Programme: BCMP

Kindly take note of the disclaimer regarding qualifications and degree names.
Code Faculty
10130012 Faculty of Health Sciences
Credits Duration
Minimum duration of study: 3 years Total credits: 428
Contact:
Dr JM Louw
[email protected]
+27 (0)123563309

Programme information

The integrated outcomes-based, problem-oriented degree programme consists of theoretical modules and clinical rotations.

Admission requirements

  • The following persons will be considered for admission: a candidate who is in possession of a certificate that is deemed by the University to be equivalent to the required Grade 12 certificate with university endorsement; a candidate who is a graduate from another tertiary institution or has been granted the status of a graduate of such an institution; a candidate who is a graduate of another faculty at the University of Pretoria; and a candidate who is currently in university.
  • Life Orientation is excluded in the calculation of the APS.
  • Selection is based on the Grade 11 final examination results and the Biographical Information Form.
  • Admission to Health Sciences programmes is subject to a selection process.
  • For selection purposes the average of the results in six subjects, including English and Mathematics, is calculated.
  • Candidates, please note that your APS may not drop with more than two points in your final school examination results in order to maintain your provisional admission.
  • PLEASE NOTE that compliance with the minimum admission requirements does not necessarily guarantee admission to any programme in this Faculty.
  • Selection queries may be directed to [email protected].

Minimum requirements

Achievement level

English Home Language or English First Additional Language

Mathematics

APS

NSC/IEB

AS Level

NSC/IEB

AS Level

4

D

4

D

25

* Cambridge A level candidates who obtained at least a D in the required subjects, will be considered for admission. International Baccalaureate (IB) HL candidates who obtained at least a 4 in the required subjects, will be considered for admission.

Additional requirements

Also consult the General Regulations.

  • Each student must apply to the Registrar of the Health Professions Council of South Africa for registration as a clinical associate student, immediately after admission to the first year of study.
  • After obtaining the degree, graduates must also register as clinical associates with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.

Other programme-specific information

Please note: Third year of study

  • Attendance and continuous assessments for some modules will be either 1st semester or 2nd semester depending on rotation arrangements.
  • Marks obtained in the clinical rotations are taken into account when calculating the relevant module marks.

Examinations and pass requirements

  1. In accordance with the stipulations of the General Regulations, no minimum year or semester mark is required for admission to the examination. Adequate attendance at (more than 90%) and active participation in prescribed clinical activities as recorded in the clinical logbook are required for admission to the examination.
  2. A final module mark in the relevant module is, however, calculated from the module examination mark as well as the module mark compiled from continuous evaluation during the presentation of the module (i.e. the semester, year or module mark). The latter is calculated from the marks obtained in one or more of the undermentioned:
  1. Evaluations of theoretical knowledge.
  2. Evaluations of clinical knowledge and skills.
  3. Compulsory attendance at and participation in prescribed activities.
  4. Compulsory attendance at all academic support activities for the first two years of study.
  1. The contribution of each modality in the calculation of the abovementioned mark is set out in the regulations and published in the study guides. The details are explained to the students concerned before commencement of the modules. Likewise, the weight (50:50) allocated to the abovementioned marks and the various examination marks when calculating the final module mark awarded to the student. The importance of continuous evaluation in the assessment of students is non-negotiable, and therefore the marks awarded in this type of evaluations will form part of the final pass mark of all modules.
  2. A student repeating the first or second year of study will retain credit for Clinical Medical Practice modules passed previously, subject to the following:
  1. The student will be required to participate adequately in the current year in the clinical component of all Clinical Medical Practice modules in order to maintain a specified level of clinical skills and be required to record such activities in an appropriate clinical logbook.
  2. Compliance with (s) is a requirement for the admission to subsequent CMP modules.
  3. In order to comply with the requirements for (a), the extent of involvement of students in successfully completed modules is determined by the relevant course coordinator, at the commencement of the year, and agreed with the student(s) concerned.

