The Visiting Student Elective Programme offers short term, observational placements, for medical students, in their final year of study. Students are placed with one of the consultants working for the Barts Health Trust and spend their time shadowing and experiencing typical days in a specific medical speciality.
Recently, the Visiting Student Elective Programme has been reviewed, and has undergone a policy change. In recognition of the increasing demand for elective placements, whilst ensuring we maintain high standards for all learners, QMUL in partnership with Barts Health Trust have developed a new model to support this important activity. This model will provide a collaborative approach which will ensure we can optimise the opportunities available for quality assured placements.
The incoming elective programme opens for applications 3 times a year. The time you should apply depends on when you would like to undertake your elective as noted below:
Please note that the application round is for applicants to complete the online application form and make the payment required. Application attempts made outside of these times or arranged with a consultant without making an application would not be considered. We also do not allow for any overlap of dates.
Applicants are given three choices. Around 99.9% of students who apply are placed and those who submit the same week the applications are opened are more successful at gaining a first choice placement, providing they meet the application eligibility requirements.
If you have any queries about the programme, please send an email to smd-incoming-electives@qmul.ac.uk.
Please note that the application round is for applicants to complete the online application form and make the payment required. Application attempts made outside of these times or arranged with a consultant without making an application would not be considered. We also do not allow any overlap of dates.
Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible for an Elective placement:
IMPORTANT NOTE: All elective placements are offered purely for observational purposes, in order to comply with occupational health and immigration requirements. Please see the Electives Handbook for further information.
Due to the volume of applications we receive, please ensure that you include the following documents with your application upon submission. Failure to do so, will result in your application being immediately rejected.
All required documentation must be received via the online application form. If you have any issues with the form within the application round, please email smd-incoming-electives@qmul.ac.uk in the first instance.
Once you have submitted your application, this will be initially processed by Queen Mary, University of London. This is to ensure that if successful you'll have access to QMUL services and facilities during your placement.
On your application, you are required to select three specialties within the Hospital Trusts we have to offer. Once the initial assessment is complete, your application will then be forwarded to relevant hospital staff who, where possible, allocate you to the specialty of your choice, by contacting the relevant consultant(s). If your first choice is not available, we will endeavour to allocate you to your second or third choice.
If the consultant agrees to accept you, an official email will be sent to you confirming you are a successful applicant for the elective placement, to which you will have 14 working days to accept or decline. Please note that it may take several months for us to confirm your placement, depending on the time of year you are applying for.
The successful applicant email will include a link to complete the Occupational Health form which will need to be completed and returned at least 4 weeks prior to the start of your Elective. Failure to complete and submit the form on time may result in your offer being withdrawn. The School reserves the right to withdraw its offer to you depending on medical or immigration advice.
Students will not be allowed to attend the Elective placement until they have received clearance from the Occupational Health Team. This email will also include information regarding immigration permission, should this be relevant to you.
A further email will be sent to you detailing the limits of the elective and at least 2 weeks prior to your elective, you will be invited to pre-enrol. This process requests preliminary contact information from you which helps speed up the enrolment process on your first day.
It can take several months for us to confirm elective placements, but we have put in place decision deadlines so you know approximately what the latest date is that you’ll hear from us. Please see the below grid for reference.
For specific dates that the application round will be open, please check the website approximately a week before the application round.
During each of the application rounds, and once you have submitted your application, you will be direct to make payment for the Administration & Elective Fee. The payment link is only available during the application rounds, and payment outside of these times will not be permitted. Please note that the fee must be paid online. We do not accept cheques or bank transfers.
The elective fee is made up of a £300 administration fee, and a £550 standard elective fee for 2-4 weeks.
Additional weeks up to 8 weeks will be charged at £50 per week.
Please note that the administration fee is non-refundable, but you may be eligible for a placement fee refund if you are not placed or do not attend.
Please review our Incoming Elective Refund Policy [PDF 190KB] for further details.
The grid below should help you work out how much you need to pay.
Please note that an application which is received without payment will be rejected automatically and you will lose the £300 administration fee.
Applications for Elective placements between September-December 2023 will be open from 10AM, Monday 27th March - Friday 31st March.
You may apply for Electives in the following specialties:
Please note Internal Medicine is not offered as an elective placement.
Dental Electives: Please note that Dental electives are administered by the Dental Institute. Please contact dentistry@qmul.ac.uk for information about dental electives.
Hospitals within the Barts Health Trust: Please note that elective placements can be at a number of different hospitals within the Trust, based on the rotation of your supervising consultant. The official list of these hospitals can be found at the Barts Health website here: http://bartshealth.nhs.uk/our-hospitals/
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust: Elective students can now undertake an elective at The Princess Alexandra Hospital. If you would like to find out further information about the hospital please visit https://www.pah.nhs.uk/
Hospitals where placements occur include (but are not limited to): The Royal London Hospital, St Bartholomew's Hospital, Whipps Cross University Hospital, Newham University Hospital, The Princess Alexandra Hospital.
Pre-hospital Care and Emergency Medicine - please note that the Pre-hospital Care and Emergency Medicine elective placements are administered exactly the same as our other specialties. If you have further queries about Pre-hospital Care and Emergency Medicine, please visit https://www.londonsairambulance.org.uk/education/hcp/medical-students for contact details.
If you reside outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you will need an appropriate visa to enter the UK and undertake your Elective. For the latest general advice on applying for a visa, please see - QMUL - Which visa should I apply for?
For further advice, please visit the Advice & Counselling Service
If you are offered a placement, you MUST come to the Student Office in the Garrod building (Turner Street) between 09:30 and 12:00 on the first day of your Elective to enrol. Failure to do this will mean you will be unable to begin your placement.
If accepted for a placement, you MUST bring originals of all documentation you have provided in your application form, as well as your passport and visa (if applicable), to enrolment:
Failure to show all the required documents on your first day will result in your enrolment being refused, and you will be unable to begin your elective.
For more information and a list of commonly asked questions, please view our FAQs.