Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery

The purpose of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery is to produce medical learners who will have been trained appropriately to meet the challenges of the supervised internship and vocational training years with confidence and to pursue a rewarding career which provides continued personal intellectual growth.

The purpose of the qualification is to produce medical learners who (following the internship and vocational training years) will be professionally equipped at nationally and internationally recognised standards to serve all the communities of South Africa and to function independently in the community on a primary health care or general practice level.

The purpose of the qualification is to train doctors who will meet the requirements to register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and will be able to specialise further in specific medical or health care management fields.

Upon completion of this qualification, the qualifying learner will practice as a competent, socially accountable, independent, critical thinker to provide scientific, safe, comprehensive, and quality medical care. The qualifying learner will be able to progress in the clinical field with the necessary knowledge, skills, and specific competencies to advance to further studies in medicine. Learners will be equipped with a developed sense of equity, justice, and service ethics that will ensure that they work in a responsible and accountable manner irrespective of their chosen workplace. The learner will also be equipped with artificial (AI) advances and the relevance of AI in the health professions. In addition, learners will offer a wide range of transferable skills for application in other professions, disciplines, and general life. The learners will offer healthcare services at various levels of the healthcare system in South Africa.

Rationale

The rationale behind the qualification is to develop the doctor of the future, a person who is a dedicated and patient-centred doctor, competent in the necessary knowledge, clinical skills and professional attitudes as directed by the undergraduate committee of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). It should a be a health professional who is a well-prepared generalist for Primary Health Care (PHC) practice and has a solid foundation for future specialist training. This will promote the delivery of primary health care which is pertinently needed for the South African context.

There is a need to improve the South Africa's healthcare system's capacity to provide quality primary health care to communities. The qualification will address the population's healthcare needs within the parameters of Health Care Plan 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. Medical doctors will be equipped to address the population's healthcare needs within the parameters of Health Care Plan 2030 and the sustainable development goals.

The qualification will address the shortage of medical doctors in South Africa, both in the public and private sector as well as the rural and urban setting. This qualification contributes to meeting the health care needs by increasing the number of skilled, well-qualified medical doctors who can practice within hospitals, clinics, and communities in both public and private sectors. This qualification will enable the qualified learner to function as a clinically focused, service-orientated, independent healthcare professional (medical doctor), who can render comprehensive services in a setting they find themselves in.

The institution has an approved Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy which is applicable with regards to equivalent qualifications for admission into the qualification. RPL will be applied to accommodate applicants who qualify. RPL thus provides alternative access and admission to qualifications, as well as advancement within qualifications. RPL may be applied for access, credits from modules and credits for or towards the qualification.

RPL for access

• Learners who do not meet the minimum entrance requirements or the required qualification that is at the same NQF level as the qualification required for admission may be considered for admission through RPL.
• To be considered for admission in the qualification based on RPL, applicants should provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that they have acquired the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to cope with the qualification expectations should they be allowed entrance into the qualification.

RPL for exemption of modules

• Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted for modules that form part of the qualification. For a learner to be exempted from a module, the learner needs to provide sufficient evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that competency was achieved for the learning outcomes that are equivalent to the learning outcomes of the module.

RPL for credit

• Learners may also apply for RPL for credit for or towards the qualification, in which they must provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates prior learning through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to obtain credits towards the qualification.
• Credit shall be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate (NSC) with a Bachelor pass, NQF Level 4; and a pass in Mathematics and English, and a pass in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences or Physiology.

or

• Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4 with Exemption and a pass in English, Mathematics, Physical Science, Biology or Physiology.

The qualification accepts entrants into the third year of study (Graduate Entry Medical Programme) who have achieved the following additional minimum entry requirements:

• Acceptance into the Graduate Entry Medical Programme will be based on an assessment of the performance achieved in the prior qualification/s, and will also require that the student meets prescribed standards in English and Mathematics (scale of achievement 5 (60%)) in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) or equivalent and a pass in Biology, Physics and Chemistry at first year Bachelor's level as set out on the Faculty webpage: www.wits.ac.za/health/gemp/. The selection procedure will include an additional evaluation (Wits Additional Placement Test).

This qualification comprises of compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 5, 6, 7 and 8 totalling 1080 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 144 Credits

• Integrated Sciences for Medical Students, 72 credits.
• Foundations of Public Health and Health Systems Science, 18 credits.
• The Science and Art of Health and Learning, 28 credits.
• Person, Family and Community I, 26 credits.
• First Aid, 0 credits.
• Computer Literacy, 0 credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 6, 168 Credits

• Human Anatomy, 48 credits.
• Molecular Medicine, 48 credits.
• Physiology and Medical Biochemistry I, 48 credits.
• Medical Thought and Practice, 24 credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 7, 192 Credits

• Integrated Basic Medical and Human Sciences A, 192 credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 8, 576 Credits

• Integrated Basic Medical and Human Sciences B, 192 credits.
• Integrated Clinical Medicine A, 192 credits.
• Integrated Clinical Medicine B, 192 credits.
• MBBCh Elective Studies, 0 credits.

