electives
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (and associated regional NHS Trust hospitals)
Cost: Non-refundable administration fee (around £200) plus an Occupational Health fee (£10)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; cohort size varies based on the specific hospital department's availability
Dates: Placements last between 4 to 8 weeks, based on dates you agree upon with a supervisor
Application Deadline: At least 6 months before your planned start date
Eligibility: Undergraduate medical students who are in their penultimate (second to last) or final year of clinical study
This visiting elective is a hands-on placement where you spend time in real hospitals to see exactly how the UK healthcare system works. During your time, you will cover topics like emergency care, global health, tropical diseases, and specific areas such as neurology or oncology. You will shadow experienced doctors, meet patients face-to-face, join in on daily clinical rounds, and help out in different hospital departments. The program enables you to work in a mix of large city hospitals and smaller community settings, giving you a broad view of real-world medicine.
4. University of Bristol Medical School – Clinical Electives
Location: Clinical Academies across the South West UK (e.g., Bristol, Bath)
Cost: £125 administration fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 30 places
Dates: 4 to 8 weeks (between May and August)
Application Deadline: November 1 to November 30 (the year prior to placement)
Eligibility: Undergraduate medical students in their final or penultimate year
In this clinical elective, you will explore a medical specialty of your choice while working directly within the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). You will spend your days shadowing experienced doctors, joining daily ward rounds, observing medical procedures, and interacting directly with patients. The program places you in specialized Clinical Academies, which are actual NHS hospitals fully equipped with university teaching resources. By participating, you cover topics ranging from direct patient care to specialized treatments within your chosen hospital department. Throughout your placement, you will build practical skills in clinical assessment, cross-cultural patient communication, and professional teamwork.
5. University of Leeds School of Medicine – Visiting Electives
Location: Leeds, United Kingdom (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)
Cost: No tuition fee (International Criminality Check costs £50–£350)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; only one elective placement per successful applicant
Dates: Block 1: June 1–26; Block 2: June 29 – July 24
Application Deadline: December 12
Eligibility: Medical students in their penultimate year of study
This four-week clinical elective allows you to experience a major UK hospital within the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. During the program, you will explore NHS England clinical practice, primary and acute care protocols, and one medical specialty of your choice. You will shadow a dedicated consultant, observe daily ward rounds, attend multidisciplinary team meetings, and watch real patient interactions. Ultimately, you will build a solid understanding of UK healthcare protocols, improve your clinical observation skills, and learn how medical professionals effectively collaborate to treat patients.
6. King’s College – Elective Placement in Clinical Medicine
Location: King’s College London partner hospitals, London, UK
Cost: £400 for 4 weeks
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; cohort size variable based on clinical capacity and specialty availability
Dates: 4-week placements offered multiple times throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by intake (cycle-based deadlines throughout the year)
Eligibility: Undergraduate medical students in their penultimate or final year of an undergraduate medical degree at the time of the placement
The Elective Placement in Clinical Medicine at King’s College London is a short-term clinical internship that allows undergraduate medical students to gain hands-on exposure to patient care within NHS teaching hospitals. During the placement, students are embedded in clinical teams across a range of specialties, where they observe consultations, attend ward rounds, and learn how healthcare is delivered in a real hospital setting. The program provides insight into the UK healthcare system while allowing students to develop clinical awareness, communication skills, and professional understanding of medical practice.
7. St George’s, University of London – Medical Elective Programme
Location: St George’s Hospital and affiliated NHS sites, London, UK
Cost: £800 (administration fee + placement fee)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size limited by department capacity
Dates: 4-week placements starting on the first Monday of each month
Application Deadline: May: Placements between August – January; November: Placements between February – July
Eligibility: Medical students in their penultimate or final year must have Occupational Health clearance, a police check (DBS), and meet English language requirements (IELTS 6.5+).
The Medical Elective Programme at City St George’s, University of London (formerly St George’s, University of London) is designed for medical students in their penultimate or final year. It offers 4-week clinical placements within St George's Hospital, one of the UK’s largest teaching hospitals. During the four-week placement, you will be integrated into clinical teams where you observe patient care, attend ward rounds, and engage with healthcare professionals across different specialties. The elective allows students to experience the UK healthcare system firsthand while developing clinical awareness and professional skills.
8. University of Glasgow – Visiting Medical Electives
Location: University of Glasgow affiliated NHS hospitals, Glasgow, UK
Cost: £250 application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; only one elective placement is permitted per student
Dates: 4-week placements
Application Deadline: No single fixed deadline; applications must be submitted at least 6 months in advance
Eligibility: Undergraduate medical students in penultimate or final year of studies whose home institution is listed on the World Directory of Medical Schools
The Visiting Medical Electives programme at the University of Glasgow allows undergraduate medical students to undertake short-term clinical placements within NHS hospital settings. During the four-week elective, you will join clinical teams across a variety of specialties, where you will observe patient care, attend ward rounds, and gain insight into clinical decision-making in real healthcare environments. The programme is flexible, allowing students to choose placements that align with their academic interests and career goals. While the elective does not provide a stipend, it offers valuable exposure to the UK healthcare system and hands-on clinical learning opportunities.
9. University of Oxford Medical School – Elective Placements
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom (primarily John Radcliffe and Churchill Hospitals)
Cost: £50 non-refundable application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 50 places per year
Dates: 4 to 10 weeks (placements run between September 1 – August 31 of a given cycle)
Application Deadline: December 1 of the preceding year
Eligibility: Currently enrolled in a medical degree program (graduated doctors or non-medical undergraduates are not accepted)
The Oxford Medical School Elective Programme allows you to study clinical medicine right alongside Oxford medical students and hospital doctors. You will cover diverse medical topics based on your chosen specialty, such as immunology, clinical neurology, psychiatry, or specialized surgery. During your placement, you will actively participate in daily ward rounds, observe procedures in the operating theatre, assist in outpatient clinics, and present patient cases to your medical team. The program features a highly personalized, one-on-one teaching approach that you receive while working in a world-famous hospital system.
