The Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) in partnership with Walter Sisulu University hosted an admission ceremony that admitted 46 new medical specialists in the Eastern Cape.

The Mthatha Admission Ceremony is the second of five ceremonies hosted by the CMSA across the country annually.

WSU Mthatha Campus Rector, Professor Elphinah Cishe, said, “ As WSU we pride ourselves as the first institution to train medical doctors in problem-based learning, other universities followed suit. We have also produced best doctors that have contributed a great deal in the South African health system.”

Cishe further said that it made her proud to see females dominating in the graduates because that meant that the previously male dominated industry has evolved and more female specialist doctors are occupying space.

CMSA Chief Executive Officer, Professor  Eric Buch, said, “At this ceremony, we not only celebrate the wonderful achievements of our candidates who are now medical specialists, but we also showcase medicine in the Eastern Cape.”

The ceremony which took place in the WSU Mthatha campus saw 20 medical specialists, 3 sub-specialists, including a Nephrologist, Paediatric Cardiologist and a Surgeon from Walter Sisulu University being admitted. The ceremony also admitted 4 Paediatricians and 23 Diplomates.

Diplomates are medical doctors who want to improve their practice capability by completing one of the Diploma examinations CMSA offers, such as the Diploma in Anaesthetics or in Child Health.

“This is especially important for doctors working in rural hospitals where the qualifications enable them to improve the standard and quality of care offered to our most disadvantaged people,” said Buch.

WSU prides itself to be counted in the history of these Admission Ceremonies that serve to honour the 1862 medical professionals who successfully passed CMSA examinations in 2022 and got admitted as CMSA members.

By Anita Roji