Master of Medicine in Neurology

Purpose

This qualification provides learners with knowledge, skills and applied competence in Neurology sufficient to allow registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as a specialist Neurologist. It aims to provide 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 Neurology.

Rationale

The qualification meets national requirements in that it directly addresses the need for medical specialists in the community. For this reason, the national and provincial Departments of Health had input into the qualification in terms of desired outcomes It meets the needs of students in that the successful graduate is eligible for admission as a fellow of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa registration as a specialist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

The qualification includes competencies other than the technical as it includes communication skills, patient advocacy, community involvement, scholarship, and research in order to ensure that the graduate has the competences required of the medical specialist by the community and prospective employers, who are the key stakeholders.

Care was taken to ensure a sound academic as well as vocational training, including training in the practice of research. It articulates with the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) Degree prior to entry, and to Doctorate studies on exit, as well as with further vocational training in a sub-specialist medical discipline.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Learners who do not meet the minimum entry requirements may be granted admission to the qualification through RPL.

Entry Requirements

The minimum requirement is

• Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Level 8 or admitted to status thereof.
• Adequate language and communication skills.
• Adequate numeracy skills.

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

Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 720 Credits

• Research Methodology, 16 Credits.
• Neurology Clinical and Professional Practice 1, 270 Credits.
• Research Project, 164 Credits.
• Neurology Clinical and Professional Practice, 270 Credits.

1. Show clinical competence in diagnosis and management of disorders appropriate to the discipline.
2. Demonstrate competence in procedures.
3. Maintain high ethical standards in practice and research.
4. Benchmark clinical practice against international standards, using available evidence.
5. Demonstrate academic literacy in terms of critical thinking.
6. Access appropriate learning resources, formulate a research proposal, conduct the research and communicate the findings to the academic community.
7. Create and sustain harmonious and effective service delivery teams.
8. Lead initiatives in health provision, Health advocacy and mentoring of junior colleagues in the area of specialty.
9. Deal with complex issues both systemically and creatively.
10. Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems.
11. Exercise sound judgement in the use of data and information.
12. Act autonomously in planning and implementing professional tasks.

Demonstrate academic literacy using the medium of instruction effectively to convey ideas and insight intelligibly and to achieve own communication purposes:

• Demonstrate an understanding of statistical data.
• Communicate effectively with patient and colleagues.
• Perform appropriate physical examination.
• Choose appropriate special investigations plan and implement treatment options in a holistic manner.
• Plan and implement treatment options in a holistic manner.
• Conceptualise, plan implement and interpret research.

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.
• 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. Demonstrate academic literacy using the medium of instruction effectively to convey ideas and insight intelligibly and to achieve own communication purposes.
• Communicate effectively with patient and colleagues.
• Choose appropriate special investigations plan and implement treatment options in a holistic manner.
• Plan and implement treatment options in a holistic manner.

Integrated Assessment

Written Papers: Written assessment assesses the learning outcomes of clinical competence and scholarship including factual knowledge, the ability to synthesise knowledge from different sources, to analyse clinical scenarios and to draw up management plans. This format may be used to assess generic attributes including service delivery, leadership in health provision, health advocacy, dealing with complex issues, self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, exercising sound judgement in the use of data and information and acting autonomously in planning and implementing professional tasks.

Clinical Examination

This addresses the learning outcome of competence in procedures and the generic attribute of exercising sound judgement in the use of data and information and acting autonomously in planning and implementing professional tasks.

Formative Assessment

The portfolio of learning is used formatively to show the development of clinical competence in diagnosis and management, to document competence in procedures, to monitor the maintenance of high ethical standards and to benchmark clinical practice against international standards. It is also used to monitor competence in communication skills, creating and sustaining harmonious and effective service delivery teams, leadership in health provision, health advocacy, mentoring junior colleagues, dealing with complex issues both systematically and creatively, demonstrating self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, exercising sound judgement in the use of data and information, and acting autonomously in planning and implementing professional tasks.

Research Project

This addresses the learning outcome of ensuring maintenance of high ethical standards in practice and research and demonstrating 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. It also assesses communication skills, dealing with complexes issues both systematically and creatively, demonstrating self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, exercising sound judgement in the use of data and information and acting autonomously in planning and implementing professional tasks.