Whilst shadowing/observing a Dentist or Doctor can be an excellent way to gain insight into the profession, it’s not the only way. Whatever your experience, it’s important to showcase your commitment to helping others and your understanding of the importance of compassionate care,
Placements are hosted during the academic year only. We do not host placements during school holiday periods.
Please note that placement availability depends on staff availability and service demands. We do not offer placements in Women & Children Services, Mental Health, Paediatrics, Emergency Medicine or Intensive Care.
We will work to place all students who request a placement however places are limited and we prioritise placements to S6 and S5 Pupils who live in or attend school in our Health board area who have not previously completed a placement with us.
Our programmes
Medicine – S5 and S6 Pupils
The AMOS Programme offers S5 and S6 pupils a two day Shadowing and Observation placement within a specialty where you will rotate between a base area (Ward or Theatre) and Clinics where you will have the opportunity to to shadow our Medical and Multi Disciplinary teams.
Our host departments:
- Anaesthetics – Find out more about Anaesthetics
- Medicine – Find out more about Medical Specialties
- Orthopaedics – Find out more about Orthopaedics
- Surgery – Find out more about Surgery
Medicine – S4
The Future Doctor Programme is a one day programme of workshops and skills sessions hosted by our Resident Doctors within the Scottish Centre for Simulation & Clinical Human Factors at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.
Dentistry
We support pupils on placement to shadow for a half day within our community Dental service at Falkirk Community Hospital and one day at the Orthodontic Department at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. Pupils are strongly encouraged to complete a placement within a Dental Practice prior to submitting an application. You can search for Dental Practices in your area by post code or town using this link Find Local Services – NHS Forth Valley
How to apply for a school pupil shadowing/observation placement in medicine or dentistry
All placements are processed through an online application form and we recommend that students requesting a placement to support their UCAS application for study in the next academic year submit their request at the earliest possible opportunity.
Please note that placement availability is limited and priority for placement requests between August and October will be given to Forth Valley Board Area School Pupils who have not already been hosted on placement and who intend to submit a UCAS Application to study Medicine or Dentistry in 2027.
What other activity or work experience would be helpful?
The Medical Schools Council and The Dental Schools Council offer advice on the type of work experience needed to support your application to study.
The entry requirement pages of the university you wish to apply to will have detailed information about the application process and requirements.
Any activity or life experience that helps you prepare for professional study is beneficial. Any public-facing role, for example, is valuable as interpersonal skills are an important part of being a Doctor or a Dentist
Volunteering and paid part time work are very useful ways of gaining experience. Virtual observation and reflection is also very helpful.
Other useful activities might include reading journals or following news about the NHS. These activities will emphasise your interest in a Medical or Dental career and your willingness to research your chosen profession
NHS Scotland medicine and dentistry careers information
- Your Med Future | NHSScotland Careers
- A Career in Dentistry – Scottish Dental
- Dental | NHSScotland Careers
Working in dentistry provides a range of varied and rewarding career opportunities that make a real difference to people’s lives, from improving oral health and care to helping to prevent and detect other health conditions and ensuring people get access to the right services.
Widening participation programmes
The Reach Programme is a national widening access initiative funded by the Scottish Funding Council that helps S4 to S6 pupils from non-traditional or deprived backgrounds enter high-demand professional degrees including medicine and dentistry. It is run across five regional universities including the University of Glasgow, University of Edinburgh, University of St Andrews, University of Dundee and University of Aberdeen
Gateway to medicine programmes
- Gateway2Medicine (G2M) | The School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition | The University of Aberdeenn
- Medicine – Gateway to Medicine MBChB | University of Dundee, UK
- University of Glasgow – Schools – School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing – Undergraduate Medical School – Admissions – Gateway to Medical Studies Programme
- Gateway to medicine – Subjects – University of St Andrews
Dentistry
- University of Glasgow – Study – Widening Participation – Reach Programme
- Dentistry resources from Reach | University of Dundee, UK
Virtual work experience and video resources
You Can Be A Doctor – You Can Be A Doctor, a Scottish charity dedicated to breaking down barriers and empowering individuals to pursue a career in medicine.
Virtual Ward Rounds – While watching videos cannot fully replace real-world experience and conversations with health professionals, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has created some resources to guide your own reflections on what you are seeing. By working through these you will take away some important learning points about how the whole team interacts in a hospital environment and how both patients and staff may feel about certain scenarios.
Observe a GP – Observe GP is an online alternative to work experience for aspiring medics aged 16 and over, who are living in the UK. It is a free interactive video platform providing insights into the role of a GP and the wider primary care team.
Medical student placement requests
National and international medical students wishing to apply for an elective attachment or placement should contact our undergraduate team at fv.undergraduatemedicaleducation@nhs.scot
providing details of their university, year of study, placement specialty and preferred dates.
Clinical attachment requests
Any queries or requests regarding clinical attachments should be sent to fv.medicalworkforcerecruitment@nhs.scot
Applicants should also send a copy of their CV and a covering letter stating which specialty or specialties they wish to be considered for.
Please note: This email address should only be used to request attachments for fully qualified doctors.
Other resources
- Studying medicine – British Medical Association
- Becoming a dentist in the UK – British Dental Association
- The BMJ: Leading Medical Research, News, Education, Opinion
- British Dental Journal