Cambridge Ethical Electives

Choosing an elective overseas

All University of Cambridge medical students undertake an elective in their final year. This is an opportunity for students to gain clinical experience in a specialism and organisation of their choice.

Undertaking an elective in a low- or middle-income country often gives students unique hands-on experience that is not available to them in the UK, helping them to gain broader self-directed clinical or research experience.

If you are a Cambridge Medical Student we can help to signpost global health organisations which have elective placement programmes relevant to your interests. Since 2006 we have supported hundreds of Cambridge student electives on a range of topics from family information project with the Uganda Cancer Institute on childhood cancer, and digitalisation of TB and other health data in Gaborone, Botswana.

Students can also undertake their medical electives in our long-running programmes.

Please contact us if you want to find out more about possible elective projects.

The Student Bursary Scheme

If you undertake an elective within one of our health partnership projects you can apply for a bursary of £500-£1000.

Please contact the Cambridge Global Health Partnerships team for more information.

With special thanks to The Thriplow Charitable Trust for generously supporting the Student Global Health Bursary Scheme in 2023.