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IES Abroad London – Health Practice & Policy

by: IES Abroad

9.11 (18)Verified

Don’t just learn about health care in a classroom—immerse yourself through theory and practice. Study compelling public health issues in the United Kingdom and Kingston, Jamaica, that are affecting local communities, regions, and the global population. The curriculum for this program was created to meet the academic needs and interests of students in pre-professional medical studies and public ...

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Program Highlights

Enroll in Health Studies courses at the IES Abroad Center in London and take a health course taught at City, University of London or the School of Global Health at Queen Mary, University of London.

Earn academic credit in a supervised service learning placement.

Round out your curriculum with your choice of one Study London elective course.

Travel to Jamaica for the final 8-10 days of the program for an intensive field study of health care in Jamaica.

Go on optional IES Abroad field trips to locations of historical and cultural relevance such as Edinburgh, Stonehenge, and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Quick Details

Locations
  • London, England
  • Oxford, England
Availability
Year(s) Offered2019,2020,Year RoundTerms Available:
  • Fall
  • Spring
  • Academic Year
Age Requirement:Varies
Types & Subjects:
  • Art & Fine Arts
  • Art History
  • Arts
  • Business
  • Communications
  • See more
Guidelines:
  • All Nationalities
See all program details

Awards

GoAbroad Innovation Awards 2024 Winner - Student VideoPeople’s Choice Award 2023 FinalistInnovative Student Video 2023 WinnerInnovative Student Video Finalist 2022

Program Reviews

Hear what past participants have to say about the programs

Overall Rating

9.11

Total Reviews

18

Incredible Experiences!!

April 29, 2025by: Eliana LaRosa - United StatesProgram: IES Abroad London – Health Practice & Policy
9

This program was exactly what I hoped for and then some! For any students interested in healthcare, this is the perfect combination of community engagement and healthcare policy. The courses are very relevant to today's healthcare debates, and the professors are very advanced in their fields. They want to learn from students as much as they want to teach. The program also has a community volunteer placement, which is a great way to work with local initiatives, learn more about a public healthcare system, and engage with locals. The conclusion of the program is spent in Jamaica for ten days, where students are able to shadow in local healthcare clinics, attend lectures at the local university, and explore sights across the island. This was my favorite part of the program and I miss it every day!

Walking around Amsterdam!Big Ben!Cathedral and castle in Prague!

London to Jamaica

January 09, 2019by: Annette Smith - United StatesProgram: IES Abroad London – Health Practice & Policy
9

I studied abroad in London with the IES London and Jamaica program this past fall semester. Most of the semester was sent in London while the last 10 days of the program was spent in Kingston, Jamaica. This scholarship helped cover the program cost as well help aide in some of my experiences across Europe. In London I took classes with IES and city university of London. In addition to my classes, I volunteered at Maggie’s Cancerkin at the Royal free clinic. Maggie’s is a national charity organization that helps cancer patients adjust and cope with their lives after been diagnosed. This is done through various forms of counselling and therapy sessions. Maggie’s also organizes some social events for its patients. I was heartened by this objective and thought it was a great way for these patients to establish support groups that helps them. I loved my time volunteering there and loved learning about the various cancer therapy sessions patients can undergo. The one class I took that I felt most prepared me for a future career as a nurse was Comparative Health Systems: Great Britain, Europe and the United States with Professor Johal Gurnam. The class talked about the history of the NHS and the current status of it within the UK. The class also talked about the different types of health systems and what some European countries and the U.S. use. We of course also discussed the current ongoing Brexit situation which involves Britain existing the European Union and the impacts this will cause health workers from other countries who travel to Britain for work. I loved learning about the different health disparities in different nations and what government and health professionals could do to ensure an effective care for all. At the end of the semester, we held a symposium on themes surrounding the US Healthcare System. We compared and contrasted various aspects of health under the Obama Administration and Trump Administration. We presented these to our professor and other academic professionals. While taking classes and volunteering, I also got the chance to explore London. Some places I visited were the London Eye, British Parliament, Camden Town , the Sky Garden and the Tower Bridge. My favorite place out of these was the Tower Bridge. It is beautifully constructed, and I didn’t truly feel like I was in London till I walked on that bridge. I also of course got a touristy London pic with a red phone booth to fully capture the experience. Another place I really loved visiting was Camden Town, the buildings were so colorful, and the people were so friendly, walking around it felt like I was part of a community. I learned how a lot of musicians started out in Camden town and some even performed there including one direction and my one of my favorite artists, Adele. The British Parliamentary building was cool as well and I loved learning about the history behind the conservative and labor governments. Although London and Europe shaped my knowledge of the NHS and various other aspects of European Health, I believe that Kingston was the place that impacted me the most and also prepared me for my future as a nurse. In Kingston, we took courses at the University of Mona, west indies taught by various health professionals ranging from nursing professors to public health nurses. we took tours to uptown and downtown Kingston and just by observation, we could notice the environmental and health disparities of the rich uptown people versus the impoverished downtown people. In addition, I personally volunteered at two health clinics, the Edna Manley Clinic and Windward Road Clinic in Kingston.

