Master of Medicine in Family Medicine

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to produce qualifying learner 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.

Rationale

This qualification aims at producing qualifying learners who are socially accountable Provide learners with specialised knowledge and competence in science and practice in specialist clinical disciplines to enable registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as a specialist. Prepare learners to contribute to the development and dissemination of knowledge at an advanced level by fostering scholarship, and intellectual independence, equipping them with skills and knowledge relevant to the practice of research and professional communication.

Recognition of Prior Learning(RPL)

The institution accepts the principle underlying outcomes-based, source-based and life-long learning, in which considerations of articulation and mobility play a significant role, and subscribes to the view that Recognition of Prior Learning, whether acquired by formal education curricula at this or another institution or informally (by experience) is an indispensable element in deciding on admission to and awarding credits in an explicitly selected teaching-learning qualification of the institution.

An applicant who falls outside of the formal qualifications system, but who can demonstrate (through the production of substantial and satisfactory evidence) experiential or work-based learning or a non-formal qualification (or a combination), may be considered for admission and/or for the Recognition of Prior Learning for the achievement of the qualification in part or in full. An applicant who after such assessment, is deemed to have sufficient potential, but is in need of further academic development, must be directed to other suitable learning qualifications prior to admission or to parallel qualifications after admission.

Entry Requirements

Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, National Qualifications Framework(NQF) Level 8.

This qualification comprises of compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework(NQF) Level 9, totalling to 720 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 720 Credits

• Family Medicine Clinical & Professional Practice 1, 270 Credits.
• Research Methodology,16 Credits.
• Research Project, 164 Credits.
• Family Medicine Clinical & Professional Practice 2, 270 Credits.

Clinical competence

1. Show clinical competence in diagnosis and management of disorders appropriate to the discipline.
2. Demonstrate competence in procedures.
3. Ensure maintenance of high ethical standards in practice and research.
4. Benchmark clinical practice against international standards, using available evidence Scholarship.
5. Demonstrate academic literacy in terms of critical thinking, the ability to access appropriate learning resources, formulate a research proposal, conduct the research and communicate the findings to the academic community.

Generic attributes competence in

1. Communication skills.
2. Creating and sustaining harmonious and effective service delivery teams.
3. Leadership in health provision.
4. Health advocacy.
5. Mentoring junior colleagues in the area of specialty.
6. Dealing with complex issues both systemically and creatively.
7. Demonstrating self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems.
8. Exercising sound judgement in the use of data and information.
9. Acting autonomously planning and implementing professional.
10. Self- development as life-long learners Continuing Professional Development(CPD) and as leaders of others (staff development).

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. Both formative and summative assessment practices that will be implemented. Formative: Performance as a service-provider in the clinical workplace. Assessment of class preparation and participation. Individual and group written assignments Individual and group oral presentations. Work based assessments. A professional portfolio the development of generic. Summative assessment is in the form of the part one examination (co-ordinated by the Department of Family Medicine) and part two examination coordinated by the College of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA). In order to satisfy the requirements for the research methodology module, the learner is required to have produced a satisfactory research protocol ready for submission.