Passing a module in the BClinical Medical Practice degree programme

  1. A module mark is calculated from the continuous evaluation opportunities during the course of the presentation of the module in question. These evaluations shall include one or more of the following:
  1. Evaluations regarding theoretical knowledge.
  2. Evaluations regarding clinical knowledge and skills.
  3. Compulsory attendance at and active participation in prescribed activities.
  4. Compulsory attendance at all academic support activities for the first two years of study.
  1. Students may exercise the option to have the module mark at the end of the year validated as the final module mark for the module in question (i.e. they are exempted from the module examination for this module), provided that they comply with the following requirements:
  1. The abovementioned module mark is more than 60% in all the different module assessments (with the exception of the Anatomy module that is more than 65%).
  2. Proven attendance at all applicable module-specific activities, namely:
  • All tests/continuous evaluations.
  • All practicals and morning ward-round activities.
  • All relevant skills laboratory activities.
  • All relevant community-based education activities.
  • All clinical rotations.
  1. A pass mark in the clinical rotation test.
  2. Attendance at the module in question from day 1.
  3. No conviction by the Faculty Preliminary Disciplinary Committee (Student offences) of any form of dishonesty or fraud.
  1. A module examination is granted to all registered students regardless of the module mark, subject to adequate attendance (hours of clinical training) at and active participation in prescribed clinical activities (patients seen and procedures conducted) as set out in the relevant study guide and recorded in the clinical logbook of Clinical Medical Practice modules. 
  2. Any student without adequate attendance at and active participation in prescribed clinical activities as set out in the relevant study guide and recorded in the applicable clinical logbook will fail the Clinical Medical Practice module in question even if the student wrote and passed the module examination.
  3. The final module mark is calculated from the module examination mark and the module mark (continuous evaluation) in a 50:50 ratio, depending on the year of study and/or module-specific regulations. The formula according to which the final module mark is calculated will be set out in the study guide and communicated to students at the commencement of the programme.
  4. In order to pass in a module, a subminimum of 40% is required in the written section of the module examination. In order to pass in a module in which a clinical component is included, a subminimum of 50% in the clinical component of the module examination is also required.
  5. A second examination in a module will be granted to all students who fail the module in question.
  6. As a rule, the second examination in question will take place in November/ December of the same year, or in January of the following year. A minimum of 50% is required in order to pass in the second examination.
  7. An aegrotat or extraordinary examination granted to a student who could not participate in the module examination due to illness or other acceptable reasons, will take place during the second examination period. Students must apply formally for such an examination, and admission to the examination is approved by the Chairperson of the School or his/her authorised representative. Where applicable, the Chairperson of the School may first require a recommendation from the Faculty Health Committee before approving an application for admission to an aegrotat.

All modalities of a final examination must be completed jointly as an aegrotat or an extraordinary examination, even if part of it has already been completed as part of the examination sat in the previous examination period. The final module mark is calculated from the marks of all the divisions/modalities of the aegrotat or extraordinary examination and the module mark in question (continuous evaluation mark). The same criteria set for a final mark in a module, are applicable in this case.

Note: No special dates will be arranged for an aegrotat/extraordinary examination. These examinations will only take place on the scheduled dates for regular first/second examinations.

  1. Aegrotat/extraordinary tests are not allowed for the BClinical Medical Practice degree programme. However, students who have acceptable reasons for being absent from no more than one test will have a module mark calculated from the other continuous assessment opportunities.  Students who have acceptable reasons for being absent from more than one test will, of course, have no module mark, and a pass in the module(s) will depend totally upon the module examination mark.

Academic exclusion from further study

  1. In accordance with the stipulations of the General Regulations, re-registration of a student is permitted only if the student completes the degree programme for which he or she is registered within the prescribed minimum period of study plus two years.
  2. In the case of the BClinical Medical Practice degree offered by the School of Medicine, a student who fails a year of study for a second time must apply, in writing, to the Readmission Committee of the School, chaired by the chairperson of the School, for readmission to the programme.
  3. The committee in question will take all factors into consideration and its decision and conditions will be final.

Promotion to next study year

(i) Failed candidates/Admission to the second semester of the first year of study
Selected first-year students, who have passed a sufficient number of prescribed first-semester modules at 100 level will, in accordance with the stipulations of the General Regulations, automatically be admitted to the second semester of the first year of study.

(ii) Failed candidates/Admission to the second year of study
(aa) First-year students who have passed all prescribed core modules at 100 level will, in accordance with the stipulations of the General Regulations, automatically be admitted to the second year of study.
(bb) A student who has failed any one or more of the 100-level core modules will have to repeat those modules failed before he/she will be admitted to the second year of study.
(cc) Also consult Faculty regulations in respect of a student studying for the BClinical Medical Practice degree, who fails a year of study for a second time.

(iii) Failed candidates/Admission to the second semester of the second year of study
Second-year students who have passed a sufficient number of prescribed first-semester modules at 200 level will, in accordance with the stipulations of the General Regulations, automatically be admitted to the second semester of the second year of study.

