South African Medical Journal (Aug 2023)

Surgical training and capacity development in the South African internship programme

  • R Boden,
  • I Majiet,
  • I Balde,
  • T Naledi,
  • E Panieri,
  • L Cairncross,
  • S Maswime

DOI
https://doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2023.v113i8.137
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 112, no. 8

Abstract

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Medical practitioners in South Africa manage a quadruple burden of disease. Junior doctors, who contribute significantly to the health workforce, must complete 2 years of internship training and 1 year of community service work in state health facilities after graduation to register as an independent medical practitioner. The aim of this article is to give a critical appraisal of the current national internship programme and why it was implemented, and outline suggestions for future changes. There is a compelling need to train competent, confident doctors while ensuring that the requirements and demands of our health system remain a central concern.

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