Medical Electives and Clinical Placements Abroad
Discover clinical learning opportunities in Brazil, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Zanzibar. Med’oPolo helps international students find placements in different healthcare systems, prepare their applications and organise their time abroad.
International experience. Destination-specific options. Independent application and no rigid university partnerships.
Why Choose Med’oPolo?
Completing a clinical elective abroad gives you the chance to experience medicine in a different setting, learn how healthcare is delivered in other countries and broaden your perspective on global health. Med’oPolo helps international students find clinical placements that match their stage of training, interests and plans.
Apply Independently
You can apply through Med’oPolo without an existing exchange agreement between your home university and the host institution. Simply contact us directly about the programme you’re interested in. If you need academic credit for your placement, please check the recognition requirements with your home university.
Compare Affordable Options
We know that costs are an important consideration when planning an elective abroad. Fees and arrangements vary between destinations and placements. You’ll find the current costs on each program page, allowing you to compare your options and plan your budget before applying.
Experience Built Over Time
Med’oPolo began with an international medical training programme in Shanghai, China, and gradually expanded to other healthcare settings. Over the years, more than 1,000 international students have completed clinical electives through Med’oPolo.
Explore Our Current Clinical Programmes
Each destination offers a different clinical setting, program structure and application process. Take a look at the hospitals and locations below, then follow the relevant links for further details and application information.
Brazil – Botucatu
Explore a clinical elective at the Faculty of Medicine of Botucatu (FMB), part of UNESP in the state of São Paulo. Discover the teaching-hospital environment and life in a Brazilian university city.
Ghana – Damongo
Discover St. Anne Catholic Hospital in Damongo and learn about healthcare delivery in a regional Ghanaian setting. Explore a different perspective on how care is organised in northern Ghana.
Sri Lanka – Hospital Network
Explore clinical placements across partner hospitals in Sri Lanka. Medical students can review the elective pathway, while pre-med and nursing applicants can explore the observership option where available.
Zanzibar – Real Care Hospital
Explore a clinical placement at Real Care Hospital in Nungwi and experience healthcare in Zanzibar’s island setting. The programme currently lists placements of 4–16 weeks.
Not sure which program suits you best? Have a look at the destination information and get in touch with your preferred dates, current stage of training and clinical interests. We’re happy to help you find out which options may be suitable.
Who Can Apply for an International Clinical Placement?
Med’oPolo welcomes enquiries from students at different stages of healthcare education. However, admission requirements vary by program. Medical students should check the eligibility criteria for their preferred destination and clinical elective. Selected programs, including the observership program in Sri Lanka, also offer opportunities for pre-med and nursing students. Not every programme is open to every student group.
When choosing a placement, consider your year of study, previous clinical experience, preferred specialties, intended start date and how long you would like to stay. Some programs require more preparation time, particularly for documentation and local arrangements. Please check the deadlines on the relevant program page before booking your trip.
Programme Fees and Planning Your Budget
We want international clinical learning to be an option students can realistically explore. Med’oPolo offers programmes in several destinations, each with its own costs and arrangements. Because placement duration, local services and fee structures vary, the most reliable way to compare costs is to read the fee information on each programme page before applying.
When planning your budget, remember to account for costs beyond the program fees. Depending on your destination, these may include flights, visas, insurance, meals and personal expenses. Accommodation arrangements also vary, so please refer to the relevant program and housing pages rather than assuming the same services are included everywhere.
It’s worth looking at the overall arrangements, not just the program fee, before making your decision. If anything is unclear, please contact Med’oPolo before applying or making non-refundable travel bookings.
How to Prepare for Your Application
Application procedures vary between destinations, but the following steps will help you get started:
- Choose a destination. Read about the programme and consider whether it matches your current stage of study and learning objectives.
- Check eligibility, fees and deadlines. Make sure you meet the requirements and allow enough time for both the application and travel preparations.
- Discuss academic recognition with your universities exchange office. If you need your elective or observership to count towards your studies, check the recognition requirements before applying.
- Prepare your documents. Follow the checklist on the relevant application page. If you’re unsure about any of the requirements, please contact us.
- Submit your application or enquiry. Let us know your preferred dates, intended duration and clinical interests so we can assess which arrangements may be possible at your chosen destination.
Please bear in mind that selecting a department or clinical activity in your application does not guarantee its availability. Final arrangements depend on the host hospital, available departments, local supervision and your level of training. Where required, the host department must confirm the placement before it can proceed.
Important: Applying without an existing university partnership does not automatically mean your elective will be recognised for academic credit. Recognition is determined by your home institution or the relevant authority. Please check the requirements in advance. Please check those requirements in advance!
Our Experience: From Shanghai to an International Programme
Med’oPolo’s story began in Shanghai, China. Our early work there laid the groundwork for an international program helping medical students gain clinical experience abroad. Although Shanghai is not currently accepting new Med’oPolo placements, it remains an important part of our history and the experience behind our programs today.
More Than a Decade of International Student Experience
Over the years, over 1000 international students have completed clinical electives through Med’oPolo. These placements have given students the chance to experience different healthcare environments, learn alongside local clinical teams and get to know cultures beyond their own
What began as a program based in China gradually developed into a wider international network. Each destination now has its own structure and practical requirements, but our central aim remains the same: connecting students with opportunities to learn medicine abroad.