(iv) Failed candidates/Admission to the third year of study
(aa) Second-year students who have passed all prescribed first- and second-semester modules at 200 level will, in accordance with the stipulations of the General Regulations, automatically be admitted to the third year of study.
(bb) A student who has failed any one or more of the 200-level modules, will have to repeat those module(s) failed before he/she will be admitted to the third year of study.
(cc) Also consult Faculty regulations in respect of a student studying for the BClinical Medical Practice degree, who fails a year of study for a second time.

(vi) Failed candidates/Academic exclusion from further study
Consult Faculty regulations in respect of a student who does not complete the degree programme within the prescribed minimum period of study plus two years.
 

Pass with distinction

The degree is conferred with distinction on a student who has obtained an average of at least 75% in all the modules of the third year of study.

Minimum credits: 128

Fundamental modules

Core modules

  • Module content:

    Introduction to the Faculty of Health Sciences, curriculum and cultural differences.  Basic theory and skills in respect of health assessment and physical examination, health promotion and disease prevention by means of  self-regulated learning and practical sessions in the hospital and skills laboratory.  A problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approach is emphasised.

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  • Module content:

    Basic theory and skills in respect of health assessment and physical examination, health promotion and disease prevention of the cardio/peripheral, reticulo-endothelial, respiratory, gastro-intersinal, genito-urinary, central nervous system, head, neck, eye, ear, nose, throat, musculo-skeletal, endocrine, dermatological systems by means of  group discussion, self-tuition and practical sessions in the hospital and skills laboratory.   A problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approach is emphasised.

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  • Module content:

    Introductory principles to clinical pharmacotherapy.  Pharmacotherapy and applicable clinical aspects of the most general and prominent diseases and conditions.

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Minimum credits: 138

Core modules

  • Module content:

    Basic theory and skills in respect of the health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of cardio/peripheral, vascular, reticulo-endothelial, endocrine, respiratory, genito-urinary and gastro-intestinal systems by means of group discussions, self-tuition and practical sessions in the hospital and skills laboratory. A problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approach is emphasised. Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and treatment of the most prominent conditions as well as the acquiring of practical and clinical skills.

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  • Module content:

    Basic theory and skills in respect of the health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the  central nervous system, head, neck, eye, ear, nose, throat, skin and musculo-skeletal systems by means of group discussions, self-tuition and practical sessions in the hospital and skills laboratory. A problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approach is emphasised. Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and treatment of the most prominent conditions as well as the acquiring of practical and clinical skills.

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  • Module content:

    Clinical pharmacotherapeutics including indications, contra-indications, side-effects and interactions of commonly prescribed medicines in South Africa. Rational prescribing and critique of prescriptions.

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Minimum credits: 162

Core modules

  • Module content:

    Study of healthcare systems with emphasis on district health systems.

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  • Module content:

    Theory and skills in respect of the health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting women by means of group discussions, self-tuition and practical sessions in the hospital and skills laboratory.  A problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approach is emphasised.  Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and treatment of the most prominent conditions as well as the acquiring of practical and clinical skills.

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  • Module content:

    Basic theory and skills in respect of the health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of children by means of group discussions, self-tuition and practical sessions in the hospital and skills laboratory.  A problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approach is emphasised.  Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and treatment of the most prominent conditions as well as the acquiring of practical and clinical skills.

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  • Module content:

    Theory and skills training in basic emergency care.

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  • Module content:

    Theory and skills in respect of the disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases by means of group discussions, self-tuition and practical sessions in the hospital and skills laboratory.  A problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approach is emphasised.  Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and treatment of the most prominent conditions as well as the acquiring of practical and clinical skills.

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  • Module content:

    An introduction to the underlying principles of the theory and practice of anaesthesiology applicable to the clinical associate practice.

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  • Module content:

    Theory and skills in respect of the disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems by means of lectures, seminars, self-tuition and practical sessions in the hospital and skills laboratory.  A problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approach is emphasised.  Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and treatment of the most prominent conditions as well as the acquiring of practical and clinical skills.

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  • Module content:

    Theory and skills in respect of the disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment of orthopaedic diseases and problems by means of group discussions, self-tuition and practical sessions in the hospital and skills laboratory.  A problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approach is emphasised.  Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and treatment of the most prominent conditions as well as the acquiring of practical and clinical skills.

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  • Module content:

    Clinical pharmacotherapeutics including indications, contra-indications, side-effects and interactions of commonly prescribed medicines in South Africa. Rational prescribing and critique of prescriptions.

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The information published here is subject to change and may be amended after the publication of this information. The General Regulations (G Regulations) apply to all faculties of the University of Pretoria. It is expected of students to familiarise themselves well with these regulations as well as with the information contained in the General Rules section. Ignorance concerning these regulations and rules will not be accepted as an excuse for any transgression.

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