37 students from Bayside, Westside, Prior Park and the Gibraltar College complete 2025 GHA Summer Placement Programme.

His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar is proud to announce the successful completion of the Gibraltar Health Authority’s annual Summer Student Placement Programme for 2025, which this year welcomed 37 A-Level students.

The two-week programme, designed to provide aspiring healthcare professionals with real-world experience in a clinical setting, concluded with a presentation ceremony earlier today hosted by the Minister for Health and Care, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez.

The initiative has offered invaluable exposure to the day-to-day operations of St Bernard’s Hospital and other GHA services, supporting students in making informed decisions as they prepare to pursue health-related degrees in fields such as Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing and the Allied Health Professions.

Applications opened earlier this year, targeting students intending to enter healthcare degree programmes in the coming years. As part of the selection process, the GHA worked closely with academic leads from Prior Park, Westside, Bayside and Gibraltar College to review applicants’ academic performance and future ambitions. Each student was allocated to departments aligned with their indicated areas of interest.

The placement programme forms part of the Government’s policy to recruit Gibraltarians into roles within the GHA, and is also a key element of the GHA’s long-term workforce planning strategy.

The GHA Director General, Kevin McGee, said: “We are delighted to open our doors to bright local youngsters interested in joining us upon completion of their university studies. These two-week placements are an excellent opportunity for students to gain early exposure and valuable insights that will help them to better understand the pressures and commitments that are part of a career at St Bernard’s Hospital or any other GHA section. This experience will also assist them in making informed decisions before committing to a specific healthcare pathway at university. I would also like to express my appreciation to Darrien Ramos, Senior Executive Officer (GHA Workforce), who has once again ably led this initiative, and to Andrew Gordon and other educational leads instrumental in the success of the placement programme.”

The Minister for Health and Care, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said:“It is Government policy to, in so far as possible, recruit locals into the GHA. I was therefore very keen to ensure the GHA held a summer student programme for aspiring health professionals. It is very important that we invest in our young people, providing them with opportunities such as this one to gain exposure and experience that will inspire them to return to the GHA as qualified professionals. I very much hope that many of the students who took part in our summer programme this year will go on to become the doctors, nurses and allied health professionals we will all one day depend on.”