I’m on a three-year course and each term we cover two or three modules. Of these, one module has a practice placement attached to it so I usually spend three days at university each week and a couple of days on placement in hospital.
I don’t have to do weekend shifts but it’s generally considered to be a good idea to do some of these as it gives you a good idea of what the wards are like at this time. I don’t get paid for the placements but I do have the option of applying for an NHS-funded bursary. All the placements are organised from a central placement unit and we get very limited choice regarding where we are placed.