South African Medical Association NPC (SAMA)

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) is a non-statutory professional association for medical practitioners in the public and private sectors. SAMA is a voluntary membership organisation registered as a non-profit company, based in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria.

Registered name

South African Medical Association NPC (SAMA)

Type

Professional association (medical practitioners)

Fields funded

MBChB students and doctors in research master’s or PhD study

Website

samedical.org

Email

graceb@samedical.org

Phone

012 481 2000

From BMA branches to SAMA

SAMA’s history goes back to the 19th century, when doctors in Cape Town, Grahamstown, Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Kimberley formed medical associations as branches of the British Medical Association. In 1927 those branches joined to form the Medical Association of South Africa (MASA). On 21 May 1998, pre-democracy medical groups representing different interests unified as the South African Medical Association, registered under the same 1927 registration number.

Advocacy for doctors

SAMA advocates for doctors on regulatory matters and says it defends medical practice against scope-of-practice expansions that could threaten patient safety. SAMA works to protect competition in healthcare markets, argues against criminal liability for medical errors, and defends doctors’ freedom to give patients reliable advice. SAMA’s legal advisers and labour law specialists represent members at disciplinary hearings, bargaining councils and the labour court.

A publisher since 1884

SAMA’s publishing department produces nine academic titles, the South African Medicines Formulary, SAMA Insider, Intern 101 and CommServ 201. Its flagship, the South African Medical Journal (SAMJ), was first published in 1884 and reaches more than 11 000 local doctors. SAMA also publishes journals on health professions education, bioethics and law, child health, and obstetrics and gynaecology.

Bursaries and scholarships

SAMA funds its bursary and scholarship programme through sponsorships and donations rather than membership fees. The student bursary has provided R20 000 a year towards tuition for MBChB students in second to fourth year, excluding accommodation, books and living costs, with preference for historically disadvantaged students and SAMA members. SAMA also offers a Research Masters Supplementary Scholarship of R50 000 over two years and a PhD Supplementary Scholarship of R100 000 plus a year’s tuition for medical graduates.

SAMA’s bursaries page says funding depends on sponsorship and asks applicants to watch for timelines and forms. No dated 2027 call had been posted when BursariesAfrica checked.

How to research SAMA

Join SAMA as a student member and read an issue of the SAMJ to see what doctors are researching. Email SAMA’s bursaries officer to ask when the next call opens, and combine SAMA’s modest award with other funding.

See our medicine bursaries and the Vesalius scholarship.