Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Medicine

• To form part of the credentialing process for medical practitioners in advanced training in occupational medicine in the public and private sectors.
• To provide broad subject knowledge to understand the discipline of Occupational Health, to acquire the necessary skills to be able to practice independently in occupational health and medicine and to develop attitudes appropriate to high standards in health management and administration, epidemiology and environmental and occupational health.
• To provide a basis for students who would wish to proceed to Master's level in the field.
• To provide for the legal requirements under the numerous "Health and Safety" and "labour" legislation of South Africa and of international bodies.

Senior Certificate with Matriculation Exemption or equivalent university admission qualification.

First degree: MB,ChB, MB,BCh, or equivalent qualification.

Additional requirements

MB,ChB, MB,BCh, or equivalent qualification acceptable to the Health Professions Council of South Africa for registration as a medical practitioner in South Africa.

Two years of supervised medical practice which may include the internship year, and the year of compulsory community service

Current registration with the HPCSA as a medical practitioner.

a). GENERAL OUTCOMES

1. Demonstrate broad knowledge of health service delivery within applied models
2. Be able to effectively apply health sciences and health technology through a deep knowledge in the field of occupational health.
3. Be able to identify and find solutions to health related problems through the use of critical thinking.
4. To demonstrate leadership within the health provider groups and professionals
5. To communicate effectively with health service consumers, service providers, the general public and specific worker communities

b). SPECIFIC OUTCOMES

1. Be able to describe, explain, quantify and prioritise the health risks facing individuals, communities and society at work and in general environment

• Be able to diagnose cases of commonly occurring preventable occupational diseases, in order to make an insightful worker community diagnosis
• Be able to describe the aetiology and epidemiology of commonly occurring occupational health related conditions
• Be able to describe the burden of an occupational disease or group of diseases, in economic and medical terms, for the individual employee, for employers, for the community and for society.
• Be able to formulate and prioritise appropriate occupational health research questions
• Be able to interpret the design, implementation, and report on the results of an epidemiological study in occupational settings
• Be able to carry out a rapid epidemiological assessment, including the investigation of a disease outbreak.
• Be able to interpret one's own data, as well as the data and findings of other investigations, including publications in the scientific literature.
• Be able to motivate for adequate funding and resources required for carrying out these activities

1. Be able to explain, quantify and prioritise the occupational health and occupational health service needs of employees, communities and society at work

• Be able to distinguish between impairment and disability, and to describe the nature of a disability for workers' compensation purposes.

1. Be able to explain, quantify and analyse the nature, pattern and quality of occupational health services provided for, and demanded by, employees, employers, communities and society, including recommendations for an appropriate, acceptable and affordable level of occupational health service provision that is effective, efficient and equitable

• Be able to describe occupational health services provided in terms of inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes
• Be able to describe the nature and patterns of occupational health service provision an utilisation in terms of efficacy, efficiency, equity, acceptability, accessibility, and appropriateness (with respect to needs and affordability)
• Be able to evaluate an occupational health system.

1. Be able to design and implement quality assured, effective, efficient, equitable, affordable and acceptable occupational health interventions to reduce, eliminate, or manage the occupational health risks faced by employees and communities at work and in transit.

• Be familiar with the investigation of, and treatment for, uncomplicated commonly occurring occupational and communicable diseases, in order to be able to achieve the overall learning outcome with greater insight.
• Be able to lead, communicate, advocate, plan and mange for a health promoting intervention at the workplace and at different levels of organisation
• Be able to design, conduct and report on an intervention study
• Be able to evaluate the processes and the results of occupational health promoting interventions, and to modify the processes accordingly as required.

1. Be able to interpret, understand and apply the relevant health and safety and labour legislation.

a).

To demonstrate confident, systematic and deep knowledge in the field of occupational health

b).

The assessment used meets the standard and level of achievement for the applicable NQF level.

Outcome will be assessed through debate and management of specific applied issues

The qualifying learner's written and oral presentations must be of adequate academic level in structure, organisation and presentation as applicable to this professional field of study.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

1. Certification, by the head of the candidate's training department, that at least 25 weeks of learning will have taken place in an approved training environment, prior to the date of the first written examination paper.
2. Certification, by the head of the candidate's training department, that the candidate has either passed and internal practical examination, or has satisfied the head of department as to his/ her practical abilities, prior to the date of the first written examination paper.
3. Short report may be required on occupational health services or a rapid epidemiology assessment or a critical literature review or a critical report of a small qualitative research project. Pass mark 50%
4. Three, written, closed book examination papers, each potentially covering the entire syllabus, but collectively demonstrating a reasonable balance between the different sections
5. An oral examination of 30 minutes. The candidate will be expected to demonstrate oral communication skills by conducting a discourse on any topic relevant to public health medicine before a panel of examiners. This will provide for modification and verification of the final examination pass mark