Stellenbosch University - Cape Town, South Africa

Situated in the historical oak-lined town of Stellenbosch nestled amongst the Boland Mountains in the winelands of the Western Cape. Stellenbosch University is one of the leading tertiary institutions based on research, pass rates and rated scientists. The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University is one of the leading health sciences faculties in Africa. It is home to a diverse student body of approximately 5,000 students enrolled in five undergraduate programmes and 80 postgraduate programmes, on average, 160 specialists are trained there annually.

Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is situated on its own campus, Tygerberg Campus. Tygerberg Hospital, a tertiary hospital is adjacent to the campus and serves as its teaching hospital. The campus is in Cape Town’s northern suburbs, approximately 40 minutes from Stellenbosch University and 30 minutes from the centre of Cape Town.

Tygerberg Hospital officially opened in 1976 and has approximately 1,300 beds, including a 308-bed children's hospital, day surgery unit, a dental facility, research facilities, as well as residences for nurses, students, and doctors. More than 500,000 outpatients visit and more than 100,000 are admitted annually. Other specialist and sub-specialist services include a center for the hearing impaired, center for mental health, clinical retinal laboratory, complex craniofacial surgery unit, in-vitro fertilization, laboratory for human genetics, tuberculosis clinical work unit, social work unit and hyperbaric oxygen facility. The brand new Biomedical Research Institute (BMRI) at Tygerberg campus is a world-class future-focused research complex.

Northwestern has a long-standing partnership with Stellenbosch University. More information about the innovative research and education generated through this partnership can be found on the Stellenbosch-Northwestern Universities Knowledge Hub.

Dates: Various

Length of rotations: Four to six weeks
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Language requirement: None
Student level: M4s, MPH
How to apply: Complete the online application; please note that Stellenbosch hosts a large number of international students and requires application from visiting medical students be submitted eight months in advance of the intended travel dates
Rotation areas: Hope/Kid Cru rotation on Infectious Disease and Family and Community Medicine; a maximum of four Feinberg students may visit per month at Tygerberg Hospital

Medical Education Exchange

Feinberg students may visit Stellenbosch University and rotate at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, where they can complete rotations in infectious disease, pediatric infectious disease, internal medicine and dermatology. The FAMCRU rotation at Tygerberg involves rotating on the infectious disease ward, participating in weekly conferences and occasionally visiting local township clinics where regular clinics are held. At the township clinic, prior participants have worked at midwife outpatient center where they saw patients with gestational diabetes, HIV infection, TB and more. All doctors and health professionals will speak English, but Xhosa and Afrikaans will be spoken by some patients. Students can expect to spend approximately six to eight hours per day engaged in clinical rotations at the hospital.

Helpful Links

Accommodations

At Tygerberg Hospital, medical students stay at the International Student Lounge, which has small kitchens equipped with a microwave, fridge, hot plate and on-site laundry. Stellenbosch University is located approximately 50 kilometers from Tygerberg Hospital and Cape Town.

Fees

The fees listed below are charged by Stellenbosch University for all visiting clinical rotations. These fees represent approximate figures and may change due to fluctuations in the exchange rate. Stellenbosch may adjust any and all fees without notice.

Housing fees: Approximately $140 per week (single room) or $119 per week (double room); rates apply to dorms near Tygerberg Hospital only
International registration fee: Approximately $835
Affiliation fee: Approximately $75 per week

Evaluations

Only accessible to users with a valid NetID.