Universities and Online Degrees Guide

Stellenbosch University

Master of Medicine in Paediatrics and Child Health

The Master of Medicine in Paediatrics and Child Health in Health Professions is offered by Stellenbosch University.

Program Length: 4 YEARS.

Master of Medicine in Paediatrics and Child Health offered by the Stellenbosch University at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Programme description
The MMed programme in Paediatrics and Child Health consists of training in General Paediatrics and its subspecialties. You must:

• successfully complete the prescribed training period;
• pass the MMed Part I and II examinations of the University, or the FCPaed Part I and Part II examinations of the College of Paediatricians of South Africa; and
• complete a research assignment.

The curriculum covers, among others, the following:

• general paediatrics;
• ambulatory paediatrics;
• neonatology;
• paediatric intensive care;
• neonatal intensive care;
• cardiology;
• pulmonology;
• gastroenterology;
• neurology;
• neurodevelopmental paediatrics;
• nephrology;
• endocrinology;
• infectious diseases;
• haematology;
• oncology;
• immunology; and
• allergy.

Programme content
Research Methodology (Paediatrics) (20)
Specialist Paediatrics (240)
Applied Basic Sciences (100)
Research Assignment (120)

Assessment and examination

• To be awarded the MMed (Paediatrics) degree it is sufficient if you pass the Part I and II examinations of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) with the additional completion of the research assignment.
• The following applies if you write the MMed examination and/or the examination of the CMSA:
  • You must pass the Part I examination preferably within 12 months, but definitely within 18 months.
  • The Part II examination may not be taken before having completed 36 months of the programme, but must be passed within 48 months.
  • Admission to the Part II examination is subject to satisfactory progress with your research project (preferably protocol development, ethical approval, data collection and completion of the assignment).
  • The research project must illustrate your proficiency in the following:
    • the ability to plan a research project;
    • the ability to perform a literature study appropriate to the research project;
    • the ability to complete a research project; and
    • the ability to report the research, preferably in the format of an article suitable for publication.
• If you do not pass the Part I examination within the maximum period of 18 months, the programme committee may recommend that you discontinue your studies. The programme committee may also recommend that you discontinue your studies if the Part II examination and the research assignment have not been successfully completed within the maximum training period of four years.

Continuation of studies

• If you do not comply with the promotion requirements for the MMed programme, and you are denied the right to continue with your MMed studies, you will have to vacate your registrar post in service of the Western Cape Provincial Department of Health or the National Health Laboratory Services. This regulation also applies if you are a registrar in a supernumerary post.
• Only in exceptional cases, and with the submission of an appropriate motivation and the approval of the departmental programme committee, and the Committee for Postgraduate Education and the Faculty Board of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, may you register as an MMed student again.