Resources
Practical guidance for arranging a placement
Things that reliably make placements go better, based on where they usually get stuck.
Start earlier than you think you need to
Between matching, mutual acceptance, paperwork, school approval, and site onboarding, a placement realistically takes weeks rather than days. Background checks and immunisation records are the usual bottleneck, and neither can be rushed. If your rotation starts in under a month, expect an urgency surcharge and a tighter paperwork window.
Get your documents together before you search
Almost every placement needs the same core set: immunisation records, a background check, current CPR certification, liability insurance evidence, and your programme's clinical objectives. Having them ready turns paperwork from a three-week stage into a three-day one.
Read your programme's placement policy first
Programmes differ sharply. Some place students centrally and forbid outside arrangements, some allow self-sourced preceptors with approval, and some require specific paperwork or site agreements. Knowing which applies to you before you spend money is the single most useful thing you can do.
Understand what school approval actually checks
Reviewers are confirming that the preceptor's credentials match what your programme accepts, that the site is appropriate for your course objectives, and that the required agreements are in place. Most revision requests are about missing documentation rather than the placement itself.
Be honest about your travel radius
The radius you set is the radius we match against. Setting it wide to see more options and then declining everything beyond 20 minutes wastes your time and a preceptor's. A slightly longer commute is often the difference between placed and unplaced.
Know what happens if it falls through
Placements do fail — a preceptor's circumstances change, a school denies a site, a practice closes. Know before you start which situations are refundable and which are not. Ours are published on the pricing page rather than decided case by case.
What we are not
Nothing here is clinical or academic advice. We coordinate placements; your faculty decides what satisfies your programme, and your preceptor supervises your practice. Where this guidance conflicts with your programme’s handbook, your handbook wins.
For how placements work on this platform specifically, see how it works.
Common questions
How far ahead should I start looking?
As a rule of thumb, one to two academic terms ahead for primary care and longer for acute care, neonatal, or paediatric rotations, which depend on sites with specific acuity and heavier onboarding.
What documents will I definitely need?
Immunisation records, a background check, current CPR certification, liability insurance evidence, and your programme's clinical objectives, plus whatever your specific site requires. Your exact checklist is generated once a placement is matched.
Do you offer clinical or academic advice?
No. We coordinate placements. Questions about whether a rotation meets your programme's requirements belong to your faculty, and clinical questions belong to your preceptor.
Put it into practice
Describe your rotation and see where you actually stand for your dates and area.