In the UK, final-year medical students have the opportunity to complete one of their placements anywhere in the world – I was lucky enough to get accepted into the clinical internship programme in Infectious Diseases at OUCRU and had the best time!
Why OUCRU?
Spending my medical elective at OUCRU was the right decision for me. Throughout university, I’ve always had an interest in infectious diseases, but I found the scope of practice within the UK to be limited, and opportunities to take a placement in infectious diseases are also rare.
So, when it came time to plan my elective, it was a no-brainer. I was set on travelling to Southeast Asia, as I had never been before and was drawn to the region’s rich culture and vibrant sights.
It was almost by chance that I came across the clinical internship at OUCRU, and I jumped at the opportunity to apply. The idea of spending six weeks in Ho Chi Minh City kept me motivated throughout my final exams, and I can confidently say it lived up to all my expectations and more.
Inside the wards: complex infections and the global realities of vaccine access
Upon arriving at OUCRU, I had an induction where I met Dr Leigh Jones, Regional Academic Training Leader at OUCRU & MORU, and Dr Joseph Donovan for the first time. They introduced us to the many friendly faces in the research teams, and we immediately felt welcomed into the team.
Three times a week, we could attend ward rounds on Central Nervous System (CNS) infections at the Viet Anh ward, the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (HTD, the host institute of OUCRU), with Dr Joseph. On the other days, we were free to organise meetings and ward rounds with other teams, and we received all the contact information we needed.
The types of infections that I came across on the Viet Anh ward rounds were unlike anything I had seen in my UK placements. When clinicians discussed the intricacies of these cases, I initially felt like a fish out of water. However, Dr Joseph and the doctors at HTD always took the time to explain to us the science and reasoning behind what we were seeing, and they answered all of our questions, no matter how simple.
Once a week, we visited the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) or Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where one of the ward doctors kindly guided us through the patients and explained their cases. It was deeply upsetting to see patients, from as young as a week old to those in their eighties, struggling with conditions such as tetanus or measles.
The doctors at OUCRU explained the challenges of vaccine accessibility in rural provinces, and how many people who are eager to be vaccinated simply don’t have access.
In the UK, I have never come across a patient with tetanus on the wards, as the national vaccine programme is highly accessible. Seeing patients fighting for their lives with tetanus left me feeling frustrated by the rising anti-vaccine movement in the West.
Of all the clinical experiences I gained during my time at OUCRU, witnessing the devastating impact of vaccine-preventable diseases on patients is what will stay with me the most, and will likely have the greatest influence on my future practice.
Dr Leigh Jones also invited us to join her workshop for PhD students on the basics of scientific writing. It helped me build confidence in writing a good manuscript and gave me a better understanding of the research publication landscape. It was an incredible opportunity to meet the PhD students at OUCRU and hear about the interesting and varied projects they were working on.
At lunchtime, the PhD students would also give us a crash course on traditional Vietnamese food and snacks, which was very useful knowledge to have when going out to eat!
Exploring Vietnam: friendships, food, and weekend adventures
Outside of placement, I spent time exploring the city and met amazing people from all over the world, many of whom I’m still in contact with to this day! Even though I came to my elective alone, I left having made friends from OUCRU and my accommodation, so I never felt alone.
I also had the chance to take weekend trips to other parts in the south, such as the Mekong Delta and Vung Tau, and during my final weeks in Vietnam, I travelled to Hanoi and Hoi An.
Ho Chi Minh City has a piece of my heart, and I’m already counting down the days until I can visit again. From the amazing variety of food from banh mi to bun bo hue, and the rich culture I managed to experience through events such as King’s Day and the 50th Anniversary of Reunification Day, my elective has truly been one of the best periods of my life so far.
I am incredibly grateful to OUCRU for giving me the opportunity to undertake my elective placement at their facility. For any medical students interested in working abroad in infectious diseases or visiting this prestigious institution, I couldn’t recommend it more.
Nandita Shenolikar is a final-year medical student from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom (UK). She completed her clinical internship at OUCRU Ho Chi Minh City in April 2025.
OUCRU provides Vietnamese and international students with the opportunity to experience our unique research environment first-hand, through Clinical and Research internships. Learn more.