Faculty of Health Sciences
The programme
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What the programme is
The programme is open to students who have passed second-year MBChB, on academic merit. Admission follows an extra course, Molecular Medicine, taken in third year.
Molecular Medicine is the prerequisite for BMedSc (Honours), taken as a year out between MBChB year 3 and year 4.
There are two tracks: the Intercalated BMedSc(Honours)–MBChB Track and the Intercalated MBChB–MSc–PhD Track. On the second, the research degree is completed before, after or alongside MBChB years 4 to 6. Students may also return to fourth year and take up a research degree later.
- 95
- Honours awarded since 2011
- 25+
- Progressed to MSc or PhD
- 2
- PhD completed
- 4
- MSc completed
- 6
- PhD in progress
- 15
- MSc in progress
- 34
- Conference presentations (two-thirds international)
- 56%
- First-author publications, 2013–2018
Clinician-Scientists Scholars Programme — Intercalated Brief, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town
History
The intercalated tracks were established in 2011 in the Faculty of Health Sciences, under the convenership of Professor Arieh Katz, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences (IDM).
The programme responds to a shortage of clinician-scientists in South Africa. About 2% of the country's clinical academics hold a PhD, against roughly 30% in many developed countries, while the local disease burden – HIV, TB, non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health – requires its own research capacity. The model follows the intercalated degrees offered by leading universities elsewhere.
Since 2011, 95 students have been awarded BScMed (Honours) and over 25 have gone on to MSc or PhD study. Students from designated groups now make up 75% of the cohort.
Getting involved
Alumni and current students who entered the programme may request membership.
Clinician-scientists who did not come through the programme take part as partners and mentors, using the same form.