Health Professionals
Options and applications
Options available for healthcare workers wishing to apply for a job in southern African public healthcare
AHP’s mission is to staff the healthcare facilities of southern Africa with a solid complement of enthusiastic people. However, we operate within the ethical restrictions and standards set by regulatory bodies such as the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and the Foreign Workforce Management Programme (FWMP).
For a better understanding of the options available to you, please consult the table below:
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For citizens of economically developed countries (not on G77 list – see below) |
There are many permanent and volunteer positions for foreign health professionals in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Most of these are at government hospitals, focusing specifically on the rural areas of the country. Depending on the country in which you qualified, you may be called upon to write a proficiency examination if you would like to work in South Africa. Examination or not, the process that you will need to follow in order to apply to work in southern Africa is quite onerous– and this is really AHP’s primary reason for existence. We will guide you and facilitate the process every step of the way. |
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For citizens of G77 countries
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AHP, in line with HPCSA regulations, has a policy of not recruiting candidates to work in South Africa if they come from countries that have a similarly desperate need for qualified professionals. (The exception to this rule is for candidates who are here under refugee status.) We can, however, facilitate placement into public hospitals in Swaziland and Lesotho. Our dedicated country offices will help you in this regard. |
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For health professionals who are citizens of South Africa: |
AHP and its partners are working to create flexible opportunities for South Africans wishing to make a difference by choosing to practice medicine in the public service. There are numerous options available to you: · Permanent placement: Long-term, full-time placement. We have positions available at level 1, 2 and 3 government hospitals, as well as opportunities in the NGO sector. · Volunteer work: Want to simply take some time out to do some good in the world? Then why not look at doing some volunteer work? AHP can facilitate medium- or long-term placement at selected health facilities in South Africa. · Locum placement: For those seeking a more flexible way of working, or who simply wish to supplement their income with some part-time work, locum is the way to go. Working through AHP, you are also guaranteed payment within a week of working. |
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For support personnel who are citizens of South Africa |
AHP regularly places support personnel into NGOs and medical facilities in southern Africa. If you are looking for a position helping out in the public health services, why not send us your CV and we will see what we can do? |
A bit more about the different types of positions:
PERMANENT PLACEMENT
If you are considering taking your career in the health professions to the public or NGO sector, AHP is here to help. We have relationships with hospitals and facilities across the country, and are well positioned to match your profile to a position that will work well for you. We will also manage all administrative interactions with the facility on your behalf, until such time as you are appointed.
Is this job really for you? While much work has been done, you will be aware that there is still a long way to go in terms of improving standards in public hospitals in South Africa. Of course, those hospitals in the poorest condition tend to be those in most desperate need of staff. On the other hand, there are facilities (both public hospitals and NGO clinics) that really offer a great working environment. What you need to do, however, is to decide on your appetite for working in adverse conditions in order to serve, because while your presence will inevitably help improve conditions, a struggling hospital will not change overnight, and you need to be prepared to handle it. If you would prefer an urban NGO or one of the nicer facilities, that’s OK – you will still be serving and making a difference. Better to be clear on what you wan, so as to help us find the opportunity that best fits your needs!
LOCUM PLACEMENT
Locum work is a great option if you are just looking for something part time, possibly to supplement your income, or because you would like to be of service to the public sector without committing yourself completely. However, Locum work is quite ad hoc. We keep your CV on a database, and whenever a short-term opportunity comes in, we SMS everyone that fits the profile. If you are the first to respond, you get the job. The great thing about doing locum work for public hospitals through AHP is that your payment is guaranteed. You submit a timesheet every week, and we pay wages weekly, through our partner, the Foundation for Professional Development. (We then recover the fees from the hospital and you do not have to worry about it.) Being on our database also ensures that you get access to information about any professional development courses that suit your profile.
VOLUNTEER WORK
For those simply wishing to take some time out to serve and make a difference, AHP is able to facilitate placement with hospitals that take in volunteers.
