Master of Medicine in Haematology

Purpose

This qualification provides qualifying learners with knowledge, skills and applied competence in Haematology). It aims to provide qualifying learners 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 Haematology.

Rationale

This qualification equips qualifying learners for professional service in the context of the health needs of the population and produce qualifying learners who are socially accountable. Provide qualifying 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 qualifying learners to contribute to the development and dissemination of knowledge at an advanced level by fostering scholarship, and intellectual independence.

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

The minimum requirement is

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

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

Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 720 Credits

• Research Methodology, 16 Credits.
• Haematology Clinical & Professional Practice1, 270 Credits.
• Haematology Clinical & Professional Practice 2, 270 Credits.
• Research Project, 164 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).

Associated Assessment Criteria are applied in an integrated manner to the Exit Level Outcomes.

• 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.
• Interpret and generate numerical data in various formats.
• Apply numerical data to research and clinical practice.
• 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 physical examination appropriate to the level of a specialist in the field.
• 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

Formative includes 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 placed based assessments, a professional portfolio The development of generic competencies such as communication skills, collaboration, professionalism and ethics, scholarly activity, health advocacy, leadership and management are monitored in a process of continuous formative assessment, oral interviews and in the setting of the final examination.

Summative Assessment is in the form of the part one and part two of the institution and/or Colleges of Medicine of South Africa(CMSA) examinations as well as the assessment methodology for the research module. Part one examinations are set by the institution and Part two examinations are conducted by the institution and/or CMSA. The examiners are rigorously chosen for their qualifications in the discipline in which the examination will be conducted and will be drawn from around the country. In order to satisfy the requirements for the Research Methodology module, the student is required to have produced a satisfactory research protocol ready for submission to the University Biomedical Research Ethics Committee. At the conclusion of the research project, the achievement of learning outcomes will be assessed through a thesis in the traditional format that will be submitted for examination on completion of the research project or by publication in a peer-reviewed, South African Post-Secondary Education (SAPSE) accredited journal.