Work experience

While working in accordance with NHS England’s Widening Participation and Talent for Care strategies, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, is delighted to be able to support anyone who has the potential to flourish in the NHS, by offering an insight into a variety of the many careers available.

We have a long established work experience programme that is primarily aimed at students in school years 11-13; however you are very welcome to get in touch if you are considering a career change later in life.

All clinical placements are purely observational (no hands-on tasks) and are fully supervised.

Placements run for 5 days, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). No weekend exposure is permitted.

Please be aware that students must be at least 16 years of age to take part and that further age restrictions are imposed on certain departments.

The majority of placements we host are for those looking to apply to medical school, but If you aren’t an aspiring medic; we have exciting opportunities for everyone. There are hundreds of roles in the NHS.

Current situation

We are really excited by the amount of interest our local communities have shown in a potential NHS career. We have received thousands of enquiries and are delighted to have been able to host over 500 work experience students in 2024.

We have now filled all available places for the current academic year, which includes all dates up until the end of August 2025.

Dates for placements in the 2025-2026 academic year will be open to new applications once we are able to confirm availability. We anticipate that this will be at the end of May 2025.

Please do check back for any updates on the face-to-face programme.

Virtual insight

We often receive requests from those too young to gain face-to-face experience in our hospitals and we want to do all we can to engage anyone who may be considering an NHS career. We are therefore delighted to announce a virtual programme for anyone aged 14 years and above who may be looking for an insight into NHS careers.

The programme arrangements are still ongoing, but we are proposing to deliver over one or two days during the week of the 7 – 11 April 2025.

Please follow this link to our registration form. Once plans are finalised, you will be sent a schedule and the links to join the most appropriate session/s. 

https://forms.office.com/e/uvmHdB0Ych

The deadline to apply is 23:59 on Sunday 30 March 2025

Sadly, any submissions received after this time cannot be included in plans for the April session. Please check back for future opportunities.

Useful links for students

· Step into the NHS (opens in a new window)

Student friendly advice and guidance on the 350 different roles within the NHS with interactive quizzes, real-life stories and videos aimed at students taking their first steps in a career in the NHS

· NHS health careers (opens in a new window)

Informative guidance about planning a career in the NHS

· Medical Schools Council (opens in a new window)

Click here for guidance from MSC on work experience before applying to Medical School.