SAQA 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.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Master of Medicine in Family Medicine 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
78356  Master of Medicine in Family Medicine 
ORIGINATOR
University of KwaZulu-Natal 
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  128  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 
Purpose:

The purpose of this qualification is to produce graduate family physicians capable of delivering comprehensive, cost-effective patient care using a bio-psychosocial framework in primary care contexts. Additional purposes include an ability to answer questions by means of research and to pass on the knowledge, skills and attitudes of the discipline of family medicine to future generations of doctors. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Access to the qualification:

The candidate should be in possessions of a medical degree, MBChB (or equivalent) and be registered with the HPCSA, and at least two years post-qualification experience. 

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
N 

QUALIFICATION RULES 
A minimum of 128 Credits must be completed for this qualification. 

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
On completion of this qualification, the graduate should be able to:
  • Evaluate and manage patients with both undifferentiated and more specific problems cost-effectively using a bio-psychosocial approach.
  • Promote health and quality of life of the community.
  • Maintain up to date, quality practice by implementing research findings and own research.
  • Disseminate knowledge and skills to patients, the community, fellow health workers, and future generations of family physicians.
  • Manage him/herself and his/her practice (in public or private sector) effectively with visionary leadership.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of normal human development and counsel patients through these stages.
  • Utilise the potential of the family to promote health.
  • Awareness of cultural and other contextual aspects of health and illness.
  • Promote health and prevent illness.
  • Solve ethical dilemmas.
  • Maximise the potential of the consultation. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes:

    Assessment criteria are demonstrated fulfilment of the desired outcomes (above) met through successful completion of all components of the qualification and are assessed through a range of methods including tests, assignments and formal examinations, in written and oral form, the research project and in hospital supervised practice.

    Integrated assessment:

    Integrated assessment is carried out in written examinations, in the research project and in the hospital supervised practice. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    On completion of this qualification, the graduate may proceed to a doctoral degree in the same or allied discipline at this University or other institutions. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    The University policy is that assessment at exit level (including this NQF Level 8 & above qualification) is externally moderated by appropriately qualified members of other universities or equivalent research institutions. Further, the dissertation is assessment internally by an academic member of staff other than the direct supervisor and by an expert external to the University. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    Internal and external assessors for the qualification will be selected on the basis of their recognised expertise in the modules being offered. The University assumes that, on the basis of its rigorous selection criteria for appointment of academic staff (who also have opportunities for staff development in assessment), staff are competent to assess students on the modules they teach. 

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

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    When qualifications are replaced, some of their learning programmes are moved to being recorded against the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replacement.
     
    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 KwaZulu-Natal 


    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.