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Short Term or Volunteer Supernumerary Registrar

  1. What classifies a foreign postgraduate applicant as a short-term supernumerary registrar or a volunteer?
    1. A short-term / volunteer supernumerary registrar is a foreign doctor working and receiving training in a single specific discipline for a period of no longer than 12 months.
    2. Includes when a foreign practitioner visits the University to either give or receive training in a new or updated medical procedure.
    3. Also when a foreign practitioner wishes to perform community service in one of the teaching hospitals or community clinics attached to the University.
    4. Does not count towards the fulfilment of qualification for a formal University degree.
    5. Does not receive any form of remuneration from the University, the teaching hospital/clinic or the National & Provincial Departments of Health.
  2. Supernumerary Registrar application process
    1. Detailed description of the application process
      1. The applicant downloads and completes the SNR Application Form, completes it and submits it with all the required supporting documents to the responsible Faculty Officer. The applicant also downloads and completes the Foreign Workforce Management Program (FWMP) Application Form, completes it and submits it with all the required supporting documents to the responsible Faculty Officer.
      2. At the same time the candidate downloads and completes the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) Application Form, completes it and submits it with all the required supporting documents DIRECTLY to the ECFMG so they can commence with the verification of the applicant’s credentials. This is a requirement of registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and the ECFMG process can take several months to complete.
      3. The Faculty Officer will then open a file for the candidate and forward the application to the Head of the relevant clinical department for consideration. This consideration will include, but is not limited to, the candidate’s existing qualifications, the operational needs of the department, the number of available positions in the department that may be filled by supernumerary registrars and the skills need in the applicant’s home country.
      4. If the HOD approves the application, then the Faculty Officer applies on behalf of the candidate to the CEO of the relevant teaching hospital (or the District Superintendent if applying for a community clinic placement) for his/her approval.
      5. If the hospital CEO / District Superintendent approves the appointment the Faculty Officer will prepare and submit the application for endorsement to the Department of Health - Foreign Workforce Management Programme (FWMP). At this time the Faculty Officer will also request the applicant to submit the HPCSA application forms with its supporting documents.
      6. On receipt of the endorsement letter from the FWMP and the HPCSA documents from the applicant the Faculty Officer will prepare and submit the application for registration to the HPCSA on behalf of the candidate.
      7. The HPCSA has several processes to follow before they can complete a registration. Included in this process is that they will wait for the verification of credentials report from the ECFMG. No registration will be processed until this report is received by the HPCSA. They will notify both the candidate and the University once a registration is completed. Only then can the applicant commence their training.
    1. Time-frame and deadline for applications
      1. Short-term applications may be submitted at any time of the year, but a lead time of at least 9-12 months is required to complete all the steps listed above.
    2. Application Forms
      1. The application forms are available for download on the Forms and Contacts page
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