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 Medical Microbiology 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
81318  Master of Medicine in Medical Microbiology 
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 
This qualification provides graduates with knowledge, skills and applied competence in Medical Microbiology sufficient to allow registration with Health Professions Council of SA as a specialist Medical Microbiologist. It aims to provide graduates with the foundation for continued personal and intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and for contributing to society at large through advanced patient care, innovation, scholarship and leadership in the field of Medical Microbiology. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
  • Completion and award of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees of the University or admitted to status thereof;
  • Adequate language and communication skills
  • Adequate numeracy skills. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    N 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    A Master of Medicine in Medical Microbiology is able to diagnose, through oral communication, physical examination, and interpretation of appropriate special investigations, and formulate and prosecute treatment options for divergent problems in Medical Microbiology in an holistic manner. S/he is able to advise on and implement prophylactic measures to prevent disease relevant to Medical Microbiology. S/he is able to interpret scientific literature relevant to his/her field and through reflection adapt new developments in the field of Medical Microbiology into his/her clinical practice. S/he is able to conceptualise, plan and implement and interpret research relevant to the practice of Medical Microbiology.
  • Demonstrate academic literacy using the medium of instruction effectively to convey ideas and insight intelligibly and to achieve own communication purposes;
  • Demonstrate an understanding of statistical data;
  • Communicate effectively with patient and colleagues
  • Perform appropriate physical examination;
  • Choose appropriate special investigations plan and implement treatment options in an holistic manner;
  • Plan and implement treatment options in an holistic manner
  • Conceptualise, plan implement and interpret research
  • Take a clinical sample and perform appropriate experimentations: - perform and interpret appropriate laboratory based techniques. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
  • Interact with text (oral and written) through critical listening/reading skills;
  • Produce texts which integrate information from different sources using appropriate academic and professional conventions;
  • Take a medical history at a level appropriate to the specialty and communicate the findings and treatment options effectively with the patient and referring doctor;
  • Determine signs and symptoms of disease or injury and perform advanced laboratory investigations appropriate to the level of a specialist in the field of Clinical Pathology;
  • Use cost-effective investigations which provide sufficient relevant information to aid diagnosis;
  • Gather information from various sources, reflect critically on knowledge and information and in consultation with the patient and other health care professions (where appropriate) plan and implement to completion a treatment option
  • Initiate and complete a research project.

    Integrated assessment appropriately incorporated to ensure that the purpose of the qualification is achieved:

    The University of Natal is currently reforming its assessment strategies to include the assessment of applied competence for each qualification. In the meantime, a combination of continuous assessment and traditional written examinations serve to assess the integration of all/most of the learning outcomes for each module in a qualification.

    The assessment strategy of the University of Natal, Medical School's new programme (Curriculum 2001) will include the assessment of applied competence. A combinatio of continuous assessment and traditional written and oral examinations will assess the integration of all learning outcomes for each module in this qualification. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Vertical articulation is from the Bachelor in Medical and Bachelor in Surgery to either a Doctorate in Medicine or a Doctorate in Philosophy.
    Horizon articulation is possible from the qualification process of the College of Medicine of South Africa (Fellow of the College of Medicine Pathology [Medical Microbiology] of South Africa) into this qualification.
    The University of Natal Medicine School is the only Medical School in the region.
    Regional co-operation has been investigated through the Health Science Education and Training Board of the Eastern Seaboard Association of Tertiary Institutions.
    Articulation to all postgraduate qualifications in Medicine.
    Doctorate in Medicine (MD) or Doctorate in Philosophy (PhD)
    Master of Medical Science (MMedSc)
    Master of Medicine (MMed)
    Master of Family Medicine (MfamMed)
    Master of Clinical Pharmacology (MClinPharm)
    Postgraduate Diplomas in Maternal and Child Health (DMCH) and Occupational Health (DOH)
    Qualifications of the College of Medicine of South Africa 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    The Health Professions Council moderates this qualification through a set of defined exit outcomes and the appointment of discipline experts as "Council Inspectors" who inspect Medical Schools and moderate summative examination procedures on a 5 yearly basis. The ETQA system for HE is not yet fully developed. Until such time as it is, procedures described under Assessor Criteria suffice. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    Until the HEQC establishes a registration system for assessors in the HET Band, the University of Natal assumes that on the basis of its rigorous selection criteria for the appointment of academic staff (who also have opportunities for staff development in assessment), staffs are competent to assess students on the modules they teach. This assessment is quality assured via a university system of internal moderation and external examination. External examiners are appointed for their teaching and disciplinary expertise and subject to the approval of Faculty Boards. The University of Natal ruling is that 66 % of all assessments at exit level, i.e. leading to qualifications are externally examined. 

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

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    When qualifications are replaced, some (but not all) of their learning programmes are moved to the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replaced 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 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.