1. Assess the range of health problems that are presented to doctors and use a range of solutions for their recognition, investigation, treatment and prevention.
2. Apply knowledge and skills acquired to determine the causes of disease and to solve medical problems.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of health and its promotion, and of disease and its prevention and management in the context of the whole individual and his or her place in the family, society and the population and the environment.
4. Work with others as a member of a team, group, organisation, or community.
5. Demonstrate appropriate attitudes and values essential to the practice of medicine ensure the achievement of high standards of medical practice, both in relation to the care of individuals and communities and to his or her own personal development.
6. Communicate effectively with different stakeholders.
7. Demonstrate self-direction and independence in their learning in order to become lifelong learners, and will recognise personal educational needs, utilise appropriate learning situations and evaluate their own progress.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Apply a problem-solving model to the assessment of patients to develop and test hypotheses.
• Analyse information from history, physical examination, diagnostic tests, and patient notes to arrive at a diagnosis.
• Make appropriate decisions regarding management and treatment or referral based on the above and on current evidence.
• Demonstrate enterprise in solving problems.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Apply fundamental knowledge of the natural sciences (eg. physics, chemistry, biology).
• Apply core knowledge of the scientific basis of normal human structure and function , human disease processes, clinical disciplines.and mental, physical and social disease processes.
• Evaluate knowledge gained through the medical literature and the effective use of a modern library in order to keep up to date with new developments.
• Apply basic clinical skills in a safe manner.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Integrate basic science and clinical skills with an understanding of the consultative process, demonstrate the ability to:
• Obtain an appropriate history and understanding of the patient's reason for encounter.
• Perform a complete physical examination, including an assessment of the mental state.
• Interpret the findings to reach a provisional assessment of the patient's problems and formulate the patient plans for investigation and management, including opportunistic health promotion.
• Collate and interpret all relevant information, including data obtained from laboratory and special investigations, and make a diagnosis.
• Maintain a functional relationship with the patient, even if the patient rejects investigation and management.
• Collect and record health-relevant information in a systematic and reliable way; use this information to identify health problems and apply it to manage these problems.
• Analyse the burden of disease within the community, and the environmental, socio-economic, political, ecological and behavioural determinants of disease.
• Apply the principles of disease surveillance and the means by which disease may spread and apply the principles of disease prevention and health promotion within the context of promoting a healthy environment.
• Play a role in the organisation, management and provision of health care both in the community and in the hospital, taking into consideration the economic and practical constraints within which it is delivered, and the audit process to monitor its delivery.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Recognise the nature and scope of the various professional health disciplines, such that he or she will be able to make informed decisions with regard to his or her future career direction and development in medicine.
• Work effectively with others in the health care team, understanding the need to have managerial, communication, research and educational skills for this purpose.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the essential roles which other health workers play in health care and show a willingness to work effectively within a team.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Incorporate ethical and legal issues in the practice of medicine.
• Show respect for patients and colleagues that encompasses, without prejudice, diversity of background and opportunity, language, culture and way of life.
• Demonstrate an awareness, through actions or in writing, of the moral and ethical responsibilities involved in individual patient care and in the provision of care to communities, including the recognition of patient and community rights, particularly with regard to confidentiality and informed consent.
• Strive to improve patient care, reduce inequalities in healthcare delivery, and optimise the use of healthcare resources in our society.
• Use professional capabilities to contribute to the community as well as to individual patient welfare through the practice of preventive medicine and the encouragement of health promotion.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Communicate effectively orally and in writing, with the patient, the family, the health care team and the community at large.
• Use appropriate structure, language and style.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Use appropriate strategies for learning that will prepare them for continued professional development throughout life, both as doctors and as responsible citizens.
• Acknowledge responsibility for vocational training in whatever field of medicine is chosen and for continuing professional education in order to keep up to date with new developments.
• Identify personal limitations and develop the capacity of self-audit and participate in the peer review process, showing a willingness to seek help when necessary.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

Integrated assessment occurs especially in the clinical years (years of study 5-6) of the degree when learners undertake continuous ward assessments as well as written and clinical tests and examinations.

The final (sixth) year brings all of the learning together when learners assume clinical responsibility for a few patients, under close supervision. Here learners are expected to demonstrate, under supervision, their cognitive and clinical reasoning skills, clinical psychomotor skills, clinical psychomotor skills and sensitivity to the "world of the patient" required of a doctor. These include the ability to solve problems, generate hypotheses, formulate provisional diagnoses, make decisions about patient management, examine their practice in the light of current evidence (Evidence Based Medicine), reflect on decisions and modify them where appropriate and apply this knowledge with sensitivity in various social and clinical contexts.

The formal assessment methods used are a contribution of those introduced in earlier years.