CMSA Accreditations:
Dip Obst(SA) Dip Obst(SA)
DipPEC(SA) DipPEC(SA)
Rural Allowance: Yes
Doctors Quarters:
- No comments yet.
Academics:
- In 2022 they have gotten consultants from the district to come do a ‘grand ward round’ type once every 1–2 weeks, so they are trying to improve the academics.
- “Accredited for DipPEC and DipObs. Can also get your time signed off for Dip HIV Man as there is a District Family Medicine specialist.
Academics were variable. Recently, the referral hospital (Manapo) was sending their Paediatric specialists for outreach and teaching, while the Internal Medicine department specialist left and outreach stopped. The aforementioned District Family Medicine specialist comes every week for intern teaching, and does ward rounds and teaching intermittently.
Newly-introduced morning meetings occasionally used for teaching, but are mostly for handover.
Suggest self-study to be the most useful academic tool.”
Supervision:
- Hospital has 4 permanent chronic MOs, and the comm serve doctors.
- “There are multiple permanent MOs available for assistance as needed during the day. The clinical manager is also always reachable via telephone, even after-hours. On-call, you run the hospital alone - if you need help, call the clinical manager or the referral hospital; some departments are very helpful even if you aren’t referring.
However, you will quickly learn clinical independence.”
Clinical Exposure:
- Lots of TB, HIV, HT, DM, SIPD, hand abscesses, pregnancies, miscarriages. Patient population are very friendly, grateful and patient.
- Lots of variety. As the first line of doctors for 30+ clinics, you will see everything from clinic cases (hypertension, morning sickness, chronic back pain, etc.) to complex pathology (insulinoma, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, porphyria, etc.) to emergencies (organophosphate poisoning, DKA, status epilepticus, etc.). You cover casualty and maternity during your calls, so gynaecological and obstetric emergencies are a must-know.
Departments worked in:
- Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Emergency Department, OPD’s - Theatre was not running, it may be by now (they’ve been saying it will reopen for the last 3 years).
- Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Psychiatry, Emergency Department - “In the Emergency Department, you will see Medical, Surgical, Trauma, Orthopaedic, Paediatric, Psychiatric, Obstetric and Gynaecological emergencies, urgencies, and clinic cases. Your calls qualify you for DipPEC. Spent 6 months in ED.
There is a functional theatre and you can choose to be part of the Surgery, Anaesthetic, or Paediatric team. None of the time is accredited.
Male medical ward has 16 beds - patients vacillate between being chronic (awaiting home oxygen) or easily-dischargable.”
Social Scene:
- Most people live in Harrismith or Clarens and car pool the hour long drive (one way)
- I stayed in a town 45 minutes away from the hospital, and had an absolute blast of a time. Not many different activities, but loads of beautiful scenery and hiking trails, and if you find the right people, you can have a good time.
Additional Comments:
- Small district hospital - wards - male, female, maternity, Paeds and COVID/surgery. Regional hospital about 20 minutes away, so bloods, cross matches, etc. all go there and it is easy enough to refer patients there. Tertiary hospital is Bloem which is about 3 hours away.
- ERDH is busy. Make the most of your time and do the diplomas available to you. Consider writing primaries if you’re in a more relaxed department. And enjoy the beautiful scenery!
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