Missionvale Campus is ideally suited to meet health care needs where it is most needed, with easy access to state hospitals, care centres and clinics and a hugely under-resourced community. The new Medical School on the campus can also serve as a catalyst for regeneration in the area.
“The proceedings of the visit went well. The delegation was able to interact with our established faculty, systems, policies and governance,” the University’s Executive Dean of Health Sciences, Professor Lungile Pepeta, said.
The University must now await the official outcome of the professional bodies towards realising a long-held dream to offer a medical programme that is relevant to South Africa’s health care needs.
The delegation engaged in an intensive five-day programme late in October to examine the University’s readiness in terms of its curriculum, infrastructure, equipment, staff and student support in offering the new six-year MBChB degree at its Missionvale Campus.
The University believes the new medical school can serve as a catalyst for change in line with its overriding mandate of being in service to society.
The University hopes to welcome its first cohort of medical students in 2021 but must receive official accreditation before it can open applications.