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Clinical Placements

We offer placement opportunities for students and professionals to improve their knowledge and understanding of palliative and end-of-life care.

For Student Placements

At St Gemma’s Hospice, we support the learning and development of future healthcare professionals. Clinical placements are coordinated by the Academic Unit of Palliative Care (AUPC), working in partnership with our clinical teams.

This offers students the opportunity to learn alongside experienced multidisciplinary professionals and gain first-hand experience of specialist palliative and end-of-life care in a supportive, compassionate and person-centered environment.

Depending on your placement area, you may have opportunities to observe specialist symptom management, communication with patients and families, multidisciplinary team working, and holistic care.

We welcome applications from students across a range of healthcare disciplines, including:

  • Medical students wishing to develop their understanding of specialist palliative medicine, symptom management and multidisciplinary care.
  • Nursing students seeking experience of holistic hospice care and person-centred end-of-life care.
  • Occupational Therapy students interested in supporting independence, function and quality of life for people with life-limiting illness.
  • Physiotherapy students looking to gain experience in rehabilitation, mobility, symptom management and goal-focused care.
  • Bereavement Counselling students wishing to develop their understanding of grief, loss, bereavement support and compassionate communication.

To apply for a student placement, please complete the online application form. The Academic Unit of Palliative Care will review your application with the relevant clinical team and contact you regarding availability and next steps.

Apply now

Shadowing Opportunities for Healthcare Professionals

At St Gemma’s Hospice, we offer shadowing opportunities for qualified healthcare professionals who would like to gain a greater understanding of specialist palliative and end-of-life care.

Our shadowing placements provide an opportunity to observe experienced multidisciplinary teams and develop your understanding of how specialist hospice services support patients and families across a range of clinical settings.

Healthcare professionals may be able to arrange shadowing experiences within:

  • In-Patient Unit – observing the care of patients with complex palliative and end of life care needs.
  • Community/Out-Patient Teams – gaining insight into hospice care delivered in patients’ homes and community settings.
  • Medical Team – observing specialist palliative care assessments, symptom management, and multidisciplinary working.
  • Therapies Team – learning about physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and rehabilitation approaches in palliative care.

Shadowing placements are designed to provide observational learning opportunities and are subject to service capacity, operational requirements, and governance considerations.

To request a shadowing placement, please complete the online application form. Our team will review your request and contact you to discuss availability and suitable arrangements.

Apply now

Before You Apply – Frequently Asked Questions

Placement lengths vary depending on your learning objectives and service capacity. This will be agreed once your application has been reviewed.