Education Exchange Programme
Building Skills, Strengthening Healthcare, Saving Lives in Uganda.
Stronger
at Home.
Mildmay UK’s Education Exchange Programme is a unique initiative that connects healthcare in the UK with healthcare in Uganda. Through placements at medical centres in Uganda, UK doctors, nurses, therapists and other clinicians gain invaluable experience working in resource-limited settings, while helping to strengthen health services in East Africa.
This true exchange not only transforms care for communities in Uganda, but also brings rare skills and resilience back into the NHS - benefitting patients here at home.
Why it Matters
Healthcare in Uganda is evolving rapidly. Life expectancy has risen dramatically over the past 40 years, bringing an increase in non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer, alongside the ongoing impact of HIV.
Yet with 87% of the population living in rural, hard-to-reach areas and limited provision for children with disabilities, access to quality care remains a huge challenge.
Mildmay Uganda is leading the way in addressing these gaps and our Education Exchange Programme helps build the skills and knowledge needed to support communities where it’s needed most.
How it Works
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Clinicians from the UK are based at Mildmay Uganda Hospital. They treat advanced cases of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, alongside rising numbers of patients with cancer, diabetes and other chronic conditions.
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They gain invaluable experience - adaptability, teamwork, leadership and clinical skills - which they bring back to the NHS.
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Ugandan patients benefit from enhanced care, while UK patients benefit when these clinicians return home.
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It’s a two-way flow of knowledge and experience, strengthening healthcare systems in both countries.
"We were so grateful for the chance to take part in the programme. It has been an incredible opportunity to experience healthcare in a very different setting, share knowledge with colleagues in Uganda, and bring home insights that will strengthen patient care in the NHS."
Dr Helen Rochford And Dr Amy Cleese, the trainee GPs who completed the pilot programme at Kumi Hospital in 2023
Highlights include:
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Hands-On Learning: UK clinicians are exposed to conditions such as malaria and tuberculosis in resource-limited settings in the Global South, expanding their clinical repertoire.
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Cultural Exchange: Participants gain a deeper appreciation of different healthcare systems, practices, and community contexts, strengthening collaboration and mutual understanding.
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Capacity Building: Through knowledge exchange, Ugandan healthcare professionals benefit from the introduction of new skills and practices that improve patient care.
Part of Something Bigger
The programme is directly linked to Mildmay’s new overseas initiative: the Uganda Health Programme. The first centre in Mbale will be built in partnership with Mildmay Uganda Hospital, the Ugandan Ministry of Health and other local partners. It will deliver palliative care, maternity services, and specialist care for children with disabilities.
By supporting the Education Exchange Programme, you are also helping to lay the foundations for this wider transformation of healthcare in Uganda.
Your Impact
The success of the EdEx programme depends on the support of people like you. Every donation helps UK clinicians gain life-changing experience abroad, while supporting lasting improvements in Uganda:
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£50 can cover in-country transport for UK doctors.
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£500 can provide medical supplies for Kumi Hospital’s community outreach programme.
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£3,000 can fund a full EdEx placement, including travel, accommodation, and supervision.
Together, we can ensure that vulnerable communities in Uganda receive the healthcare they deserve while enriching the experience and skills of NHS doctors.
By supporting Mildmay’s Education Exchange Programme, you are directly contributing to better healthcare for some of the world’s most underserved populations. Make a lasting impact by donating today.
Each placement for two UK practitioners costs £3,000, including all clinical expenses, travel and accommodation.
These placements enrich UK medical training and improve clinical outcomes in both countries.
Find out more:
The UK rightly prides itself on the high standards of its medical professionals. However, we believe an essential component of their training is the experience of providing healthcare in resource-limited settings. In such environments, the abundance of facilities, equipment, and support systems that clinicians rely on in the UK are often absent.
Trainee GPs, resident doctors and other clinicians can significantly benefit from the unique challenges and opportunities presented by working in low- and middle-income countries. While a few doctors already seek out these experiences independently, Mildmay aims to make this valuable opportunity available to all our trainees.
Through the EdEx programme, our clinicians gain first-hand experience of delivering healthcare in environments with limited resources. This invaluable experience not only sharpens their clinical skills but also broadens their understanding of the global health landscape, ultimately enhancing their ability to deliver care back home.
The EdEx Programme’s benefits for clinicians in the UK
The EdEx Programme provides UK clinicians; trainee doctors, nurses and health therapists, with a unique opportunity to enhance their clinical skills by working in real-world conditions that differ significantly from those in the UK. Participants gain hands-on experience treating patients in resource-limited environments, where access to high-quality healthcare is limited, and develop a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by local medical teams.
Aligned with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) curriculum, the Programme supports clinicians in practising holistically, promoting health, and safeguarding. It also fosters the development of essential teamwork and leadership skills, key components of the NHS healthcare leadership model.
Clinicians will encounter rare conditions and advanced disease presentations, learn new medical techniques, and sharpen their ability to manage risk in under-resourced settings.
This experience not only enhances their professional growth and employability but also demonstrates adaptability and strengthens their capacity to work across diverse healthcare systems.
The EdEx Programme is a valuable addition to any clinician’s training, offering lessons that can be applied both internationally and in the UK. It encourages reflection on medical management approaches in resource-limited settings, while also linking directly to the NHS leadership model.
Benefits to the host country
The EdEx Programme brings significant benefits to the host country by improving access to healthcare. Visiting clinicians and clinical trainees (doctors, nurses, therapists on allied health professionals) offer high-quality, up-to-date care to patients who might otherwise struggle to receive it. By sharing their knowledge and skills with local healthcare professionals, they help enhance care standards and influence better practices in the long term.
These exchanges foster collaboration and support, boosting morale among local healthcare staff. Over time, these relationships can create lasting networks for sharing expertise and resources, promoting joint research projects, and improving healthcare systems.
GP training in the United Kingdom
GPs (General Practitioners) must train for four to six years at medical school and achieve a medical degree, followed by a two-year foundation training programme in the UK or overseas.
Thereafter, specialist GP training is at least three years full-time, normally including 18 months in approved hospital posts and 18 months in an approved GP practice.
To ensure that oue clinicians can undertake placements at in Uganda without facing additional financial strain, we are seeking your charitable support for the EdEx Programme.
EdEx not only provides these trainees with an invaluable opportunity to enrich their learning and experience at Mildmay, but it also represents a crucial investment in the future of healthcare - both in the UK and Uganda.
Please help us to enhance the training of UK General Practitioners, resident doctors, nurses and therapists, and improve clinical outcomes in both the UK and Uganda.
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Duration of placement: 14 days
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Number of placements per year: 3
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Number of clinicians per placement: 2
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Cost of placements per year: £18,000
Each placement for two UK practitioners costs a little about £3,000, including all clinical expenses, travel and accommodation.