10. University of Cambridge Clinical School – Visiting Student Electives
Location: Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
Cost: £66 application fee plus a £622 administrative and occupational health fee (£990 non refundable accommodation fee for Stage 3)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; maximum of 8 students per elective block
Dates: 8 blocks year-round; maximum of 6 weeks per block
Application Deadline: Varies by block
Eligibility: Undergraduate medical students in the final 18 months of their degree from recognized schools, passing English and health checks
The Cambridge Visiting Student Elective is a clinical placement where you join the medical team at Addenbrooke's Hospital to experience everyday healthcare in the UK. You will focus entirely on your chosen medical specialty from the available hospital departments during your block. Throughout the program, you will observe senior doctors, interact with patients on the wards, and study in the university's medical library. The program provides direct access to staff-only hospital areas and on-site accommodation. By the end, you will learn practical patient communication skills, diagnostic reasoning, and how the UK health system operates.
11. Queen Mary University of London – Visiting Student Elective Programme
Location: Queen Mary University of London affiliated NHS hospitals, London, UK
Cost: £850 fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; around 150–200 international students per year across all hospital sites and specialties
Dates: 2–4 week placements scheduled based on specialty availability and supervisor capacity
Application Deadline: Three application cycles per year
Eligibility: Undergraduate medical students
The Visiting Student Elective Programme at Queen Mary University of London offers undergraduate medical students the opportunity to gain clinical experience within NHS hospital settings in London. During the placement, you will be into clinical teams where you will observe patient care, attend ward rounds, and engage with doctors across a range of specialties. The programme is structured as a short-term observational elective, allowing students to explore specific areas of medicine while gaining insight into the UK healthcare system. Placements are competitive and allocated based on availability, with applications reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.
12. Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust – Clinical Electives
Location: Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust hospitals, London, UK
Cost: £600 electives fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not applicable
Dates: 2–6 week placements
Application Deadline: First-come, first-served; must be submitted between 6 and 12 months before the intended start date
Eligibility: Undergraduate medical students in final year; studying at a Medical School listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools; meet Occupational Health & DBS/Police Check requirements; requires proof of English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL) and a valid Tier 4 or Standard Visitor visa (for non-UK/EU students)
The Clinical Electives programme at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust offers undergraduate medical students the opportunity to gain hands-on exposure to patient care within some of London’s leading teaching hospitals. During the placement, you will be assigned to a single specialty and integrated into clinical teams, where you will observe consultations, attend ward rounds, and learn about clinical workflows in the NHS. The programme is structured as a short-term attachment lasting up to six weeks, allowing students to explore specific areas of medicine while gaining insight into real-world healthcare delivery.
13. University of Edinburgh – Medical Electives Programme
Location: University of Edinburgh affiliated NHS teaching hospitals, Edinburgh, UK
Cost: £400 matriculation fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely competitive; very small cohort sizes
Dates: Strictly 4 weeks in duration. Placements typically begin on the first Monday of the month
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: Undergraduate medical students in penultimate or final year of medical school. English proficiency is required: IELTS 6.5 (6.0 min per component) or TOEFL iBT 92.
The University of Edinburgh Medical Electives Programme is a highly structured, 4-week clinical placement designed for international medical students, allowing them to gain clinical experience within NHS Scotland teaching hospitals. During the placement, you will be assigned a clinical supervisor and join a healthcare team, where you will observe patient care, attend ward rounds, and engage with real clinical cases. The programme provides structured supervision and exposure to a wide range of medical conditions and treatment protocols within the NHS.
14. University of Birmingham Medical School – Visiting Electives
Location: Birmingham, United Kingdom (University-affiliated hospitals)
Cost: Administration fee applies (exact amount not publicly disclosed)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; limited cohort sizes
Dates: Varies (typically 4 to 8 weeks, subject to availability)
Application Deadline: Usually 6 to 12 months before the proposed start date
Eligibility: Penultimate or final-year undergraduate medical students
In this program, you get to experience the daily workings of the UK healthcare system firsthand. Throughout your placement, you will cover clinical topics matched to the specific medical specialty you choose, like surgery, pediatrics, or general medicine. You will shadow experienced doctors on their ward rounds, observe live surgeries, practice taking patient histories, and attend regular clinical meetings. The program allows you to see how diverse patient cases are handled in a major NHS hospital network. By the end of your time there, you will learn practical clinical examination methods, effective patient communication, and cross-cultural medical teamwork.
15. University of Aberdeen School of Medicine – Visiting Electives
Location: Aberdeen or Inverness (Scotland, UK)
Cost: £250 administration fee for international students, plus a £59 police check; no fee for UK medical students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size depends on available hospital space each year
Dates: Minimum 4 weeks, maximum 8 weeks. Placements in Aberdeen run during July and August only, while Inverness accepts applications year-round
Application Deadline: Varies by year
Eligibility: Clinical-year undergraduate medical students from an approved university, providing proof of English ability, police clearance, and sufficient funds
This elective program gives you the chance to gain real hospital experience in Scotland during your clinical study years. You will explore topics spanning general medicine, general surgery, general practice, paediatrics, plastic surgery, haematology, radiology, infectious diseases, renal medicine, rheumatology, gastroenterology, and medicine for the elderly. During your stay, you will participate in daily clinical activities, teaching rounds, and case conferences with local doctors. Through this direct work, you will build patient communication, cross-cultural teamwork, and practical clinical reasoning skills.
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