Program Overview

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Programme: PGDip (Family Medicine)

Introduction

The Postgraduate Diploma in Family Medicine is a two-year part-time programme offered by the University of Pretoria. The programme is designed to provide medical doctors with the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to practice family medicine.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the programme, applicants must:

1. Hold an MBChB (or equivalent) degree
2. Be registered as a medical doctor with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) or registered with the licensing authority in the country of origin

Programme Structure

The programme consists of a modularised curriculum with a blended approach, including campus-based teaching, web-based teaching, and workplace-based learning. The programme is offered over two academic years on a part-time basis.

Curriculum

The curriculum includes the following core modules:

• FFM 700: Family-oriented patient care
• FMD 700: Chronic diseases
• FMF 700: Psychiatry
• FMI 700: Infectious diseases
• FMX 700: Practice management
• HAK 700: Philosophy and principles of family medicine
• PCC 700: Clinical primary care
• PCP 700: Community-orientated primary care

Each module has a credit value of 15.00.

Examinations and Pass Requirements

1. Assignments: Students must submit assignments for each of the eight modules. If a student does not achieve at least 50%, one resubmission is permitted for each module.
2. Workplace-based learning and assessment: Learning in the workplace will be driven by peer learning and documented by means of a portfolio of learning.
3. Final assessment: An annual assessment of the learning documented in the portfolio by the Department of Family Medicine.

A minimum final mark of 50% is required as a pass mark for each module.

National Exit Examination

There will be one national exit examination for the country offered by the College of Family Physicians. The portfolio should be part of the assessment, and the portfolio will give the student access to the national exit examination. Successful candidates will receive a Higher Diploma from the College as well as a Postgraduate Diploma from the University.

Pass with Distinction

An average of at least 75% in the modules and the portfolio is required to obtain the diploma with distinction.

General Information

The University of Pretoria is engaged in an ongoing effort to align its qualifications and programmes with the Higher Education Qualification Sub-Framework (HEQF) criteria. Current and prospective students should take note that changes to UP qualification and programme names may occur as a result of the HEQSF initiative. Students are advised to contact their faculties if they have any questions.

Regulations and Rules

The regulations and rules for the degrees published here are subject to change and may be amended after the publication of this information. The General Academic Regulations (G Regulations) and General Student Rules apply to all faculties and registered students of the University, as well as all prospective students who have accepted an offer of a place at the University of Pretoria. On registering for a programme, the student bears the responsibility of ensuring that they familiarise themselves with the General Academic Regulations applicable to their registration, as well as the relevant faculty-specific and programme-specific regulations and information as stipulated in the relevant yearbook. Ignorance concerning these regulations will not be accepted as an excuse for any transgression, or basis for an exception to any of the aforementioned regulations.