There are a wide variety of positions for overseas doctors from public and private hospitals to GP practices and clinics in a range of locations from busy metropolitan cities to rural hospitals in remote towns.

There is also a distinct shortage of doctors in rural areas and South Africa is reliant on the services of overseas trained doctors to staff rural health services who provide a very important service for rural communities where the challenges are as great as the rewards.

Hospital Positions

Direct medics can offer you the opportunity for positions in urban or rural health care facilities with access to ongoing education and professional development.

Positions would include full-time, variable contracts up to 6-12 months and permanent jobs in large or small, public or private hospitals.

The hospital system provides many opportunities for overseas doctors who wish to work in South Africa.

Private Practice

As there is a shortage of GPs in rural areas and cities, it is increasingly attractive for overseas doctors to take up private practice positions in South Africa.

Working in private practice can be a rewarding and enriching experience as you will become involved in community life and may even provide services to the local hospitals.

The varied roles and responsibilities of rural and indeed urban GPs can provide a high level of job satisfaction.

Training & Education

The Colleges of Medicine of South Africa confers Fellowships as a route to specialisation which is recognised by the Health Professions Council of South Africa as acceptable for specialist registration.

Some universities such as the University Of The Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and the University of Cape Town offer post-graduate medical degrees which run concurrently with their undergraduate programs. Therefore, a student who has completed an appropriate undergraduate degree with basic sciences can enter into a four-year post graduate program.

These programs attract medical students from all over the world come to South Africa to gain practical experience in the country's many teaching hospitals and rural clinics.

Support for Doctors

This section contains resource information for your medical career in South Africa including professional, community and practical support. 

Board of Healthcare Funders - The representative organisation for the majority of medical schemes throughout South Africa 

Department of Health - Promotes health and seeks to improve the overall efficiency of the health care delivery system. 

The Hospital Association of South Africa (HASA) - Represents the collective interests of the majority of private hospital groups and independently-owned private hospitals in the Republic of South Africa. 

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) - A non-statutory, professional association for public and private sector medical practitioners.