My time in London!

August 09, 2018by: Jordyn Blom - United StatesProgram: IES Abroad London – Health Practice & Policy
8

I loved my time abroad. London is such a wonderful and international city that it was easy to find myself lost in the culture. As a health practice and policy student I was assigned to a service learning placement. I did my placement with Holy Cross Centre Trust and was given opportunities to work hands on in the field of mental health. Whether it was running group sessions, to meeting with my one on one assigned patients, the experience was rich and enlightening. Over seas it was tough making friends at first, however through IES I was able to meet a group of girls that I will forever be close with. It was easy to travel from London, and I took advantage of that to the fullest. IES made it easy to make the most of my experience abroad.

Program Details

Learn all the nitty gritty details you need to know

Locations

  • London, England

Types and Subjects

  • Subjects & Courses
  • Art & Fine Arts
  • Art History
  • Arts

Availability

Years Offered: 2019,2020,Year Round

Age Requirement

Age Requirement Varies

Guidelines

  • All Nationalities

Accommodation Options

  • Apartment/Flat
  • Dormitory

Qualifications & Experience

      Accepted Education Levels

    • Any/All Education Levels Accepted

    Application Procedures

    • Online Application
    • Transcript

    Interviews

    Read interviews from alumni or staff

    Hannah Thielmeyer

    Participated in 2014

    Alumni

    It seems like a little bit of a silly reason, but I think the actual reason I studied in London was Harry Potter. Ever since I read the books in elementary school, I’ve been fascinated with England, getting into British television, books, and radio, and I figured there was no better way to spend three months than to see the place I’d heard and read so much about. I also am pretty terrible at languages, so it was nice to be in a place that didn’t have a language barrier.

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    Kristen Caine

    Participated in 2014

    Alumni

    Going abroad really pushes you to challenge your personal boundaries, even for someone like myself who has traveled before going abroad. IES made sure that I was prepared for every aspect of my journey abroad. My program required a visa to the UK, which can become an arduous process, but IES made sure I had everything I needed and facilitated the process. Once abroad, the staff was always around to help you with things to do in your host city to making medical appointments.

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    IES Abroad

    IES Abroad

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    Ready to Learn More?

    Don’t just learn about health care in a classroom—immerse yourself through theory and practice. Study compelling public health issues in the United Kingdom and Kingston, Jamaica, that are affecting local communities, regions, and the global population. The curriculum for this program was created to meet the academic needs and interests of students in pre-professional medical studies and public health majors and minors, as well as students studying Anthropology, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology. Through our program, you discover the different perspectives, challenges, and needs of diverse populations in London and Kingston with a once-in-a-lifetime service learning opportunity. During the final 10 days of the term, you participate in an extended course-related...

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