Work Shadowing
Work Shadowing is facilitated by the Work Opportunities Team. Placements are subject to paperwork clearance including risk assessments and health checks. Therefore, placements are available for Year 12s (16+) and over and paperwork can take up to two months to be completed during the offer period.
Students over the age of 14/ Year 10 up to year 13 can get involved in some of our insight day programmes. Please see here Insight programmes | CUH Careers (opens in a new tab)
CUH offers work shadowing opportunities for students attending colleges within Cambridgeshire and those from nearby areas. If you're unsure whether you're eligible, please email cuh.workexperience.addenbrookes@nhs.net for confirmation.
Establishments within our catchment area are informed of available programmes each academic year, and placements are allocated through an application process managed by the Work Opportunities Team. Please ensure you have approval from your school/college’s Careers Advisor or Tutor before applying. Application is through the link here Form (opens in a new tab) or obtained through your college careers advisor.
We prefer that students contact us directly regarding work experience (instead of a family member).
Due to the high volume of emails, please allow some time for a response.
Work Shadowing Placements:
Physiotherapy (Four Half Days)
This program is ideal for students interested in biology and physiotherapy careers. Over four days (Monday to Thursday, 9 am to 12 pm) in the second week of each month, students will shadow various physiotherapy teams and gain an overview of the role.
Diagnostic Radiographer Work Experience
This opportunity is available for students and/or those interested in imaging and training to be diagnostic radiographers. We can provide a single day programme (08:30hrs – 17:00hrs) which includes working with various Imaging outpatient teams (e.g. X-ray, CT, ultrasound and MRI) to gain a comprehensive overview of the role of a Radiographer. During the day, participants can observe real-life clinical procedures, engage with experienced professionals, and ask questions to deepen their understanding of this vital healthcare field. This programme is arranged on demand, so please get in touch if you want to learn more about gaining some work experience with us.
Medical & Clinical Shadowing (Including Laboratories, Health Sciences, and Allied Health Professions)
These placements are for sixth form students interested in medicine, Allied Health Professions (AHPs), or science fields, with opportunities in departments such as Radiology, Emergency Department, Psychology, Acute Medicine and more.
Priority for Medical Shadowing is given to students applying to study Medicine at University. The placement aims to provide an insight into the working life of a Consultant or Junior Doctor in order to aid the student in completing their UCAS application for Medical School. Students will shadow a Consultant/Clinician for 1-3 days depending on availability. During which time they may observe patient consultations, ward rounds, procedures, and multidisciplinary team meetings.
Placements are subject to staff availability. Medical shadowing is highly oversubscribed, so not all requests can be fulfilled. If a preferred area is specified, we will try to accommodate but cannot guarantee placement.
Dietetics (Half-Day Sessions)
The Dietetics department offers monthly half-day shadowing opportunities to gain insight into this role.
Occupational Therapy
Shadow an Occupational Therapy team across the hospital. Learn about disabilities in various clinical settings and observe assessment/treatment sessions (with patient consent). These placements run bi-monthly.
Additional AHP Roles & Non-Clinical Roles
There are also opportunities to shadow other Allied Health Professions (AHP) and non-clinical departments, such as Estates, Finance, and Payroll. Please specify your area of interest on the application form. Availability may vary.
Application process for shadowing:
To apply for a placement at CUH, please complete the electronic application form here (opens in a new tab) or consult your Careers Advisor/Tutor for assistance. Please note, placements can get oversubscribed, we cannot guarantee a placement. We aim to respond to applications within 3 months, so please check your spam folder for confirmation emails.
An automated confirmation email will be sent once you submit an application. This is proof we have received it. Your details will be put onto MyCority platform and you will be emailed a log in to complete a health questionnaire on line. We will then be in contact with regards to a placement as soon as possible. Please note due to capacity this could be 2-3 months.
Volunteering routes
As well as supporting our patients, volunteering provides an excellent route to gaining experience and appreciation of the types of careers available in the NHS and CUH. Opportunities are available for people over the age of 16 years old, via an application process. For all volunteering opportunities, please see or Home - Our Volunteers (opens in a new tab) email: Cuh.volunteer@nhs.net or click the link above.
Email Details for Support:
- For work experience or careers events queries email:
- For career advice or apprenticeship information, please email:
- For all volunteering opportunities, please email: