Medical Electives

Medical Electives for Overseas Medical Students

Wellington Regional Hospital is one of several teaching hospitals for medical students from the University of Otago. As a large teaching Intensive Care Unit, we host both New Zealand and international medical students. To join our team, International (overseas) medical students must be in the final year of training for a medical degree from another institution. All placements are of 6 weeks duration and have fixed dates throughout the calendar year.

What does a placement in Wellington ICU involve?

You will work in the ICU as part of the medical team. This includes:

Attending daily handover & ward rounds
Attending Medical Emergency Team calls
Reviewing patients in the Emergency Department and other clinical areas
Participating in interhospital retrievals (by airplane, helicopter or road) as part of the Wellington Aeromedical Retrieval Service (WARS) based in the ICU
Attending ICU medical teaching

How long is each placement?

All ICU placements in Wellington for overseas medical students are six weeks long. These are limited to fixed start and end dates determined by the university. Dates for upcoming placements can be found from the button below.

Applications are processed quarterly, no earlier than 6 months and no later than 4 months prior to the requested placement date.

Elective Dates

Who looks after me?

One of the Wellington ICU Specialists will act as a mentor for you during your placement. They will be your first point of contact to ensure we are meeting your educational needs, as well as completing any required assessment for your home University.

Can I apply to you directly?

No.

All applications are processed by the University of Otago who charge a fee for this service. This ensures you have access to academic facilities, are from a valid medical school with up-to-date immunisations, and meet the English language requirements, along with other criteria. As clinicians, we are unable to conduct these checks.

Can I just do aeromedical retrieval?

No.

The Wellington Aeromedical Retrieval Service (WARS) is integrated within the ICU but is not a standalone service. WARS provides the clinical crew (doctors & nurses) and co-ordination for retrievals, with our colleagues at Life Flight & Wellington Free Ambulance providing the vehicles.

Your clinical placement would be based in ICU with the opportunity to participate in retrievals when possible.

Trainee Intern Handbook

Local medical students training with the University of Otago Wellington spend time in Wellington ICU as part of the Emergency and Acute Care Module. This is part of their training taken during the final year ('Trainee Intern') of medical school in New Zealand.

Dr Sam Talbot, the Wellington ICU Education Fellow, has written a handbook describing the opportunities for making the most of this time in our ICU. This is made available for download here for those thinking of coming to Wellington for an overseas elective.

Download

How to Apply

All applications for overseas medical student electives are through the University of Otago and are made online. A description of the requirements and process are available from their website, accessible from the button below.

APPLY HERE