Universities and Online Degrees Guide

University of the Witwatersrand

Bachelor of Clinical Medical Practice with Honours in Emergency Medicine

The Bachelor of Clinical Medical Practice with Honours in Emergency Medicine in Health Professions is offered by University of the Witwatersrand.

Program Length: 2 YEARS.

Bachelor of Clinical Medical Practice with Honours in Emergency Medicine offered by the University of the Witwatersrand

The Bachelor of Clinical Medical Practice Honours in the field of Emergency Medicine is a 2 year part-time degree offered through a collaborative effort with the Division of Emergency Medicine and the Division of Clinical Associates.

Rationale: The Bachelor of Clinical Medical Practice undergraduate degree began at Wits University in 2009 with the first cohort graduating in 2011. This created the first group of medical professionals with the title Clinical Associate, registered to practice medicine under a doctor’s license as designated by the Health Professions Council of South Africa. The Clinical Associate is a competent, knowledgeable, procedural oriented health professional established to help reduce the disease burden of South Africa. Historically, there has been no post-graduate course or career progression for continued training to advance the clinical associates’ level of education, training and experience. This Honours degree will provide for a 4th year of an academic programme to continue the student’s learning in the area of clinical associate medical practice. The Honours is then a means to continue with a Post-Graduate Degree, Masters Degree and PhD studies.

Career Advancement: Work opportunities post-graduation will be based on additional depth of clinical knowledge and practice in the emergency department, trauma units and intensive care units during the study programme. There is no increase in the scope of practice, as this is an academic degree with the advancement of theoretical and clinical medical practice focused on emergency medicine for the practicing clinical associate.

Course Aims:  The purpose of this Honours qualification in emergency medicine is to produce graduates who are well equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to continue a career as clinical associates in a demanding emergency focused clinical discipline in a teaching or district hospital environment. The postgraduate degree provides a platform for progression towards further study such as Masters and PhD degrees. The qualification will provide BCMP graduates from South African universities, many of whom are from rural communities in underserved areas, with the opportunity to advance their development academically and professionally in the area of emergency medicine. It will assist in promoting and sustaining the clinical associate profession, thus contributing to improvement of health care in areas of need.