Post Graduate Diploma in Health Professional Education

The programme

The Faculty of Health Sciences offers a Post Graduate Diploma in Health Professional Education to enable working health professionals to reflect critically on the theory and practice of teaching in the classroom and clinical context, and to assist health professionals to meet the health needs of the country. Course participants' knowledge and skills in health professional education will be strengthened in the areas of teaching and learning within a Primary Health Care system and curriculum.

The interdisciplinary programme draws on theories of adult education, teaching and learning in higher education, health sciences education and approaches to health service delivery.

The programme consists of 4 compulsory courses of 30 credits each. The courses are:

Teaching and Learning Theories in Health Professional Education
Learning and Teaching Practice
Assessment in Health Professional Education
Curriculum Development and Course Design

Purpose of the qualification

The programme, based on adult learning principles, will enable the participants to become a critical, self-directed, lifelong learner. The educational methodology encourages critical engagement with relevant theories related to teaching, learning and assessment. The courses cover current thinking, practice and research in the field of health professional education. A strategic goal of the programme is to contextualise health professional education within Primary Health Care to enable health professionals to participate in the transformation of the health system.

Exit level outcomes

On completion of the programme participants will be able to demonstrate the following competencies:

Advocate for service delivery and education that is supported by a Primary Health Care Approach
Critique teaching, learning and assessment processes and motivate for research-led or evidence-based change.
Exercise leadership through innovation in health professions education, theory and research.
Facilitate student learning within all learning contexts, including contexts that are challenging, complex and resource constrained.
Critically reflect on the role and practice of clinical educators in evaluating their own teaching and student learning.

Critically appraise theoretical and research literature related to health professions education and make sound judgements based on best practice in selecting teaching and assessment methods.

Semester 1

PPH4044FCourse:Teaching and learning theories in health professional education

This course introduces students to teaching and learning theories applied to the broad clinical context within a higher education framework. This is achieved through critically examining participants own learning and teaching experience and theories of learning and teaching relevant to the clinical and practice learning context. It includes critical appraisal of relevant theories, e-learning, research evidence as well as the impact of organisational change on teaching and learning.

PPH4045FCourse:Learning and teaching practice

This course aims to critically review the range of teaching methods appropriate to teaching and facilitation of learning in the clinical context in Primary Health Care led curricula and health services, and further develop skills in the various teaching methodologies. It includes teaching and learning methods; evidence of best practice; designing and structuring teaching and learning activities; integration of the Primary Health Care approach into clinical teaching; providing feedback; group dynamics and effective facilitation in small group and one to one learning.

Semester 2

PPH4046SCourse: Assessment in health professional education

In this course students will be exposed to an overview of various assessment approaches, purposes, methods and debates, focussing on changing trends in assessment. This includes concepts, approaches and debates associated with assessment; the selection, alignment and design of assessment; assessment blueprints; integrating the Primary Health Care approach in assessment; research methods and online assessment.

PPH4047SCourse: Curriculum development and course design

This course examines the relationship between course and curriculum design, implications of the various models for student learning and the complexities of health professional curriculum development. In addition, ways of improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment are addressed. It includes educational theory; approaches to curriculum development; models and principles of course design; course evaluation instruments; the hidden curriculum; curriculum mapping and the relationship between health sciences curricula and health service provision.

Duration and delivery

The duration of the programme is 1 year full time or 2 years part time. Delivery is via a flexible mode of blended learning with an initial two week component on-campus, a 32 week off-campus component of self-study with weekly interactive sessions through Vula, unlimited interactive peer sessions, working on and submitting assignments, completing structured reflective tasks, application of the theory to practice, and group discussions. The self-study component contains structured tasks relevant to each participant's work context. These tasks will form the basis of the assignment for each module.Practical workplace experience consists of participants drawing on their present work situation and applying theory to their work situation. Assignments are based on actual work situations and on implementing change to current own practice.

Contact us via email: HPedu-pgdip@uct.ac.za

Programme convenor: Melanie Alperstein, Education Development Unit (EDU), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925 - Tel: +27 12 650 7773

EDU Secretary: Nondumiso Mginywa - Tel: +27 21 650 6646

Deputy programme convenor: Dr.Viki Janse van Rensburg - Tel: +27 21 4066241

FHS Post Graduate Office: AdriWinkler - Tel: + 27 21 406 6327

Admissions requirement

FGH1. To be eligible for consideration an applicant shall:

Have an approved qualification in a health sciences or health or related profession;
Be registered with a relevant professional body where appropriate;
Have at least six months teaching experience in a health care context, or presently working and teaching in a health care context, or have other approved prior experience and training;
Be fluent in English, both written and spoken;
Have basic computer literacy;
Have reliable and continuous computer access and internet connectivity;
Have submitted, where applicable, a letter of support from his/her employer granting the applicant study leave for the weeks requiring block attendance and undertaking to provide support to enable the applicant to complete assigned tasks and assignments within the work context.

How to apply:

STEP 1

1. APPLY ONLINE

Best option is to apply online via University of Cape Town's website www.uct.ac.za.

On the left hand side of the website, under HIGHLIGHTS, the second block says, APPLY ONLINE TO STUDY AT UCT - click on that block and follow the instructions.

2. APPLY BY POST only if you have problems applying online

If you have problems applying online,complete the attached form PG 2013, and return it to:

The Admissions Office
University of Cape Town
Private Bag X3
Rondebosch
7701

Tel:+27 21 650 2128

You will need to attach the following documents:
1. Copy of your ID (certified)

2. Copy of Matric certificate

3. Transcript/s and

4. you degree certificate

5. R100 Application Fee

STEP 2

Please complete the Additional form and return to Nondumiso Mginywa at Nondumiso.Mginywa@uct.ac.za

If you need more info do not hesitate to call me.

The Admissions Office
University of Cape Town
Private Bag X3
Rondebosch
7701
South Africa

The academic programme code for the Post Graduate Diploma in Health Professional Education is MG026 and the academic plan is MG026PPH10

Step 2

Once you have completed UCTs application form, please provide us with some additional information -Attached form, which you need to complete and submit to: HPedu-pgdip@uct.ac.zaandcc Nondumiso.Mginywa@uct.ac.za