Master of Medicine in Radiotherapy and Oncology

Purpose

The intended purpose is explicitly directed towards the production of a learner equipped with the necessary skills for a designated professional, namely, for registration and subsequent employment as a medical specialist. The purpose of the qualification is to:

• Provide skills and knowledge necessary to equip learners for professional service in the context of the health needs of the population.
• Produce 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.
• Produce competent learners for admission to doctoral programmes prepare the learner from life of self-directed continuing learning, reflective practice and professional development.

Rationale

This qualification provides learners with knowledge, skills and applied competence in Radiotherapy and Oncology sufficient to allow registration with Health Professions Council of South Africa as a specialist Radiation and Oncologist. 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 Radiotherapy and Oncology.

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 entry requirement for this qualification is the

• Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 8, with two years' experience including Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) requirements.

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

Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 720 Credits

• Research Methodology, 16 Credits.
• Radiotherapy and Oncology (Oncol) Clinical and Professional Practical 1, 270 Credits.
• Radiotherapy and Oncol Clinical and Prof Prac 1, 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 in planning implementing professional tasks.

• 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

The qualification is comprehensively assessed, particularly at exit level where the exit examinations are independently offered by the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) in accordance with national practice. Assessments address knowledge, skills and behaviours using a range of assessment modalities as detailed in the template. Entrance to the exit examination is not permitted in the absence of a satisfactorily completed portfolio of learning covering the four years of training in detail with regular formative assessment. In terms of the internal assessment, the Master of Medicine programs are unique in that, in line with national practice and that of all health science faculties of South African medical schools, all summative assessment for the non-research component of the degree, covering the clinical and professional practice are independently undertaken by the CMSA. Internal assessment is therefore formative and is conducted by the academic staff teaching the module, which in the context of his degree, includes both the academic and those staff who supervises the work-integrated learning components of the programme, and is accredited to the University for this purpose.

Formative assessments comprise of on-going continuous assessments by clinical and academic supervisors, clinical and theoretical presentations, grand round case presentations and professional portfolio reviews. Summative assessments include written papers, oral and clinical examinations. Assessments are blueprinted, and the modalities and extent of assessment are explicitly defined and visible to the learner; being recorded in detail in both the programme and module templates, and in the guidelines published by the CMSA. The CMSA runs regular assessment workshops and places a strong emphasis on validity and reliability. This implies the recording of assessment results, settling of disputes, rigour and security of the assessment system. These criteria apply to the summative assessments independently offered by the CMSA. Clear protocols are in place to ensure security of assessment, accurate recording of results and transmission to the Institution, and an appeal system for the handling of disputed examinations. CMSA has formal procedures to ensure the validity, and reliability of assessment practices, the secure and reliable recording of assessment results, and the settling of learner disputes and security of the assessment system. The Master of Medicine programs are unique in that, in line with national practice and that of all health science faculties of South African medical schools, all summative assessment for the non-research component of the degree, covering the clinical and professional practice are independently undertaken by the CMSA.

Internal assessment is therefore formative and is conducted by the academic staff teaching the module, which in the context of this qualification, includes both the academic and those staff who supervises the work-integrated learning components of the qualification, and is accredited to the University for this purpose.