Victoria Hospital is a busy district hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. It offers elective placements in the departments of General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Orthopaedics and Emergency Medicine for medical students who are in the final two years of their studies. Nursing internships are available for medical students and nursing students in any year of study. Did you know that Cape Town is home to the famous Table Mountain, one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature? You'll have the opportunity to discover South Africa's diverse culture, stunning landscapes, and beautiful coastline from this remarkable city!
Hospital profile
At a glance
Departments available for internships:
General Surgery Internal Medicine Paediatrics Orthopaedics Emergency Medicine
Hospital Description
Victoria Hospital is a district hospital located in Wynberg in the southern suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa. It is part of the public healthcare system of the Western Cape Province and provides secondary-level medical care to a large and socio-economically diverse population. The hospital has 203 beds and treats approximately 100,000 patients of all ages each year. The minimum duration of this internship is 2 weeks (barring Orthopedics which has a minimum duration of 8 weeks) and can be extended up to 12. Apart from the program fee, the interns will also pay a "Hospital contribution fee", which is starts from 11,100 Rand and goes up to 30,100 Rand, depending on the duration of the internship. Please contact us for more details.
Internship profile
Typical day and tasks of an intern
Students of medicine and nursing can undertake an elective placement or internship in one department or rotate through several departments. They are attached to a supervising physician or nurse who decides which examinations and treatments the student can carry out under supervision. During the placement, students gain practical experience by assisting healthcare professionals and observing clinical work in their assigned department. Depending on their training level and the approval of their supervisor, students may assist with tasks such as drug administration, wound care, taking vital signs, giving vaccinations, and other clinical activities. The responsibilities and level of involvement vary according to the student’s qualifications, experience, and the guidance of the supervising physician or nurse.
Students should bring appropriate hospital clothing e.g. scrubs. Stethoscope and basic clinical tools used by a medical student. (The placement involves ward rounds, outpatient work, procedures, and emergency care exposure, so clinical equipment would be relevant.)
Supervisors available
You will be assigned a supervisor from your field who will look after you during your elective. If your university / school has special requirements regarding the supervision of your elective, please let us know so that we can inform the hospital.
Requirements
Minimum age:
18
Maximum age:
99
Minimum qualification of the intern:
This program is open to medical and nursing students aged 18 and above with a good command of English. *Medical students: Elective placements in General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Orthopaedics, and Emergency Medicine are available to students in the second-to-last or final year of their medical degree. Medical students can also do a nursing internship in any year of their medical studies. *Nursing students: Placements are available to students in any year of their nursing studies. *All participants must provide proof of Hepatitis B vaccination before the start of their placement.
Application process
Documents required:
Please contact us for an overview of all necessary registration documents.
Application instructions:
You should first send us an inquiry, indicating when you would like to undertake your elective, which department(s) you prefer, and which year of study you will be in at that time. There is no general application deadline. However, places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend applying as early as possible (ideally 6-18 months in advance). Once the hospital has confirmed availability, you will receive a booking form from the hospital's elective coordinator, which you must complete and submit. The hospital contribution fee must be paid by bank transfer to the hospital's bank account in South Africa. Once your payment has been received, the hospital will issue your confirmation letter.
Costs
- 2 weeks 793 USD
- 4 weeks 793 USD
- 8 weeks 793 USD
- 3 months 908 USD
- 6 months 0 USD
- 1 year USD
This includes:
*Arrangement of your placement
*Individual Consultation and Preparation prior to your arrival
*Access to the World Unite! Knowledge Base which has preparation materials including intercultural preparation, compiled particularly for your destination
*Preparation Session via Zoom; together with further participants
*Pick-up and Transfers from/to Cape Town (CPT) Airport on arrival and departure
*Personal support staff at your location and at our international office
*Orientation and Introduction in Cape Town
*Accompanying you to your placement on your first day
*Project Contribution
*24 Hours emergency support by local support team
*Local SIM Card with 100 ZAR air time
*Issuance of Confirmations/Certificates for your university, scholarship, insurance, etc. and filling out/signing Internship Contracts for your university
*15% Discount for Safaris, Kilimanjaro Climbs, Excursions and Watersports Activities offered by "Budget Safari Tanzania"
*CO2 compensation of your long-haul flights: Costs for 10 seedlings of indigenous trees that we plant on the slopes of Kilimanjaro
This does not include:
*Hospital Contribution Fee (you pay that directly to the hospital)
*Accommodation and Meals
*Travel to/from Cape Town (you book it on your own; we can assist you)
*Insurance (Travel Health Insurance, Liability Insurance, Travel Cancellation insurance; you book it on your own, we can assist you)
*Personal Expenses
*Vaccinations
*Local Transport in Cape Town
What to bring:
Students should bring appropriate hospital clothing e.g. scrubs. Stethoscope and basic clinical tools used by a medical student. (The placement involves ward rounds, outpatient work, procedures, and emergency care exposure, so clinical equipment would be relevant.)