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 THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Master of Medicine 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
87511  Master of Medicine 
ORIGINATOR
Walter Sisulu University 
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
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 EXCO 0415/23  2021-07-01  2023-04-18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-04-18   2027-04-18  

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.  

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:

The Master of Medicine programme is designed to train specialist medical staff with capacity to offer tertiary state of the art medical care and to teach both undergraduate and Postgraduate students in the following areas of specialisation:
  • Internal Medicine.
  • General Surgery.
  • Paediatrics and Child Health.
  • Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
  • Otorhinolaryngology.
  • Psychiatry.
  • Ophthalmology.
  • Orthopaedics.
  • Cardiothoracic Surgery.
  • Paediatric Surgery.
  • Anaesthesiology.
  • Radiology.
  • Radiation oncology.

    Other specialties that will be added with time.

    Rationale:

    There is a dire shortage of medical specialists in South Africa. This programme is designed to alleviate that shortage. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Prospective students must have completed basic training in Medicine and Surgery, and must have completed the two year internship training covering the major clinical disciplines. They must be registered with the HPCSA as medical doctors in good standing.

    Recognition of Prior Learning:

    Credit will be given to students who have:
  • Passed of the relevant Part 1 of the College of Medicine (SA) or Master of Medicine examinations from another university in South Africa.
  • Had Registrar training of one year or more in an accredited institution or hospital elsewhere in South Africa.

    Access to the Qualification:

    Before students register for this qualification, they will be interviewed by a panel of experts to assess their proficiency, grasp and competence in the clinical areas of choice to determine whether they are capable of undertaking and completing specialist training. There will multiple entry levels:
  • A minimum of 600 tertiary level credits leading to a Bachelors of Medicine and Bachelors of Surgery Degree or equivalent, and at least three years of post graduation experience.
  • Acquisition of an extra 120 credits post-graduation through passing of the relevant Part 1 of the College of Medicine (SA) or Master of Medicine examinations from another university in South Africa.
  • Registrar training of one year or more in an accredited institution or hospital elsewhere in South Africa. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    For the Master of Medicine programmes, there will be a minimum total of 480 Credits, with at least 120 Credits per year, required for the acquisition of the qualification. Modules will be categorized as follows:

    Foundation Modules (Basic Medical Sciences): 120 credits:
  • Applied Anatomy, 20 Credits.
  • Applied Physiological Sciences, 20 Credits.
  • Microbiology and Immunology, 20 Credits.
  • Anatomical and Chemical Pathology, 20 Credits.
  • Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 20 Credits.
  • Biostatistics and Research Methodology, 20 Credits.

    Core Modules (Clinical Medical Sciences): 320 Credits:
  • Aetiological factors in disease, 20 Credits.
  • Pathology and pathophysiology of diseases, 50 Credits.
  • Clinical manifestations and complications of diseases, 50 Credits.
  • Investigations and Diagnostics, 50 Credits.
  • Clinical management, 50 Credits.
  • Critical care, 20 Credits.
  • Palliative care and Prevention of disease, 20 Credits.
  • Research and dissertation, 60 Credits.

    Elective modules: 40 Credits:
  • Ethics, 8 Credits.
  • Clinical epidemiology, 16 Credits.
  • Primary health care, 8 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    Critical outcomes:

    By the end of the Master of Medicine programme, students should be able to display:
  • In-depth understanding of the theory and practice in their area of specialisation.
  • Full understanding of factors influencing disease causation, and prevention.
  • The highest standards of management of clinical conditions through surgical or medical methods.
  • Capacity for research and scientific inquiry.

    Specific Outcomes:

    By the end of the Master of Medicine programme, students:
  • Will be able to provide excellent specialist medical care in their areas of specialisation.
  • Will be able to carry out research in areas of specialisation.
  • Will be able to teach undergraduate medical students adequately.
  • Will have acquired the basics to become consultants and authorities in their areas of specialisation. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Integrated Assessment:

    The following assessment methods will be used for the Master of Medicine Programmes:

    Continuous (formative) assessment of the students will be carried out in the following areas:
  • Clinical acumen.
  • Investigative and management skills.
  • Professional attributes (punctuality, dedication to duty, reliability, attitudes to patients, colleagues, junior staff and other medical staff).
  • Case records and record-keeping.
  • Case presentations and discussions.
  • Communication skills.

    Summative assessments for Master of Medicine:
  • Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).
  • Modified Essay Question (MEQ).
  • Individualised Process Assessment (IPA).
  • Viva voce.
  • Dissertation. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    This programme compares favourably with other programmes offered nationally and internationally. The staff members involved are recognised nationally and internationally as authorities in their fields of specialisation. They participate as moderators and examiners in the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa - the bench marking institution for specialist training in South Africa. All the Master Medicine programmes have been accredited by the HPCSA. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Graduates of Mater of Medicine programmes will be eligible to sit for national professional Diploma or fellowship examinations of the College of Medicine of South Africa. Students will also have access to complete their programmes at other institutions in South Africa.

    Successful students will become specialists in their areas of specialisation, and will be eligible to register for research MD or Doctor of Philosophy Degrees at this or other universities. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    The minimum qualification for assessors will be Master of Medicine or Fellowship in a particular specialty. All the exit examinations shall be externally moderated. External examiners will participate in the OSCE, IPA and viva voce examinations. 

    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 2009; 2012; 2015. 

    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. Walter Sisulu University 


    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.