MEDICAL OFFICER GRADE 1 TO 3 (SURGERY AND ORTHOPAEDICS)

This permanent full-time post of Medical Officer Grade 1 to 3 in Surgery and Orthopaedics is based at Khayelitsha District Hospital, a facility that falls under the Western Cape Government’s Metro Health Services directorate. The role operates within the broader Metro East Ecosystem, meaning the appointed medical officer will be expected to render clinical services not only at the base hospital but also across other institutions in that ecosystem as required to sustain health service delivery. The post is structured on the Occupation Specific Dispensation grading system, with progression from Grade 1 through Grade 3 depending on the candidate’s level of appropriate experience after registration, and a portion of the package can be structured according to the individual’s personal needs.

To be considered, applicants need an appropriate qualification that enables registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as a Medical Practitioner, and they must be registered with the HPCSA in that capacity. For Grade 1, South African qualified applicants need no post-registration experience, while foreign qualified applicants who were not required to perform community service in South Africa need at least one year of relevant experience after registration with a recognised foreign council. Grade 2 requires a minimum of five years’ appropriate experience for South African qualified applicants and six years for the equivalent foreign qualified group, while Grade 3 requires ten and eleven years respectively. Other inherent requirements include a valid Code B/EB driver’s licence with a willingness to travel, full commuted overtime of on average sixteen hours per week, which is mandatory for this permanent post, ongoing compliance with Continuing Professional Development, and enrolment to sit for the General Surgery FCS Part 1 examination. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong ethical principles, leadership, conflict resolution, organisational and counselling skills, and digital systems competency.

The clinical duties centre on delivering a high-quality general surgical service, including the management of surgical patients in the emergency centre, wards and outpatient department, covering pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative care at a level appropriate to the practitioner’s experience. The medical officer will manage inpatient and outpatient referrals, provide after-hours surgical care, and contribute to clinical governance through accurate medical record-keeping, resource stewardship, morbidity and mortality reviews, and case audits. Teaching and training form a major part of the role, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, alongside participation in departmental and hospital academic programmes, active involvement in research, and input into improving internal systems within both the hospital and the wider Metro East Ecosystem.

The position is advertised through a recent provincial circular, with enquiries directed to the medical doctors listed in the full advertisement. No payment of any kind is required when applying. Candidates who are not yet in possession of the stipulated registration may also apply, provided they submit proof of application for registration and proof of payment of the prescribed fees to the relevant council on or before the day of the interview; this concession applies only to health professionals applying for the first time for registration in a specific category. Shortlisted candidates will be subjected to a practical assessment.