Eliza Gumbley

I booked my overseas placement as a bit of a New Year’s whim! I was entering a year of taking a lot of new risks — finishing university, completing my master’s research, starting a new job, and moving to a new place. I felt that taking a risk and giving myself one last clinical challenge would be the perfect way to continue the theme before becoming an occupational therapist. I wanted to embrace a new way of life and learn about different clinical styles and cultures, and my Work the World placement in Tanzania gave me that in spades!

The hospital in Dar es Salaam was bigger than I expected. During the hospital orientation, I really valued seeing the bustle of people everywhere. People would say hello or ‘mambo’, which helped me feel included straight away. In the outpatient occupational therapy clinic, it was reassuring to see that engagement and occupation were still at the core of practice, just as they are in the UK, but presented in a very different way. This reaffirmed the value of the OT profession for me.

In addition to the paediatric and adult outpatient clinics, I was lucky enough to observe two surgeries where the OT fitted hand splints immediately after the operations. I hadn’t seen surgeries on my UK-based placements before, so seeing the OT’s role in this area was incredibly interesting. Watching the upper limb surgeries was a definite highlight — it was amazing to get so close and see every detail.

I also spent time on the burns ward in the children’s hospital. I joined some of the nursing students there, and together we played ball games with the children, encouraging them to play. Despite their injuries, they still wanted to join in. Playing games with them was very wholesome, and that experience will stay with me for a long time.

Two years before my elective placement, I did work experience on a burns and intensive care unit in Birmingham. Comparing my experience in Birmingham to my experience in Tanzania was fascinating. I found that the young patients on the burns unit in Tanzania were very resilient and eager to play with each other, which made the ward feel like a happier place. In the UK, with stricter infection control measures, especially after COVID, the motivation to engage was often more of a struggle for some burns patients.

Over the weekend, we took a trip to Zanzibar — a beautiful island! We drove through rural areas and spent time on some lovely beaches. I got to tick off a few bucket list activities, including snorkelling with dolphins, visiting a turtle sanctuary, and horse riding on the beach.

In the afternoons and evenings after placement, we went swimming, sang karaoke, tried the local cuisine, visited Whitesands Beach, and took a trip to Bongoyo Island. These were the perfect way to unwind after a busy day.

I went for two weeks, which was perfect for me. I was able to see and do a lot in that time! I really valued going on my own, as it allowed me to take everything in and reflect on my own terms, more spontaneously. I had only travelled solo once before, to Bratislava, and my experience in Dar es Salaam was very different. Nonetheless, I learnt a lot about my own resilience and the kind of OT clinician I want to be.

I would recommend taking the plunge — you’ll learn so much about yourself. You’ll see things and have discussions that can’t be replicated or taught in a classroom. The experience is invaluable. It’s a brilliant way to scratch an itch if you want to explore a new corner of the world!

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