The Emergency Departments are experiencing high volumes of patients who need care. Please be prepared to wait. The most serious cases are treated first.
Not all health concerns need emergency care. You can also book a virtual visit or go to an urgent care clinic for these concerns. For life-threatening symptoms, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.
Thank you for your patience.
At Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN), professional and collaborative practice helps teams deliver safe, high-quality care.
We are committed to continuous learning and sharing knowledge. By working together, we make our healthcare system stronger and local communities healthier.
WRHN partners with more than 60 colleges, universities, and education organizations across North America. Together, we support the training of future healthcare workers.
Each year, hundreds of students join our team. They work with our skilled teams to get first-hand experience in healthcare. Opportunities include:
Visit the section below for more details about educational opportunities at WRHN.
WRHN offers co-op placements for high school students who want to explore careers in healthcare. Placements give students meaningful experiences and help them:
WRHN partners with the Waterloo Region District School Board and the Waterloo Catholic District School Board to coordinate co-op placements. If you are interested in doing a placement at WRHN, you can find out more and apply through your school’s co-op program.
Clinical placements give learners the opportunity to gain experience in roles that provide patient care. These unpaid placements are open to post-secondary students.
You will be matched with a trained, experienced team member called a preceptor. They will guide and mentor you during your placement to improve your clinical skills and care for patients.
WRHN offers many placement opportunities. Some include:
Non-clinical placements give students experience in healthcare roles that do not include direct patient care. These unpaid placements are open to post-secondary students.
A placement is an opportunity to apply what you have learned in the classroom, build professional skills, and be part of projects that support patient care and hospital operations. You will also get a better understanding of how a hospital works, both day-to-day and behind the scenes.
You may do a placement in areas such as:
To apply for a placement at WRHN, have your academic coordinator email our professional practice coordinator at [email protected].
Once your placement opportunity is confirmed, you will receive a welcome package. It includes pre-placement requirements you will need to complete, including:
You must submit your welcome package at least four weeks before your start date. You cannot begin your placement until you have completed all requirements and received clearance from our professional practice coordinator.
WRHN offers clinical placements for medical students, residents, and other medical learners. These placements provide hands-on experience in a hospital setting and the chance to learn from skilled physicians and care teams.
To arrange a placement at WRHN, follow the steps below:
You must also submit the following documents to the Chief of Staff Office at least one month before your rotation starts:
Observerships are an educational opportunity to learn about healthcare in a hospital-setting. They are open to international medical students and graduates and may also be available to people in research or allied health fields.
These placements are only a chance to observe. Observers cannot provide patient care and must stay with their supervising physician at all times. are limited to a maximum of 30 hospital days.
Before you apply, you are responsible for finding a supervising physician. Visit the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario website to search for a physician affiliated with WRHN.
To apply, submit your completed application package. This includes:
Please contact the medical education coordinator to submit your application or ask questions about clinical placements or observerships:
Jacob Alexander, Medical Education Coordinator
Phone: 519-749-4300, ext. 2525
Email: [email protected]
The Ontario Ministry of Health offers programs that help hospitals train and support the next generation of healthcare workers. This includes students, new graduates, and internationally trained professionals.
These programs give them a chance to learn, gain experience, and build their careers. They also make our health system stronger by adding more healthcare workers and giving them good training. It also helps lower the pressure on our current healthcare teams.
WRHN takes part in the following programs:
By supporting these programs, WRHN helps build a stronger, more skilled healthcare workforce. We strive to make sure patients get excellent care and help make communities across Ontario healthier.
