Sefako Makgatho University Medical University, Welcome to Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU), which is now in its 4th year of existence. Our School offers the MBChB, MBChB Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP), Diagnostic Radiography, BSc (Hons) in the Pathology disciplines as well as post-graduate programmes in various specialities. The MBChB programme is accredited by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and will be reviewed in 2018 based on a 5-year cycle. The MBChB ECP, which was introduced in 2010 for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, has proven to be successful as it adequately prepares them for the mainstream MBChB programme after successful completion of their first year of the course. We have consistently recorded a pass rate of between 98-100 percent.
The 3-year Radiography programme has been re-accredited for another 5-year cycle. The students work under supervision at the Dr. George Mukhari Academic Hospital, Garankuwa and various accredited clinical training sites in Gauteng, Limpopo, and North-West provinces. The Radiography department has applied for the 4-year Radiography degree, which is a national imperative as a number of institutions have already implemented it. The Programme Qualification Mix (PQM) documents are under review by the various accrediting bodies. Also, the MSc Clinical Psychology programme was successfully re-accredited in 2017.
The Pathology disciplines, Anatomy, and Physiology Departments are now fully integrated within the School of Medicine, following SMU Senate approval of the new academic structure. This means that the School of Medicine still remains the largest School with 36 departments. Our School has academic guardians assigned to students throughout their years of study to assist with study techniques, time management, and psychosocial problems. Students are urged to make use of these opportunities when required to ensure their successful completion of their programmes.
Our post-graduate programmes attract students from South Africa, Southern Africa and from the African continent and offer a variety of opportunities in various medical and surgical specialities. We have completed a number of postgraduate skills laboratories to assist with virtual skills development especially in the surgical disciplines. Our research output has shown an improvement in recent years and we will ensure that the quality of our research dissertations in all fields of study continue to improve for us to publish them in peer-reviewed journals. The focus on health professions research will continue to remain an imperative from 2018 and beyond.
In addition, our School will strive to ensure that SMU’s mission to “provide high-quality primary health care-oriented health sciences research, education and services”.