Rural Allowance: Only when working at Edendale/Harry Gwala Hospital.
Doctors Quarters:
- Only the Grey’s Hospital DQs are any good, if you’re lucky enough to get placed at their DQ’s. Some were also quite happy with the Northdale DQ’s, but I wouldn’t suggest staying at the Edendale DQ’s. Some might differ in their opinion.
- I didn’t stay in them so difficult to comment. But not the greatest from what I’ve heard!
- Did not stay in DQ.
- Greys DQ was awful. Rather get your own private accommodation nearby. Some very lovely complexes and apartments around Chase Valley, Montrose, Oak Park.
- Frequently without hot water, but lots of cheap outside accommodation available.
- Rural allowance only at Edendale. DQ at Greys was livable but not amazing.
- Depends on which hospital is your paypoint. Edendale is terrible. Grey’s is decent. And Northdale’s on-site one is crusty but this year they paid for some doctors to live in very decent accommodation in lovely complexes.
- I was placed at Greys DQ, it’s not the most modern environment but definitely livable. Clean, regularly exterminate so I’ve never encountered cockroaches and stuff common to apartments. Apparently Northdale and Edendale aren’t great. There are a lot of close by flats to rent that are reasonably priced.
- Depends on which hospital HR you’re allocated to. Grey’s generally okay. Lots of reasonable accommodation in PMB so best to stay privately.
- Depends which hospital in the complex you get allocated. Greys and Northdale currently being renovated so private accommodation offered at the time being.
- Depends on your paypoint hospital.
Academics:
- The academics at Greys and Edendale are great, but at Northdale is very lacking in general, except for a few departments (like orthopaedics which is amazing at Northdale!).
- Certain departments have Better academics than others. A lot of internship is also self study etc
- Varies between departments. All of them have teaching. Anaesthetics is the most academic department.
- Some departments better than others, some non existent
- Lots of teaching, loads of support in all disciplines
- Department dependent. Some had excellent teaching such as Anaesthetics and Surgery. Others had meetings or tutorials. Some you just learnt as you went (Fammed, Internal Medicine, Obs&Gynae)
- Some more than others. Anaesthetics was top tier, medicine and paeds granted multiple opportunities. Gynae felt a little less academic than the others.
- Anaesthetics had an academic program, and you rotate through ICU. Everything else has teaching morning meetings/presentations, and seniors are always super keen to teach.
- When I left I had done a pericardiocentesis, skin grafts, amputations, CVPs with and without ultrasound and a bunch more.
- Not much teaching happens. There’s no structure around this except in two disciplines – paediatrics and surgery (sometimes).
- There is a lot of supervision in most departments and learning.Anaesthetics is the most academic department. With a lot of tuts and presentations.Surgery also teaches quite a bit throughout the different levels of care. Sometimes the seniors are stuck in theatre and you have to kind of swim in the deep but they always come and manage everything with you when done with theatre.Orthopaedics is great at Northdale enough teaching and hands on experience, Grey’s was mostly academic. I wasn’t in Edendale but I hear it’s busy but really friendly.Paeds has so much support, you are never left alone, it has a fair academic program. Two weeks of compulsory tuts at the start of the block to help you with common cases and rescus in paeds.
- Depends on rotation and hospital. Internal med and obs and gynae virtually non-existent.
- Block dependant
Anaesthetics very good
Surgery good
Paeds intermediate
Rest of the blocks not very academic. - Good teaching in most departments. Especially anaesthetics and emergency medicine.
Supervision:
- Again, supervision at Greys and Edendale are generally pretty good during the day, but some departments leave you alone on call. However, they are usually a phone call away and eager to assist. The only real problem with supervision would be when the MO/Reg on call with you is in theatre with the other intern and you are left along to manage things. But they only really do this later in your rotation.
- Always a senior to call, you are never left alone!
- There is a good balance between learning to assess patients yourself and formulating a plan but always having a senior to discuss with.
- Help always there when you need it but you learn to become independent quickly
- Northdale pretty much threw you into the deep end, but wonderful supervision at Greys and Edendale.
- Also Department dependent. There is often someone to call if you need assistance but a lot of the time you work independently or with your fellow interns to get the work done.
- Never felt alone without a senior to approach.
- Depends on the rotation. Family med was very unsupervised. O&G too. Rest of the blocks were much better. Did rounds with senior staff and could easily get hold of most people to manage cases.
