Faculty Prospectus 2012 - Walter Sisulu University

Summary of Courses and Credits
The content of the program focuses on the important health problems in the community with a
particular focus on the skills necessary to equip the clinical associate to assist doctors working
in district hospitals with emergency care, procedures and inpatient care.
Organization
The program is structured in terms of the following key features:
Phases
The curriculum is organized into two phases as follows:
Phase 1 : year 1 and year 2
Phase 2 : year 3
Modules
The content in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 is organized into modules. Two foundation modules
are taught daily (a half day each) for the first four weeks of each of the three years at the Main
Campus. The core modules for the 1 st and 2 nd year levels are based on body systems. During
the 3 rd year, the core modules are based on themes and in addition, the students will complete
two elective modules from a prescribed list.
Spirals
The foundation modules (skills and human biology), are offered at increasing levels of depth
each of the three years. All of the body systems are introduced in 1 st year and repeated in 2 nd
year, again, at a deeper level. This way of arranging modules not only reinforces what is learned
in previous years, but also introduces new information at a higher level at a later stage. Students
are therefore introduced to advanced knowledge and skills when they are better prepared for
them. The thematic modules (given in the final year) follow the body systems modules, both
consolidating and taking previous knowledge and clinical skills to a higher level still.
Integration
The curriculum is integrated both horizontally and vertically. Integration breaks boundaries
between disciplines and enables all aspects of a problem to be learned at the same time.
Integration also introduces students to a holistic approach to clinical medical practice.
Early Clinical Contact
Students are introduced to early clinical work during their 1 st year. Only the foundation modules
are taught away from clinical practice.
Learning in the District
The District Health Complexes, composed of District Hospitals with Learning/Service Centres,
Community Health Centres, Clinics, and NGOs are part of the teaching complex of the university
used to train health professionals. Thus, teaching of students in this program not only takes place
at the Main Campus but also in the district, as occurs with other student health professionals.
Clinical Skills Lab
Skills training is done in the skills laboratory, ensuring that students have had an opportunity to
practice their skills before performing them on patients.
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2012
PROSPECTUS