Electives
Elective placements are an important part of the medical school curriculum.
Visiting Elective Students
Visiting Elective Applications are now Closed
We are unable to accept any new applications for Visiting Elective Students until MARCH 2026.
We have received a record number of applications in the last 6 months and are therefore at capacity for the next 12 months.
Please note: we will honour any application submitted on or before 18th February 2025 (as long as it meets our criteria), but cannot accept any new applications after this date, regardless of any preliminary agreement with a supervisor.
The decision to pause applications was made at short notice and took immediate effect. While we appreciate this will be disappointing to any student who had started planning their elective with us but were unable to apply before 18th February, we are unfortunately unable to make any exceptions and do not have a waiting list.
Please check back in early 2026 for information about when the programme will reopen.
For students who already received an offer letter and have a confirmed place on the programme, a copy of our Visiting Elective Policy is still available to you below:
Visiting Elective Policy (PDF Download)
Outgoing Electives
As a Newcastle University Student registered on the MBBS programme, you will undertake an 8 week period of elective study in semester two (January - March) of 5th Year. The Medical Elective is part of the student selected component allowing students to exercise choice and providing you with the ultimate opportunity to gain experience in any specialism, in almost any safe part of the world.
Approximately two-thirds of the year group use the Elective opportunity to go overseas and explore world healthcare, with destinations being as far-reaching as Mongolia, Samoa and Cambodia. However, for students who elect to remain in the UK, the opportunity affords equally rewarding and exciting opportunities in often equally diverse settings, potentially working with some of the best in the world, and helping steer students’ future medical careers.
The Medical School provides a number of opportunities during Year 3 and Year 4, for students to receive and discuss information relating to the planning of their elective, such as health and safety considerations and other aspects of elective travel. Your 4th Year is focused on planning your elective, deciding on destination, specialism and contemplating your aims and objectives.
Students are able to access information on all aspects of the elective programme, including the study guide – the Medical Elective Handbook, an FAQ document, information about elective bursaries, elective opportunities and feedback from past students, via Newcastle University’s Medical Learning Environment (MLE).
The elective can be one of the most exciting and motivating periods of medical training and we look forward to supporting you in your chosen Elective placement.