VerifiedMedicine is a highly respected and essential profession in South Africa that serves a diverse population with varying healthcare needs.
The country’s healthcare system faces challenges due to historical inequalities and resource constraints, but there have been significant strides in improving access to medical care.
Career Opportunities in Medicine
South Africa offers a wide range of career opportunities in medicine, including:
- Doctors (Medical Practitioners)
- Nurses
- Pharmacists
- General Practitioner (GP)
- Specialist
- Surgeon
- Public Health Specialist
- Medical Researcher
- Allied Health Professionals
- Dental Professionals
- Healthcare Administrators
Fields of Study
To become a doctor in South Africa you study a six-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) at one of the country’s medical schools, including UCT, Stellenbosch, Wits, UP, UKZN, UFS, Walter Sisulu, Sefako Makgatho and Limpopo.
After graduating you complete a two-year internship and a year of community service, then register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as an independent medical practitioner.
Specialising, for example in surgery, paediatrics or psychiatry, takes a further four to five years as a registrar.
Medicine Bursaries
To get financial aid for this field of study, you can apply for these:
- AbbVie and SASA Scholarship
- Black Management Forum (BMF) Bursary
- Black Mountain Study Trust Bursary
- Bridgestone Bursary
- Cape Winelands District Municipality Mayoral Bursary
- City of Cape Town Bursary
- Compensation Fund Bursary
- Department of Correctional Services Bursary
- Donald White/ Mandla A. Ndwanya Memorial Fund Bursary
- DSI-CSIR Bursary
- Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Bursary
- Exxaro Bursary
- Gallagher Foundation Scholarship
- Gauteng Department of Health Bursary
- IDB Education Trust Bursary Loan
- Investec Bursary
- ISFAP Bursary
- Islamic Relief Bursary
- Joe Morolong Assmang Bursary
- Kader Asmal Fellowship Programme
- KZN Department of Health Bursary
- L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science South Africa Grant
- Limpopo Department of Health Bursary
- Lonmin Bursary
- Monocle Foundation Bursary
- Moshal Scholarship Program
- Motsepe Foundation Bursary
- Mpumalanga Department of Health Bursary to Study Medicine in Cuba
- Mpumalanga Provincial Government Bursary
- NESP Scholarship
- Ninety One Bursary
- NUMSA Bursary
- Roche Diagnostics Bursary
- SIOC Community Development Trust (SIOC-cdt) Bursary
- South African Medical Association Bursary
- Spes Bona initiative for Medical Education / Vesalius Scholarship
- WAAW Foundation Scholarship
- Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness Bursary
Students from low-income households should also apply to NSFAS, and see our nursing bursaries, dentistry bursaries and health science bursaries pages.