Clinical Rotation and Internship at Bugando Medical Center

Bugando Medical Centre (BMC) is a tertiary referral hospital for the Lake Victoria region and Western Tanzania, catering to approximately 15 million people. The hospital and its clinics, located on campus, have about 900 beds, handling over 43,000 admissions annually and treating more than 250,000 patients each year.

Established by the Catholic Church, Bugando was inaugurated in 1971. The hospital features eight interconnected buildings (A–H) with covered walkways. Its main building spans 11 floors: the ground floor houses outpatient clinics, the second floor is for administrative offices, and the remaining floors host patient wards, with 900 beds total. There are 6 operating theaters in the basement.

Since 2003, BMC has been the teaching hospital for the Weill Bugando Medical College. The hospital welcomes international medical students for clinical electives and final year rotations if they are in their fourth year or higher. BMC maintains exchange programs with several foreign universities, including the University of Salzburg (Austria), the University of Würzburg (Germany), Cornell University (New York), and Northwestern University (Chicago). Permanent foreign medical staff and students are also part of the hospital’s community.

Hospital Departments:

• General Surgery
• Cardiothoracic and Neurosurgery
• Pediatrics
• Internal Medicine (Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Nephrology, Endocrinology)
• Ophthalmology
• ENT
• Urology
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Psychiatry
• Oncology and Radiotherapy
• Orthopedics
• Dermatology
• Infectious Diseases, including HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis
• Emergency Medicine and Intensive Care

The hospital also operates a Cancer Center, one of only two public cancer treatment facilities in Tanzania.

Recently, a 1,300-square-meter clinical laboratory was renovated and relocated with support from the Abbott Fund. Open 24/7, the lab includes departments for hematology, chemistry, serology, blood transfusion, parasitology, and microbiology. It houses the regional National Tuberculosis Laboratory, capable of conducting drug-resistance tests for tuberculosis.

Students can combine multiple departments during their clinical rotations or internships. Typical hours are Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM to 3 PM, starting daily with a one-hour meeting to review the schedule.

The Registration Process

You can either send an inquiry or proceed directly with the booking if you meet the requirements (be medical student in your fourth year or higher). Upon meeting the formal criteria, your application will be accepted, subject to confirmation of availability in your preferred departments by the hospital.

Required documents to be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.:

• Your CV/resumé in English
• A recommendation letter from your university in English
• A copy of your student ID
• A copy of your enrolment certificate in English
• A formal passport photo