Healthcare Professions Virtual Work Experience

Are you interested in gaining work experience for a career in healthcare?

The University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton are delighted to offer LIVE virtual work experience for students in Year 12/13.

You will gain a well-rounded view of life as a practicing healthcare professional. This work experience is suitable for students who are considering:

• Nursing
• Midwifery
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Audiology

Students applying for Medicine as a career will also find this work experience valuable.

You'll gain the essential knowledge and experience needed for applying to University.

This programme is open to all students based in the UK. However, there are places set aside for students who meet 1 or more widening participation criteria.

Widening participation criteria:

• in receipt of a 16 to 19 bursary or similar grant OR received Free School Meals at any point during your secondary school studies
• been in local authority care or looked after for three months or more OR are estranged from your family
• are a Young Carer
• current home post code shows that you live in an area with low levels of progression to Higher Education. (Postcodes within the lowest 2 POLAR4 quintiles)
• current home post code shows that you live in an area that falls within the lowest 20 percent of the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)
• participation in a recognised outreach or widening participation programme

Check your postcode

What to expect on the programme

The dates for 2026/27 are now confirmed as 6 and 7 July 2026. The programme is usually delivered online between 9am and 4pm. As this is a live programme, timetables are always subject to change depending on the day-to-day happenings.

A typical timetable usually includes opportunities to:

• observe clinicians in practice, this may include nursing, midwifery, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, cardiac physiology and audiology  
• experience University 'taster' sessions across a variety of Health Sciences disciplines
• speak with current students and practising Health Sciences clinicians

Apply now

You will need to fill out the form to appy for the Health Sciences Virtual Work Experience July 2026

Places are limited, so if you would like to participate in the Virtual Work Experience Programme, please complete the form by 5pm on Monday 1 July 2026.

Any questions please contact HSreach@soton.ac.uk.

Sarah McGinley, Principal Teaching Fellow & Lead Admissions Tutor