4th Year Elective in Cape Town Vlog | The Wits Students’ Physician Society

[@liyemachinenyerungqu38]

Love to see it!😍🔥

[@palesa4528]

Hi! Thank you so much for the video. What other electives does Wits offer besides Surgery?

[@wits_physician_soc]

Hi Palesa, If you are referring to what electives fourth year medical students at Wits can do, we are allowed to do our elective in any discipline of our choice. This ranges from (but is not limited to) surgery, internal medicine, trauma, anaesthesiology and radiology to infectious diseases, pathology and forensics. Students are also free to choose where to do their elective. This can be at Wits-affiliated academic hospitals, private hospitals, other public health hospitals in SA (such as Groote Schuur in Cape Town or Steve Biko in Pretoria), with some students even doing their elective overseas. We hope this answers your question!

[@palesa4528]

@@wits_physician_soc Thank you so much! You've answered me satisfactorily.😊

[@palesa4528]

@@wits_physician_soc Oh, and for pathology, can one choose any speciality under pathology or is it general pathology? In general for all the electives does one do everything that encompasses that chosen field/elective?

[@palesa4528]

@@wits_physician_soc Since students can choose where to do their elective, are they responsible for the transport costs or Wits takes care of the transport costs?

[@wits_physician_soc]

@@palesa4528 1. With regards to speciality field electives: As every students' elective is different and unique, it is difficult to give an all-encompassing explanation. Students are completely free to choose the field in which to do their elective, however specialised the field. For example, students can spend four weeks in general pathology and within the different subspecialties, or they can spend four weeks in forensic pathology specifically. The same applies for internal medicine; students may choose to spend their entire elective in cardiology. The experience a student will have during their elective (i.e., what they will see and do) varies and is unique to each student. 2. With regards to funding: Students are responsible for transport costs relating to travel to their elective sites (whether it be in Johannesburg, in another SA province or overseas). If students do their elective at Wits-affiliated hospitals (such as Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital), they will have access to the Wits bus service operating to that hospital as a Wits student. I hope the above answers both of your questions!

[@ainleyamunyela]

Hey there, during which time of the year do SA medical students do their electives?

[@wits_physician_soc]

Hi Ainley, At Wits, most students complete their elective at the end of 4th year, during a four week period in November-early December (after final exams), which is specifically allocated on our academic calendar for that purpose. However, take note that the details and timing of electives at other medical schools in South Africa differ from Wits’, as above. Should you be interested in knowing the timing of electives in other South African MBChB programmes, we advise that you consult the respective university. We hope this answers your question!

[@ainleyamunyela]

It does, thank you. 😀