WHO'S PLAN TO FAST-TRACK MEDICAL TRAINING SPARKS CONTROVERSY

PICTURE yourself in a hospital emergency room, relying on a doctor who just finished medical school and may not have had the thorough supervised training needed for safe, independent practice.

- VUYILE MADWANTSI

This unsettling possibility sets the stage for a heated debate, one provoked by a new curriculum proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa.

The curriculum aims to accelerate the training of medical professionals to address Africa's healthcare shortages, but South African medical experts are raising serious concerns.

The new competency-based curriculum, unveiled by the WHO, integrates theory and clinical practice from the outset, aiming to graduate "workready" doctors more efficiently.

While this may seem like a win for countries facing critical healthcare worker shortages, South Africa's health professionals, led by the South African Medical Association (SAMA), warn that this approach could compromise patient safety and inadequately prepare new doctors for the country's demanding healthcare environment.

South Africa is unique. Our doctors face some of the world's most challenging healthcare realities, high trauma cases, rampant infectious diseases like tuberculosis and HIV, and chronic conditions like diabetes.

SAMA spokesperson Vezi Silwanyana is adamant that simply overhauling the curriculum isn't enough. "A curriculum alone, without supervised postgraduate rotations, cannot fasttrack graduates directly into independent practice".

Currently, South African medical graduates complete an internship and a year of community service before they're allowed to practice independently.

These supervised years are essential for bridging the gap between academic knowledge and clinical competence.