Master of Medicine in Anaesthesiology

Purpose

The purpose of the qualification is to train specialist Anaesthesiologists who are medical practitioners, skilled in the delivery of Anaesthetics and pain management for surgical operations and critically ill patients. The role of Anaesthesiology to support the surgical disciplines is integral in improving access to health care for surgically treatable diseases.

Qualified Anaesthesiologists work mainly in the operating theatre to give anaesthesia for operations. These operations have a wide variety of complexity from cardiac surgery to neurosurgery and paediatric surgery, to name a few. Their skillset also allows them to support other areas of the health system that require the skilled management of sick patients, resuscitation and performance of emergency procedures, and pain management. As specialists, they are also trained to manage the logistics of access to safe surgery for patients, triaging, and health quality improvement.

Graduates will apply academic knowledge, skills, principles, and methods to support research and service in the perioperative environment, having the necessary knowledge, skills, professional thinking, behaviour, and attitudes to become scientists and educators in Anaesthesiology.

Upon successful completion of the qualification, successful learners will be able to

• Apply the basic principles of Anaesthesiology.
• Provide evidence of competence in Anaesthetic practice in multiple sub-disciplines within Anaesthesiology.
• Design and undertake a research project and write a mini dissertation in Anaesthesiology.
• Teach basic Anaesthesiology to other health professions' undergraduate learners.

Rationale

There is a shortage of specialists in Anaesthesiology, particularly in remote rural areas such as the Eastern Cape. This threatens the quality of health care delivery and training in the perioperative disciplines.

The qualification is a pathway to training specialist anaesthesiologists. These are medical doctors specialised in managing perioperative patients, giving safe anaesthesia in the operating room for high-risk patients, training general medical doctors in anaesthesia for less ill patients, and performing of resuscitation and life-saving procedures. The qualification focuses also on developing the potential for research in the field.

Lower-middle-income countries such as South Africa have been shown to have poor health outcomes from poor access to surgery, as such, initiatives to train Anaesthesiologists are part of global strategies to address the issue of poor access to surgery. A recent enquiry on the Anaesthesiology workforce in Southern and East Africa revealed that the numbers of anaesthesiologists in these countries are still far below all international recommendations constituting only about 5% of the minimum recommended figures for low-income countries (LMICs). Also, Anaesthesiologists are highly concentrated in the major cities of the region, with few in provincial and rural areas. (Asingei et al, 2023).

Nonetheless, all trends suggest huge opportunities for advancing the training of more anaesthesiologists to serve in rural areas. The qualification will contribute to increasing the pool of academics and professionals with the competence and critical intellectual abilities to enable the future development of Anaesthesiology.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Recognition of prior learning is limited in this qualification as it is a highly specialised discipline and is not transferable to other disciplines such as Internal Medicine.

Trainees with prior master's and PhD degrees are still required to conduct research and submit a mini dissertation in Anaesthesiology and Perioperative medicine, during their four years in the qualification.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, NQF Level 8.

And

• Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as an independent practitioner, (with internship and community service experience).

Or

• Appropriate approval from HPCSA indicating eligibility for postgraduate registrar training in the case of foreign medical graduates.

And

• Registration with HPCSA in an accredited training number for Anaesthesiology.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at NQF Level 09 totalling 480 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 480 Credits

• Research: Mini Dissertation, 60 Credits.
• Basics of Anaesthesiology, 60 Credits.
• Airway management, 40 Credits.
• Pain Management, 40 Credits.
• Regional and local anaesthesia, 40 Credits.
• Perioperative Care, 80 Credits.
• Quality of Practice, 40 Credits.
• Specialised Areas of Practice, 120 Credits.

1. Demonstrate the ability to integrate the scientific knowledge and skills to administer and supervise simple and complicated anaesthetics in the general and specialized disciplines of Anaesthesiology; and evaluate and solve complex clinical problems in the Anaesthesiology field, making creative decisions using critical and creative thinking and to bring relevant, innovative, impactful solutions to perioperative clinical problems and other connected health care areas.
2. Demonstrate the ability to effectively co-operate with other colleagues in the discipline and across medical and other health disciplines as a perioperative team member.
3. Engage with others to contribute towards the actualisation of the vision of a high-quality healthcare system and take responsibility for delivering excellent patient care through activities as an anaesthesiologist and perioperative physician, administrator, scholar, and teacher.
4. Demonstrate the ability to organize and manage themselves and their activities in a responsible and efficient manner, representing the Anaesthesiology discipline well.
5. Demonstrate the ability to collect, analyse, organize, critically evaluate, and apply information, including the habit of frequent referral to textbooks, journals and all other possible sources concerning Anaesthesiology, keeping abreast of recent developments within the field. Be versatile and open-minded in the approach to solving health system-related issues, considering modern solutions that utilise technology and data.
6. Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively through oral or written debate, including the ability to use current information technology and present and defend information in a scientific and accountable manner.
7. Demonstrate the ability to utilize science and technology effectively and critically, always in a manner which demonstrates responsibility towards the environment and the health of others, including patients and colleagues, to ensure the sustainability of the health system's resources.
8. Demonstrate the ability to plan, execute, complete, and write up a research project to generate new knowledge and improve current practice and care quality. This outcome comprises combinations of skills in critical thinking, evaluation of information and creation of new knowledge, though to a limited extent compared to doctoral study.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Integrate the scientific knowledge and skills to administer and supervise simple and complicated Anaesthetics in the general and specialized disciplines of Anaesthesiology.
• Identify and solve clinical problems in the Anaesthesiology field, making creative decisions using critical and creative thinking.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Co-operate with other colleagues in the discipline and across medical and other health disciplines as a member of a perioperative team.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Deliver excellent patient care as an anaesthesiologist and perioperative physician, administrator, scholar, and teacher.
• Improve patient care to reduce inequalities in health care delivery to optimise the use of health care resources in society.
• Teach, through clinical practice at the specialist level, the application of knowledge from the basic to the advanced level to other professionals.
• Communicate this knowledge by teaching undergraduates and supervising interns and more junior colleagues in the speciality.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Organize and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and efficiently.
• Utilise resources in an equitable manner and just access for all members of society and sustainability of the service.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Collect, analyse, organize, critically evaluate, and apply information, including the habit of frequent referral to textbooks, journals and all other possible sources concerning Anaesthesiology to keep abreast of recent developments within the field.
• Be versatile and open-minded in the approach to solving health system-related issues, considering modern solutions that utilise technology and data.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Effectively and critically utilise science and technology to demonstrate responsibility towards the environment and the health of others, including patients and colleagues.
• Communicate effectively through oral or written debate and use current information technology.
• Present and defend information in a scientific and accountable manner.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Demonstrate humaneness and sensitivity to ethical issues, cultural norms and diversity in health care concerning patients and colleagues.
• Show respect for patients and colleagues that encompasses, without prejudice, diversity of background and opportunity, language, culture, and way of life.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Plan, execute, complete, and write up a research project to generate new knowledge and improve current practice and care quality.
• Conduct all research with due regard for the moral, legal, and ethical accountability and requirements of the profession.