The Nelson Mandela University (NMU) Medical School was launched early 2021 at its home on the institution’s Missionvale Campus.
This is one of only two medical schools in our region, with our sister institution, Walter Sisulu University, having offered the sole medical programme until now to serve the vast population of the Eastern Cape.
The university chose to utilize this campus for their medical school as it is located in an under-resourced area, with the aim of the students being an asset to this community when addressing healthcare issues.
The MBChB degree will take six years of study.
The curriculum has been submitted and approved by the Department of Higher Education’s Council for Medical Education and is SAQA registered.
NMU’s first intake is 50 students for 2021, but there’ll be an annual increase over the first three years, but these numbers will be reviewed at the end of the three-year period.
Applicants with a healthcare professional qualification will start from the first year, i.e. they won’t be credited.
Prior to applying for the MBChB program, please make sure that you meet the following requirements:
- Minimum National Senior Certificate requirements for degree entry must be met.
- Applicants with NSC Grade 12 Mathematics are required to have a minimum of 430 for their APS.
- NSC achievement rating of at least 60% for English (home language or first additional language).
- NSC achievement rating of at least 60% for Mathematics.
- NSC achievement rating of at least 60% for Physical Sciences.
- NSC achievement rating of at least 60% for Life Science.
The National Benchmark Test will only be written by school leavers, or those enrolled in their first year of study at a tertiary institution.
South Africans who have studied outside of the country will be considered and at this point in time, international applicants won’t be considered for this program.
The students will be provided with a shuttle service that will enable them to commute between all of their learning sites.
For their first three years of study, they will attend classes at the Missionvale campus, with some community service in between.
In their remaining years, they’ll be taught by health professionals who are employed at hospitals, health centres, and clinics in Nelson Mandela Bay, including those in Humansdorp, Graaff Reinet, and Grahamstown.
The MBChB graduates have to complete the prescribed period of internship and community service before being registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as independent Medical practitioners, only then can they practice in both the private and public sectors.
NMU aims to produce a fit-for-purpose graduate who can contribute to the Eastern Cape and South Africa's priority health care needs.
