Medicine courses: All you need to know about how you can study medicine in South Africa
South Africa has numerous world-class institutions offering rigorous medical training to its students. With these intuitions, one is guaranteed of graduating with impeccable skills needed in the field. Importantly, one has to meet the requirements to start their career in medicine. That said, have you ever wondered how to go about studying medicine in SA and its significance?
Source: UGC
With the rate of unemployment increasing day by day, some students may get worried about what would happen after they finally graduate. Sadly, many of them end up making uninformed decisions that haunt them later in life. For that matter, a little understanding of these medicine courses can come in handy!
Essential facts about studying medical courses in SA
These facts include the requirements, best institutions, length of studying, salaries earned by doctors, among many other facts.
Requirements to study medicine
Below are some of the requirements you ought to meet before being allowed to any medical school in the country:
What subjects are needed to become a doctor in South Africa?
The subjects a student picks while in high school largely determine their future careers. In addition to the other compulsory subjects, a student must pass the following selected subjects:
- English,
- Mathematics,
- Physics/Chemistry,
- Life Science.
Marks needed to become a doctor in South Africa
Often, most institutions have different entrance requirements for medicine programs. However, the difference in those grades is slight. Again, the selection board does not depend on academic grades alone. A student must also perform exemplary in their National Benchmark Tests (NBTS)
Studying medicine in South Africa requirements also include no-academic abilities of a student. Such skills include social awareness, leadership, sports, work experience, etc.
The grades are split into three sub-categories as follows in three of the largest medical universities in South Africa:
Wits University
- NSC Results: 40%
- NBT Results: 40%
- Non-academic Performance: 20%
University of Stellenbosch
- NSC Results: 45%
- NBT Results: 30%
- Non-academic Performance: 25%
University of Cape Town
- NSC Results: 60%
- NBT Results: 30%
- Non-academic Performance: 10%
Where can I study medicine in South Africa?
Source: UGC
Many accredited medical universities in South Africa offer medical training. They are spread across the country for easy accessibility by students from different backgrounds. Here is the list of medical schools in South Africa:
- University of Witwatersrand
- University of Stellenbosch
- University of Cape Town
- University of Pretoria
- University of KwaZulu- Natal
- University of the Free State
- Walter Sisulu University
- University of Johannesburg
- Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
- Northwest University – South Africa
- Nelson Mandela University
- University of Western Cape
Many students choose to study medicine in South Africa to gain first-class skills equal to those students travelling abroad for the same purpose. Be it a Bachelor of medicine and surgery degree or a diploma course, they are all offered in the country.
The Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA)
Source: UGC
Medicine is a vast field. Thus, if you cannot make it to the university, you can also get your place in the college of your choice. Besides, the college of medicine South Africa qualifications has also proven to be effective for many people out there. Here is a list of some CMSAs available under this category:
- College of Dentistry
- College of Anaesthetists
- College of Clinical Pharmacologists
- College of Neurologists
- College Medical Genetics
- College of Surgeons
- College of Radiologists
- College of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- College of Dermatologists
- College of Family Physicians
- College of Ophthalmologists
- College of Psychiatrists etc
How long does it take to study medicine in South Africa?
Most medicine courses, unlike others, take the longest period to complete. Overall, they may take six to ten years, depending on the area one wants to specialize in. Currently, an MBChB degree takes six years.
How much does a degree cost in South Africa?
The costs of studying medicine in SA vary from one university to another, type of medical program, and other details. You can check out this fee handbook of the University of Cape Town to have an estimate of the fees for 2021.
How to become a doctor in South Africa
Source: UGC
After graduating, one is required to go for an internship for a period of not less than two years. Also, they have to offer a one-year community service period before they start to practice as required by the law under the HPCSA (Health Professions Council of South Africa).
How much do doctors earn in South Africa?
Doctors are among the highly-paid professionals in any country. At the moment, the salary of a doctor in South Africa ranges between 32,800 ZAR and 124,000 ZAR. However, most of them earn an average salary of R520,366 on a monthly basis.
What factors affect the salary range of a doctor?
The medical doctor salary in South Africa may also depend on other factors such as region, level of competition, level of experience, among others.
Are South African doctors good?
Often, students undergo rigorous training before they become doctors. Private hospitals, in particular, have excellent physicians. It is for this reason that most of them have an outstanding reputation. In other words, a medical degree obtained in South Africa is equally important as the one obtained in developed overseas countries.
Indeed, South Africa has made a significant milestone in ensuring that its citizens are healthy. The country offers quality medicine courses at considerable costs to both South African students and foreign ones. Also, the quality of its degrees has already secured numerous graduates jobs in the job market. Bottom line, we hope that this information has helped you make an informed decision as you venture into the medical career.
READ ALSO: Top 5 medical schools in South Africa
Briefly.co.za ublished an article on the top 5 medical schools in South Africa. There are more medical students being admitted to different universities across South Africa. Gone are the days when students used to travel outside the country to further their education abroad, especially those studying medicine. Now, there are numerous highly ranked medical schools in South Africa, where one can study medicine. Read more about the schools in the article.
Source: Briefly News
