Clinical observerships/Medical elective - RB&HH Education - Clinical observerships | Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Education

Clinical observerships

Observe cardiac and respiratory care in a world leading UK hospital. Observation‑only training for UK and international healthcare professionals.

Overview

Our clinical observerships offer a supervised experience for postgraduate doctors, nurses and allied health professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of specialist heart and lung medicine.

Observerships run from 4 to 40 weeks, depending on your educational goals and departmental availability. We welcome applications from both UK‑based and international professionals, including those with or without UK professional registration.

What you will learn

Each clinical observership programme is tailored to your development goals. All observerships are fully supervised. When supervised, you will be able to:

  • Take a clinical history.
  • Shadow medical staff in outpatient clinics.
  • Accompany clinical staff on ward rounds and MDT meetings.
  • Participate in patient examinations and discussion on a diagnosis.
  • Shadow within our operating theatre.
  • Observe non-invasive, low-risk external imaging.

The following areas of specialism are currently available:

  • Respiratory medicine
  • Cardiology
  • Cardiac surgery
  • Thoracic surgery

Entry requirements

Who can apply

•  Postgraduate doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals

•  Applicants with English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6 or above. No formal certificate is required — proficiency will be assessed through discussion at interview.

Elective placements for undergraduate medical students

•  Medical students who wish to gain clinical experience can apply for an elective through this link: Elective Placement in Clinical Medicine course | Feature from King’s College London

How to apply

•  To begin your application, please submit your CV and a cover letter via our contact page, outlining your specific area of interest.

•  Applications are required to be six months before your preferred start date.

•  If a suitable placement is available, you will be invited to complete an application form and attend an interview.

Contact us to apply
“My experience at Royal Brompton Hospital far outweighed any expectations. I learnt how surgeons combine surgical practice with research and was exposed to some of the most cutting-edge techniques in cardiac surgery. Anyone with an interest in technology and complex cardiac surgical procedures would benefit from this observership programme!”
Anthony Lisacek-Kiosoglous, Australia Clinical observer in adult cardiac surgery
“I learnt how the experts at Royal Brompton Hospital treat a variety of interesting and rare conditions which I have only read about in textbooks. This has been an amazing experience. I have learnt so much from the professionals during teaching sessions, seminars, clinics and ward rounds. I am so glad to have had this opportunity. Thank you.
Dr Eiman AlMatar, KuwaitClinical observer in adult cardiology
"My time at Harefield hospital has been an invaluable experience that has significantly enriched my understanding of critical care medicine. The exposure to your dedicated team of healthcare professionals, state-of-the-art facilities, and the opportunity to witness firsthand the intricate workings of an ICU have been instrumental in my professional development."
Bruno Azevedo da Cruz, BrazilClinical Observer in ICU

Would you like to know more?

Please get in touch with our team to learn more about our clinical observership.

Contact us