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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Master of Medicine in Ophthalmology 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
16381  Master of Medicine in Ophthalmology 
ORIGINATOR
University of the Free State 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Master's Degree  Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services  Curative Health 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  480  Level 8 and above  NQF Level 09  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered-data under construction  EXCO 0324/24  2024-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

Registered-data under construction

The qualification content is currently being updated for the qualifications with the status “Registered-data under construction” or showing “DETAILS UNDER CONSTRUCTION” to ensure compliance with SAQA’S Policy and Criteria for the registration of qualifications and part-qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) (As amended, 2022). These qualifications are re-registered until 30 June 2027 and can legitimately be offered by the institutions to which they are registered.

 

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Apply educational knowledge, skills, principles and methods to practise as specialist Ophthalmologists. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Bachelor of Medicine Honours, NQF Level 8. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    The planned combination of learning outcomes are integrated with critical cross-field outcomes for this Qualification:

    Practical Competency:
    The demonstrated ability/skill to achieve the major Skills/Applied Competency of the qualification.

    Foundational Competency:
    The demonstrated understanding, by the Learner, of the embedded knowledge that underpins the end result/outcome.

    Reflective Competency:
    The demonstrated ability/skill to integrate or connect our performances and to reflect on, evaluate and adopt the above competencies.

    The learner will be capable of:
  • Treating their patients medically as well as surgically for various eye diseases.
  • Functioning as a member of a surgical team when performing eye operations.
  • Joining a university to train under- and postgraduate students.
  • Conducting research.

    The learner will be able to:
  • Handle difficult diagnostic eye problems.
  • Handle difficult surgical cases.
  • Use specialised equipment, e.g. the Argon and YAG lasers.
  • Display communication skills, respect and ethics towards patients.
  • Understand research and interpret published literature.
  • Utilise computer skills.
  • Report research findings. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Learners will demonstrate their knowledge and skills in accordance with standards laid down by the institution and Professional Board through:
  • Clinical performance.
  • Written, oral, practical/clinical examinations.
  • Research report.

    Integrated assessment:
    Competence is achieved, through continuous assessment by demonstrating the ability to achieve the outcomes of the Qualification.
  • Internal and external evaluation.
  • Continuous, formative assessments.
  • Formal end evaluations.
  • Primary examination (internal) completed after 2 years ocular anatomy, ocular physiology, optics and ocular pathology.

    Before the M. Med. qualification is conferred on a candidate, the institution must be convinced that he/she for a period of four or five years, according to the requirements of the department concerned, has successfully occupied a full-time training post in the training hospitals of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the institution, or another institution that is recognised by the institution as equal; received theoretical and clinical instruction; was registered as a student at the institution for the prescribed period and successfully passed the prescribed institution examinations - written, oral, practical and/or clinical, as prescribed. If a candidate attains a qualification that can be registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, the final year of residency at the institution may be completed in a specialist post. Only a registrar's post is recognised as a training post by the Health Professions Council of South Africa. The duration of the period of training is calculated from the day of registration as student at the institution. However, if a learner registers during the prescribed registration period of the institution, such registration may be deemed to be valid from the first of January.

    Assessment documents are moderated to ensure that:
  • They conform to the scope and context of the competency as stipulated in the qualification.
  • They are constructed in such a way that the Assessor assesses the critical outcomes applied, during the Learner's activity performances, towards achieving an outcome.

    Assessments are:
  • To include confirmation of the Embedded Knowledge component to ensure that the Foundational Competency is achieved.
  • To be verified by Internal Verifiers to ensure valid, credible, true and fair results. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows possibilities for both horizontal and vertical articulation.

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Master of Optometry, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Medicine, NQF Level 9, in other cognate specialties.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Doctor of Optometry, NQF Level 10.
  • Cognate Doctoral qualification, NQF Level 10. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006; 2009; 2012; 2015. 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
     
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. University of the Free State 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.