Clinical Placements
in Zanzibar
Live with local families • Work in real clinics • Learn traditional Swahili healing • Gain skills no classroom can teach
Live with local families • Work in real clinics • Learn traditional Swahili healing • Gain skills no classroom can teach
Designed for medical, nursing, physiotherapy students, and qualified practitioners seeking meaningful international exposure. Live within local Zanzibar households to understand cultural influences on health. Work alongside dedicated local professionals in real hospitals like Mnazi Mmoja Referral Hospital. Meet experienced traditional healers (mganga) to explore how spices and herbs are used in Swahili medicine — and how these practices complement or differ from Western approaches. This is more than observation — it's lived learning that builds profound empathy and practical wisdom.
Stay with a vetted host family, share meals, walk local streets — see firsthand how culture, environment, and daily life shape health and illness.
Shadow and assist local doctors and nurses in real patient care at facilities like Mnazi Mmoja referral Hospital — focused on tropical diseases and East African healthcare realities.
Weekly sessions with an experienced mganga exploring herbal remedies, spiritual practices, and the medicinal use of Zanzibar's spices — bridging Eastern and Western approaches.
We proudly partner with Mnazi Mmoja Referral Hospital, Zanzibar's primary public referral facility. Many of our students gain invaluable hands-on experience here, working alongside local healthcare teams in a high-volume setting serving the entire island.
Absolutely not! In addition to meaningful clinical exposure, participants enjoy afternoons and weekends exploring Zanzibar — bike riding through villages, relaxing on beaches, or joining cultural activities. Because all work and no play makes Jane a dull nurse!
Spaces are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Share your background, preferred dates, and field of study — we'll design a placement tailored just for you.