The Early Beginnings: Shanghai East Hospital
In 2001, Prof. Liu Zhong Min established the Education Office at Shanghai East Hospital, initially providing training for students from Tongji University. His successor, Prof. Zhongxin Zhao, expanded its activities in 2007 by establishing an international internship programme, which first welcomed medical students from Germany.
Prof. Zhao worked closely with the Med’oPolo founding group to develop the curriculum and establish the programme’s organisational structure. In 2009, the Education Office introduced its first digital portal, making programme information more accessible to international applicants.
Professionalising Medical Electives in China
In 2010, the medical rotation curriculum was revised and organised into more standardised programs. These included Final Year rotations (PJ), Famulatur programs and an International Chinese Program. The formats were further developed over time to meet students’ educational needs and reflect the clinical training environment.
During this period, Prof. Zhao maintained academic links with physicians in Germany, other European countries and the United States. Particular attention was given to structured clinical teaching, international exchange and educational standards familiar to students from different medical education systems.
Curriculum Development and Clinical Teaching
The early program included an international lecture series, advanced medical seminars taught by professors and chief consultants, and English-language tutorials integrated into the students’ ward schedules. In 2010, Med’oPolo was formally established on-site in Shanghai as a project connected with Tongji University School of Medicine.
Student Accommodation and Operational Change
In its early years, Med’oPolo coordinated program activities from within the hospital’s Education Office. It also renovated student apartments on Rushan Road, providing international students with accommodation close to the hospital wards. Changes to local housing legislation meant that these apartments could no longer be used for international students after 2017. The program subsequently adapted its accommodation arrangements and operations.
Evolving Clinical Standards and Programme Leadership
As the program developed, additional English-speaking clinical tutors were recruited across hospital departments. Changes in national training directives in 2017 led to the discontinuation of the International Chinese Program, and Med’oPolo increasingly focused on specialised clinical electives.
Prof. Zhao retired from active programme management in 2019. Yiwei Luo subsequently took over administrative leadership of the Med’oPolo International Rotation Program, working with administrative staff and coordinators at Tongji University. During this period, the international administration continued to develop while maintaining close relationships with the program’s Shanghai partners.
Becoming an Independent International Programme
As the program grew, Med’oPolo developed into an independent administrative organisation. This allowed us to offer international clinical placements beyond China in addition to our first cooperation with the Shanghai East Hospital Education Office and Tongji University School of Medicine.
Adapting Through COVID-19 and Beyond
The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted international student mobility between 2020 and 2023. During this period, Med’oPolo continued its work in international medical education, developed digital learning resources and explored ways to resume clinical placements as travel restrictions and hospital access changed.
Expanding Beyond China: Brazil, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Zanzibar
In 2013, the Faculty of Medicine of Botucatu (FMB), part of UNESP in Brazil, became part of the Med’oPolo network. This created a clinical learning pathway in South America, where eligible students can explore placements in a Brazilian teaching-hospital environment. Prof. Weber has remained involved in international curriculum development.
In 2026, Med’oPolo launched its first active clinical program in Africa at St. Anne Catholic Hospital in Damongo, Ghana. The program allows students to learn about healthcare delivery in a regional hospital, with clinical activities depending on the individual placement arrangements and local supervision.
Our program in Sri Lanka added further options for medical students, as well as selected observership opportunities for pre-med and nursing applicants. More recently, Med’oPolo expanded to Zanzibar, Tanzania, with placements at Real Care Hospital in Nungwi. Each destination has its own clinical environment, admission requirements and practical arrangements.
Looking Ahead
Med’oPolo continues to explore new possibilities for international clinical training. We’ll announce additional destinations once program details and placement arrangements have been confirmed. If you’re interested in a destination that isn’t currently listed, feel free to contact us about possible future programs. Please keep in mind that an enquiry does not guarantee placement availability.
Interested in E-Learning?
Med’oPolo has developed digital learning resources alongside its international clinical programs. If you are interested in enrolling or would like to know which learning resources are currently available, please contact info@medopolo.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply if my university has no partnership with Med’oPolo?
Yes. MedoPolo processes your application independently of rigid university partnerships! You can enquire directly with Med’oPolo about a suitable proYes. You can apply through Med’oPolo without n existing exchange agreement between your university and the host institution. Contact us directly about the programme you’re interested in. If you need academic credit, please check the recognition requirements with your home university.
Which students can apply?
Med’oPolo works with medical students and, in selected pathways, pre-med and nursing applicants. The destination pages describe the options available for each group.
How long is a placement?
Duration varies by destination and programme. For example, the current Zanzibar programme lists placements of 4–16 weeks. The relevant programme page provides the duration options for each destination.
How much does a programme cost?
Fees differ by destination and programme. Current application and monthly education fees are shown on the relevant application page. Please refer to the destination pages for accommodation information.
Can Med’oPolo guarantee recognition by my university?
Recognition decisions belong to your home institution or the relevant authority. If you need academic credit, check their requirements as part of your planning.
Are placements in Shanghai currently available?
Shanghai East Hospital remains an important part of Med’oPolo’s history, but it is currently unable to accept new Med’oPolo placements. You can explore current options in Brazil, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Zanzibar.
Start Planning Your Clinical Placement Abroad
Tell us where you’d like to go, what you’re studying and when you’re planning to travel. If you have any questions about eligibility, program arrangements or preparing for your placement, feel free to get in touch before applying. We’re happy to help you find the information you need.