By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has secured dates for the medical board examinations that will enable students trained abroad to write exams which will enable them to practise medicine in South Africa.
The council says it’s signed a new contract with the University of KwaZulu-Natal to manage board examinations for the next three years.
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University previously managed the medical board examinations, but its contract expired.
It says the first round of theory exams will take place on 25 October at UKZN’s School of Medicine in Durban.
Practical exams are scheduled for December at Howard College Campus.
HPCSA registrar Magome Masike said the council regrets the delay in arranging the board medical examinations.
Masike said, the appointment of a new service provider was a lengthy process; however, I am pleased to announce that a new contract has been signed with UKZN to manage the HPCSA medical board examinations for the next three years.
Early this month, frustrated junior doctors trained in China, Italy, Mauritius, Russia and other countries marched to HPCSA’s office in Pretoria to demand that the council provide them with a date for when they would sit for the board exams.
One affected doctor said they welcome the news and hopes she will get an invitation soon to sit for the exams.
“I am quite pleased that HPCSA has decided to take accountability for their actions in acknowledging that the fault lay on their side and not the medical graduates.
“I am also quite enthusiastic to hear from them and hoping that they will send out all the invites for the examination at the time that they have promised, which is 30 days prior, and this gives us a lot of relief knowing that we, as self-funded students with our parents’ hard-working money and making so many sacrifices for us will not be in vain.”