Elective Placement for Medical & Healthcare Students in Tanzania

Destination

Tanzania

Age

18+ y/o

Minimum Stay

2 weeks

Start Date

anytime

Accommodation

homestay

What’s Included

24/7 Support

Round-the-clock support on the ground and 24/7 back up from our global teams.

Accommodation & Amenities

Clean, safe, and welcoming accommodation. A home away from home with comfortable amenities.

Activities, Training & Equipment

All programme activities and equipment, including training and workshops from experienced professionals.

Certification

Certified record of service hours, workshops, and activities for your CV.

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Starting at £1,775 for 2 weeks

Flexible 0% Interest payments

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Trip Overview

Gain clinical experience

Work alongside healthcare professionals in Arusha, gaining first-hand experience in various specialities and observing unique medical cases.

Broaden your healthcare knowledge

Gain valuable insights into Tanzanian healthcare challenges, contributing to patient care and expanding your medical knowledge.

Your elective, your way

Pick a speciality that aligns with your career goals, focusing on areas like urology, neurosurgery, or anesthesiology, to gain relevant experience.

Experience Tanzania’s culture

Stay with a welcoming host family in Arusha, enjoy authentic Tanzanian cuisine, and explore the stunning local sights, like Tarangire National Park.

Grow as a person and professional

Enhance your clinical skills, cultural competence, and adaptability, broadening your perspective and preparing for your medical career.

What you need to know

Overview

Immerse yourself in a medical elective that will shape your future.

This elective placement will connect students like you with Tanzanian medical facilities. Get experience, learn from local professionals, and make a real difference in underserved communities.

Tailor Your Elective

Focus your elective on a specific area of medicine that aligns with your career goals.

Speciality options include:

Nursing
Midwifery
Paediatrics & Paediatric Surgery
Urology
Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT)
Anaesthesiology
And many more!

Your elective. Your focus. Your future.

Speak with our team to discuss your interests and create an elective that will provide the most relevant and enriching experience possible.

A Day in the Life

Mornings: Begin with rounds alongside the local medical team. You’ll witness firsthand the complexities of tropical diseases and maternal health cases. Active participation is encouraged. You’ll take patient histories, perform examinations, and discuss potential diagnoses in the outpatient department.

Afternoons: Observe local doctors and healthcare professionals in the medical wards and see how they manage cases with limited resources.

Evenings: Our dedicated Projects Abroad doctor leads sessions on tropical diseases prevalent in Tanzania. You’ll explore critical health challenges, diagnostic techniques, and cultural contexts that shape medical practice in the region.

Aims & Impact

You will gain

Enhanced clinical skills: Develop your abilities in a challenging and resource-limited environment.
Disease: Gain firsthand experience with tropical and infectious diseases rarely seen in the UK.
Cultural competence: Learn to interact effectively with patients and colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
Improved adaptability: Enhance your problem-solving skills in a dynamic setting.
Global health portfolio: Build a unique and internationally-focused medical and healthcare portfolio.
Understanding health inequalities: Gain a deeper understanding of global health challenges.

You will give back

Healthcare support: Provide essential support to local healthcare professionals.
Accessibility: Enhance healthcare access in rural areas.
Community health: Support ongoing health initiatives.
Health education: Contribute to valuable health education programmes.

How we measure our impact

We measure our success through the number of patients supported, community health screenings conducted, educational workshops delivered, and long-term health education initiatives established.

Medical Supervision

Throughout your placement, you’ll be supported by our dedicated Projects Abroad medical doctor.

This experienced professional:

Provides comprehensive on-site medical oversight
Guides your clinical learning and experience
Ensures your safety and professional development
Acts as a bridge between you and local medical staff
Offers regular debriefing and reflection sessions
Provides additional medical context and learning opportunities

Meet Dr. Mishaal Ally Kassu, Head of Medical Programmes, Projects Abroad Tanzania

Dr Mishaal Ally Kassu is dedicated to supporting your medical and healthcare elective journey. She will provide expert guidance and mentorship and ensure you gain valuable clinical experience in Tanzania.

Professional Experience

Doctor of Medicine (MBBS) from Sumy State Medical University, Ukraine
Six years of clinical practice in government and private hospitals
Extensive experience supporting medical interns across multiple medical departments

Professional Focus

Primary healthcare service delivery
Patient diagnosis and treatment
Health promotion and disease prevention
Chronic disease management
Medical education and training

Specialist Areas

Family Medicine
Preventative Care
Dermatology
Public Health and Community Medicine

How Dr Kassu will help you

Dr Kassu is passionate about supporting international medical and healthcare students. She is available to answer your questions, offer clinical insights, and help you make the most of your elective experience.

Map & Location

Vast savannahs teeming with wildlife, Mount Kilimanjaro piercing the sky, and the colourful culture of the Maasai tribe — all things you’ll find in the incredible East African nation of Tanzania.

Tanzania is considered as one of the safest countries in Africa with a friendly and welcoming population, and is a popular tourist destination. With 30% of the country covered in national parks, including the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, it’s especially good for safaris.

Arusha

Arusha, in northern Tanzania, serves as a gateway to Africa’s most renowned safari destinations. The region is home to 2.4 million people, with 600,000 living in Arusha city at the foot of Mount Meru. It enjoys a pleasant highland climate with warm days and cool nights.

It has a mix of cultures and a growing tourism industry thanks to the fascinating handcrafted souvenirs of the Maasai markets, interesting cultural sites, and thrilling safari trips to nearby national parks.

Food & Accommodation

Discover the magic of Tanzania from your base in Arusha. You’ll have everything you need for a comfortable stay, including a cosy bed, three meals a day using the authentic tastes of Tanzania, and readily available drinking water.

You’ll be welcomed into a carefully selected host family in Arusha, instantly making you feel like a local and providing a taste of Tanzanian life. It will be clean, safe, and within a short distance of your placement. We’ll also handle your daily transport to and from your project, so you can focus on developing your skills, connections, and global perspective.

Shared rooms are arranged with other participants of the same gender and similar age, creating a great opportunity to connect and share your cultural exchange in this beautiful country.

Free Time and Leisure

A trip to Tanzania is the chance to experience life in the heart of Africa. There’s plenty to see and do here during your free time on your project.

A project in Tanzania wouldn’t be complete without a safari! This is a chance to see the beautiful wildlife of this country up close, like elephants, rhinos, and lions.

What’s more, Tanzania is home to the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. Hiking around the base through lush vegetation is a peaceful way to spend an afternoon.

Browsing through a vibrant, local market is a must while you’re there. You can also spend time in a Maasai village, getting to know a completely different way of life.

There will likely be many other volunteers in Tanzania with you. This means you have the option to explore the country independently or with a group of like-minded volunteers from different projects.

Your Arrival Made Easy

When you arrive at your respective airport, a member of Projects Abroad staff will be there to meet you. You can find more detailed information on arrival airports, orientation, and visas on our Tanzania Arrival Procedures page.