MEDICAL SPECIALIST (PHYSYCIAN) – CRITICAL CARE (X1 POST)

This is a specialist medical post based in the Critical Care Department at Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital, where the appointed physician will take responsibility for delivering and leading intensive care services across the hospital and its associated academic platforms. The role is a professional clinical leadership position for a qualified internal medicine physician with a special interest in critical care, and it requires someone who can combine hands-on patient care with teaching, research, governance and administrative oversight in a busy regional hospital setting. The position is graded within the occupational specific dispensation for medical specialists, and the successful candidate will be expected to uphold high standards of evidence-based practice, patient safety and service excellence.

Applicants must hold a Grade 12 certificate, an MBChB or equivalent tertiary health science qualification, and a formal qualification in internal medicine such as a Master of Medicine in Internal Medicine or Fellowship of the College of Physicians of South Africa. Current registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as a medical specialist in Internal Medicine is compulsory, and the appointment will be made at a grade appropriate to the candidate’s years of experience after registration as a specialist in critical care: no experience is required for Grade 1, while Grade 2 requires five years and Grade 3 requires ten years of appropriate specialist experience. A demonstrated interest in critical care is an added advantage, as is a postgraduate qualification in management. The ideal candidate will possess strong written and verbal communication skills, computer literacy, a solid record of clinical expertise and clinical governance, research experience, and the ability to teach and train undergraduate and postgraduate students. People management skills, analytical thinking, problem-solving, sound decision-making and the ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team are also essential.

The core duties involve managing the clinician’s own service delivery and providing comprehensive clinical evaluation, care, management and treatment of patients within the Critical Care Department. The post holder will lead critical care services across hospital and academic platforms, ensuring high-quality, evidence-based intensive care, strengthening clinical governance and improving patient outcomes while adhering to national policies, safety standards, Batho Pele Principles, National Core Standards and ICU protocols. This includes leading multi-disciplinary ward rounds, supervising multi-disciplinary teams and relevant staff, coordinating and supporting teaching and training of undergraduate and postgraduate students including registrars rotating through ICU, and conducting and supporting departmental research. The role also requires developing personal research interests, publishing appropriately, contributing to electronic research databases and supporting postgraduate students with their research projects. Administrative responsibilities include managing tasks related to patient care, addressing patient complaints, attending scheduled hospital management meetings, liaising with other departments and hospitals, and complying with the Performance Management and Development System. Participation in after-hours ICU cover, call duties and other institutional responsibilities is required, along with a commitment to continuous training and development.

This post is subject to the standard public service recruitment and selection processes. Applications must be submitted electronically via the dedicated departmental email address as specified in the advertisement, with the correct reference number quoted, and no hand-delivered or faxed applications will be accepted. The application must include a completed, signed and initialled new Z83 form, with sections A to D fully completed and the remaining sections supplemented by a detailed CV in the prescribed format, including chronological employment history with start and end dates, school and institution names, and at least three references, one of whom must be the immediate supervisor. Certified copies of qualifications and other relevant documents are required only from shortlisted candidates, before the interview. The employer reserves the right not to fill the post, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted within three months of the closing date. As a legislative requirement, all shortlisted candidates will be subject to verification and reference checks. This is an excellent opportunity for a dedicated critical care physician to make a meaningful impact at a regional hospital while contributing to academic training and research.