The G77 list of countries from whom South Africa may not “poach” doctors:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan. Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia(Federated States of), Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
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Requirements for foreign doctors applying to work in South Africa:
Recent changes at the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) have altered the registration of doctors wanting to work in South Africa. AHP is currently taking urgent action in an effort to address these changes. AHP’s goal, as always, is to make the application and registration process for any doctor, in or to South Africa, as hassle free as possible.
- Verification by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) is now required prior to application for registration to work in South Africa
- Required supervision will be determined based on demonstrated experience in each of the following essential domains:
- Surgery (a minimum of three months’ experience)
- Internal medicine (a minimum of three months’ experience)
- O&G (a minimum of three months’ experience)
- Evidence of the number of anaesthetic procedures administered
In an attempt to meet the criteria for the two year internship required for South African doctors, the HPCSA has reviewed its criteria for registering foreign-qualified non-exam track doctors wishing to work in South Africa. Non-exam track foreign-qualified doctors with less than three years of post-internship experience who wish to work in South Africa can be registered as “medical officers” but may require supervised experience before being allowed to work unsupervised in a rural hospital.
As of immediate effect, application procedure is as follows, kindly refer below. As soon as there are any other changes or developments in these new processes, all candidates will be notified thereof.
Application process:
NON-EXAM CANDIDATES
In this category, candidates are not required to write exams, a decision which is made by the HPCSA exam board. This decision is based on a number of factors; one being the compatibility of the standard of education and training received to that of South African universities.
Required documentation:
- Formal letter stating that the doctors want to write the HPCSA exam
- CV
- Original Notarised degree (If certificate is not in English, the original notarised certificate must be accompanied by an original notarised and sealed translated copy by a sworn translator.)
- Notarised/certified passport copies
- Proof of registration in home country
- Certificate of Goodstanding
IF COMING WITH PARTNER, SPOUCE AND CHILDREN:
- Copy of marriage certificate
- Copy of spouse/partner’s passport
- Copy of children’s passports
Process:
- ECFMG verification
- Fill in FWMP forms and HPCSA form 10 and 12(completed and stamped) – then send to FWMP with required documentation (listed above)
- Receive FWMP endorsement letter
- Apply for position at hospital or provincial office
- Receive job offer from hospital (candidate to sign and send back)
- Resend job offer and acceptance letter to FWMP
- Receive final endorsement letter from FWMP
- Final endorsement to be signed by candidate
- Candidate to pay deposit to for HPCSA registration fee and annual fee
- Once payment is received all documents are sent to HPCSA for registration
- Visa Application
Application process:
EXAM CANDIDATES
As per regulation by the HPCSA, candidates whose qualifications are not of a comparable standard to that of South Africa are required to write the HPCSA exam. This would apply to individuals who have graduated from a medical school, but not one on the HPCSA’s approved list.
Required documentation:
- Formal letter stating that the doctors want to write the HPCSA exam
- CV
- Notarised/certified degree copies (if this certificate is not in English, the original notarised certificate must be accompanied by an original notarised and sealed translated copy by a sworn translator.)
- Notarised/certified passport copies
- Proof of registration in home country
IF COMING WITH PARTNER, SPOUCE AND CHILDREN
- Copy of marriage certificate
- Copy of spouse/partner’s passport
- Copy of children’s passports
Process:
- ECFMG verification
- Fill in FWMP forms and HPCSA form 10 and 12 – then send to FWMP requesting permission to write HPCSA exams – along with the required documentation (listed above)
- Receive endorsement letter allowing candidate to write exams
- If candidate meets requirements – permission is granted
- Make payment for exam fee directly to HPCSA
- Sit for theoretical and clinical exams (Note: exam dates are set by the HPCSA twice per year and only in test centres in Pretoria or Durban.)
- Once candidate passes both exams they can be required to do an internship OR work as a medical officer in public service
- Apply to FWMP for permission to seek employment/internship
- Receive first endorsement letter
- Apply for position at hospital
- Receive job offer from hospital
- Candidate must sign job offer and send to FWMP
- Receive final endorsement letter and visa/work permit application