- It’s really senior dependent but as a whole felt quite good. Never feel alone on a call and whether the senior MO is not available some consultants have made themselves available for us to call them.
- Really present seniors in most departments. There are a few shady individuals in internal medicine and family medicine. Say about 3 people in total. Otherwise everyone is really helpful and don’t abandon the interns.
- Depends on rotation. Northdale generally unsupervised overall whilst greys closely supervised.
- This is block dependent
Generally you are never completely alone and in general you never have to deal with resus situations alone.
The only time you are sometimes left is in family medicine. The rest of the blocks seniors are always there to help and always come when called. - Always well supervised (albeit the personalities of certain supervisors might be difficult). Family medicine (second year) you’re less supervised but help is never far.
Clinical Exposure:
- Overall really good clinical exposure! If you are keen for surgical exposure in your surgery/ortho rotation, then they’re keen to let you scrub in if you just show your enthusiasm
- Plenty opportunity to up your clinical skills!
- Amazing! You get exposure to district, regional and tertiary level of care and exposed to almost everything!
- Excellent! Varied pathology from district to tertiary level
- Very wide variety/diverse, and intensity dependant on how much you want to learn. But its enough to teach you how to cope as a comm serve.
- You do get to do a lot of hands on stuff. Seniors are more than willing to let you do if you ask.
- Excellent exposure to various levels of care.
- Good clinical exposure in most blocks.
- Excellent variety given that you rotate through a tertiary, district and regional hospital.
Social Scene:
- Around 200 interns/Commserves, massive social scene. At least it was when I was there. Things might have calmed down a little (which might not be a bad thing, haha).
- Hands down the best part of PMB, the best social scene and social events! There is always a fellow intern around to chat to and help you at work. There is a great team work atmosphere in pmb! You will never feel alone in PMB!
- You become part of a community and there is always a familiar face around or something social to help lead a balanced life
- Lots of people to meet but PMBLife events are quite clique-y
- Payday Parties every month!!
- Best place to be an intern.
- #PMBlife
- Used to be great but suffered greatly in the pandemic. You still have the opportunity to meet lots of cool people but you can really see the small town vibe about the place now.
- Regular themed parties, company on call. Generally just a fantastic community because of how many attend
- We have committee who organizes events throughout the year.
- #PMB life is a thing but also build your own circle. There is plenty to do and plenty to see.
- Lots of interns so you’re bound to find people who enjoy the same stuff as you. PMBlife exists but also caters to a specific group of people so don’t go just by that.
- PMBLIFE makes a huge effort to create a sense of community. You make friends and if you make use
Of the groups and attend the events, the social scene can be really fun. - PMBLife is a well known vibe. Something for everyone.
Additional Comments:
- I’d definitely recommend PMB complex to anyone! You get a nice rounded experience at a tertiary, regional, and district-level hospital which definitely prepares you for commserve and post-commserve life.
- Overall a great place to learn with plenty of support.
- You will work hard and come out a competent doctor to face your community service year. The balance of work and social life is one of the best in the country and helps you through a gruelling 2 years.
- An easy pick if you want to improve your skills and become part of a community.
- There has been issues with an undertone of racism but apparently the affected disciplines were dealing with it and taking active steps. If you are a child of colour and went to a historically black university there might be a bit of a culture shock. Not a bad thing just requires adjusting.PMB is very balanced and I believe breeds balanced doctors, you know enough academics and practical experience to survive com serve. PMB is very big on doing what is right by your patients and evidence based medicine. I overall recommend it’s internship program.
- Would definitely recommend but you will definitely work harder than your counterparts in other hospitals. At the end of it, you will be able to manage comm serve anywhere.
- The kzn health care system is struggling. There are a lot of staff shortages and system failures. It is therefore a very dynamic situation and I recommend taking this into consideration. Some blocks at some times there are loads of seniors and you aren’t running the show and there is time for learning etc… But there are times when seniors have left and are not being replaced – so the departments become short-staffed. Therefore one person’s experience is not always the same as someone else’s because they may have worked in a shortage / crisis situation. Keep this in mind when entering KZN hospitals. There are often stock shortages and lack of resources, CT scans often breaking etc. These struggles have definitely made the internship experience in PMB different and challenging. It was still an amazing time for me and I learnt so so so much. And wouldn’t change coming here at all. But definitely speak to interns currently on the ground to hear how it is AT THE TIME of your application. Because the system is very dynamic. Good luck with the process and have fun!I hope this helps :):)
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