Tobago
Set on a beautiful, rain-forest covered island surrounded by peaceful beaches, Tobago is a stunning setting for a medical elective. Part of Trinidad and Tobago, this tiny island is one of the best kept secrets of the Caribbean, with far fewer tourists than some of its noisier neighbours such as Barbados and St Lucia. The result is a country where students can feel much more at home as they integrate with the local population and enjoy the isolated beaches without hordes of foreign tourists.
Tobago is situated about 20 miles north-east of Trinidad and just off the coast of Venezuela. Its position just north of the equator means that it has a fairly constant temperature of 30 celsius all year round, but it is at risk of suffering from the same tropical storms that affect the rest of the Caribbean. Its proximity to the other islands and an international airport mean that it is very easy and relatively inexpensive to visit some of the other, more expensive Caribbean islands such as Barbados.
The majority of Tobago’s wealth come from the oil reserves on Trinidad which means that there has been far less of a drive to attract tourists, so the island is quieter with more inexpensive opportunities to go diving or visit the rainforest.
The vast majority of the beaches are open access and not controlled by individual hotel chains, so it should be easy for students to go anywhere they like. Tobagoans are mainly of African or East Indian descent and the main language is English, although there is some Creole spoken, especially on Trinidad. Health services are mainly public though there are lots of private clinics, and the overall health of Tobagoans is good, with a life expectancy of 67 for men and 73 for women. Levels of HIV are rising and, as in the UK, students should be very careful with sharps and needle-stick injuries.
Getting around Tobago is easy by foot. Buses and taxis are not as readily available as Trinidad, but there’s enough to get you from A to B. Eating out is cheap to moderate but buying food in the shops and markets and eating in is a great and economical option. Electricity is the same as the U.S.A. at 120 volts.
Flights are generally a little cheaper between early summer and winter, and can be bought from both Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. Usually costing from £550 to £650 there are definitely deals available, so students should search the internet thoroughly.
All students should have travel insurance and we only recommend the BMA Elective travel insurance which covers students for needle-stick injuries, HIV and in cases where a student fails their exams and can’t go on their elective. British, U.S., Canadian, Australian and New Zealand students will not require a visa and will get a 90 day visa on arrival in Tobago. All students should have the relevant vaccines such as Hep B, Hep A, yellow fever, typhoid, tetanus and polio; more information can be found on the Travel Doctor website. All of our electives are tailored for the individual, with different students spending different amounts of time in Tobago and having different requirements. A typical elective of 8 weeks includes the hospital fee, accommodation, a medical kit, visa and vaccine advice, travel and indemnity insurance advice, and a Discovery Trip. For more information about Tobago, our Tobago elective or anything elective related then please go to Electives page, email us at or phone us on +44 (0) 1305 815231. We’re sure that you’re going to have a great elective and an amazing experience.