There is a strong need for medical doctors in South Africa, especially in under-served areas.
This demand is due to several factors. One important issue is the limited number of doctors compared with the population. Recent OECD data reported that South Africa had less than one doctor per 1,000 people in 2021.
Another reason doctors remain in demand is that major public health challenges, including tuberculosis, malaria in some border areas, and nutrition-related health issues, continue to affect communities. This does not mean South Africa lacks medical expertise; rather, the country faces shortages and unequal access to healthcare workers, particularly in under-served and rural areas.
South Africa has major academic hospitals, private healthcare facilities, and medical training centers, but access to healthcare remains uneven. Becoming a doctor in South Africa can therefore be a meaningful way to serve communities that need better access to preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic care.
If you’re an aspiring doctor in South Africa, here are the steps you need to take.
How to Become a Doctor in South Africa
Step 1. Choose the Right Subjects
Preparing for medical school starts in your final year of high school. The first step to becoming a doctor in South Africa is to enroll in the right subjects. You will usually need at least seven subjects, including compulsory language subjects and subjects required or recommended for medical school.
South Africa now recognizes 12 official languages, including South African Sign Language. For most high school subject packages, you will choose official language subjects such as Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, Sepedi, Sesotho, siSwati, Xitsonga, Setswana, Tshivenda, isiXhosa, or isiZulu. We recommend taking English as one of your language subjects because English is the main language used in some universities, medical schools, and public organizations. Another South African language can also be useful when communicating with patients.
You should also take Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and, where available, Life Sciences. Requirements vary by university: for example, some universities require English, Mathematics, and Physical Sciences, while others consider Life Sciences and/or Physical Sciences. Always check the current MBChB or MBBCh admission requirements of each university before applying.
You can choose subjects that fit your interests for the remaining options, but strong marks in your medical-school subjects are essential.
Step 2. Pass the Matriculation Exam
The final year of high school is called matric, and it ends with matric exams. To become a doctor in South Africa, you need to pass matric and obtain a National Senior Certificate (NSC) that allows you to apply for degree studies. Matric results are used by universities in their selection process, and some universities also require additional selection tools such as the National Benchmark Tests (NBTs).
For degree study, the minimum NSC requirements generally include passing one official language at Home Language level with at least 40%, passing four subjects at 50% or more, passing two other subjects at 30% or more, and meeting the language requirement for further study. However, these are only minimum requirements. Medical school is highly competitive, and meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
If you hold a foreign school-leaving qualification, you may need a matriculation exemption or equivalent assessment before a South African university can consider your application.
Step 3. Get into Medical School
The most direct route is to apply for an MBChB or MBBCh degree straight after high school. You will need excellent results in the required subjects, and you should apply before each university’s health sciences closing date. Universities use their own selection systems, and the required marks, tests, and number of places vary by institution.
Another possible route is to begin a related university program and then apply again, but transfer rules vary widely. Some universities may consider transferring or returning students based on previous academic performance and available places. Others, such as the University of the Witwatersrand, do not consider transfer applications into the MBBCh and instead advise students with previous tertiary study to complete a degree and apply through the Graduate Entry Medical Programme.
The University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg offers a Graduate Entry Medical Programme (GEMP). This route allows suitably qualified applicants with a completed undergraduate degree to enter the third year of the MBBCh degree. Applicants must meet specific academic, science, and mathematics requirements.
Step 4. Survive Medical School
Medical studies in South Africa usually last six years for students entering from high school. At Wits, for example, the MBBCh is a six-year, full-time degree, while the University of Pretoria lists the MBChB as a six-year, full-time program.
The early years usually cover foundational and integrated medical sciences, public health, health systems, anatomy, physiology, and related subjects. As you progress, the curriculum becomes more clinical and includes multidisciplinary medical training.
In the later years, students spend more time in clinical settings. At the University of Pretoria, for example, training runs from the first year to the middle of the fifth year through theoretical, practical, and clinical work. The second half of the fifth year and the sixth year include a student internship with clinical training in hospitals and clinics.
Please take note that this is a general overview. The exact structure and schedule can be different depending on where you study.
Step 5. Complete Your Zuma Years
After you obtain your MBChB or MBBCh degree, you enter the statutory training period that some people informally call the “Zuma years.” Formally, this consists of a two-year medical internship followed by one year of remunerated community service.
The Department of Health uses the Internship and Community Service Placement system to allocate eligible applicants to approved facilities. Placements depend on statutory requirements, available posts, and health service needs.
During internship, you work under supervision and rotate through different departments so that you can build the practical skills required of a safe medical practitioner.
After internship, you complete one year of community service at a health establishment approved by the Minister of Health. Community service is intended to help distribute health professionals to under-served areas and improve equitable access to primary healthcare.
Step 6. Obtain Your Medical License
To practice medicine legally in South Africa, you must be registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Registration is required at different stages, including internship, community service, and independent practice.
Once you have completed the required internship and community service and have met the HPCSA’s requirements, you can register in the appropriate category for independent practice. You must also keep your registration active by paying the required annual fee.
You can start working as an independent medical practitioner after you have the correct HPCSA registration.
Step 7. Specialize
After independent registration, you can work in the public sector, private healthcare, academic medicine, or other approved medical settings.
If you want to specialize, you will usually need to apply for an approved registrar or specialist training post and enroll in a relevant Master of Medicine program or follow the applicable specialist-training pathway. Requirements vary by specialty and university.
At Wits, the Master of Medicine is a full-time degree offered across a range of specialties over three to five years, depending on the specialty. At the University of Pretoria, Family Medicine is a four-year registrar training program that can lead to specialist registration with the HPCSA.
After completing the required specialist training and examinations, you must register with the HPCSA in the appropriate specialist category before practicing as a specialist.
We hope that this article on the steps to become a doctor in South Africa was helpful. To learn more about studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students.
