Types of placements
We offer student placements to suit a variety of needs and professions.
Clinical placements
During these placements, students and instructors take part in patient care. These placements apply to fields such as nursing and allied health.
For many of these placements, students need to put in a set number of hours and meet certain objectives. You will have an instructor, preceptor, mentor or supervisor during the placement.
Non-clinical placements
Students in these placements do not have direct contact with patients or provide care. These placements may apply to human resources, finance, engineering or maintenance fields.
For many of these placements, students need to put in a set number of hours and meet certain objectives. You will have a mentor or supervisor during the placement.
Observational placements
The curricula for some programs require observational placements. These are short-term placements where the observer does not provide patient care.
Employee learners
Covenant Health staff who are enrolled in educational programs outside their work are considered students during placement hours. We will not place you on a unit where you, your family member or significant other work.
Job shadow placements
You can request a job shadow if you are a high school student aged 16 or older or a post-secondary student in a healthcare educational program.
We cannot arrange job shadows in the emergency department, operating room, recovery room or labour and delivery units.
Our Job Shadow policy defines these placements.
Research placements
Our Research Centre provides research services to our sites. These may include:
- facilitating research reviews and approvals
- offering research education and knowledge transfer opportunities
- developing programs or projects that promote research, engage researchers and enhance capacity for research
Provisional placements
These placements are defined by a set number of hours and objectives that clinicians need to get their license to practice. We can only support unpaid placements.
Co-op placements
These placements are often defined by a set number of hours and objectives. We can only support unpaid placements.
Medical students, resident internships and observerships
The University of Alberta and University of Calgary set up Canadian and American medical student placements. Students, residents or visiting doctors who seek an observership can email their requests to medaffairsconcerns@covenanthealth.ca.
International medical students and residents should visit the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada Student Portal to apply for placements.