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FMHS academic recognised for excellence in health professions education
Author: FMHS Marketing & Communications
Published: 06/06/2016

​The South African Association of Health Educationalists (SAAHE) recently recognised Prof Marietjie de Villiers with the prestigious 2016 Distinguished Educator Award.

De Villiers is the former Deputy Dean: Education for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), Stellenbosch University, and is now involved with the Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, within the faculty.

"In her career of more than 35 years, De Villiers has been the catalyst for a whole range of learning and teaching innovations and projects that through the years have established the FMHS as a pioneer in the field of medical and health professions education," SAAHE wrote in a statement  announcing De Villiers' award.

She has earned international, African and national standing as a leader in health professions education. She has presented 172 papers at international and national conferences, and published 89 publications of which 40 original research articles and 12 book chapters.

"De Villiers is a believer – she believes in people, she believes in the power of education to influence health outcomes, and she believes in South Africa… she has continued to strive towards effecting the changes needed in health professions education on the African continent, influencing practice in the FMHS and beyond, doing so in a generative and meaningful way, taking other with her along the way," SAAHE wrote.

Prof Jimmy Volmink, Dean of the FMHS, congratulated De Villiers on the "well-deserved" recognition. "It was a pleasure to have Prof De Villiers' input and in my management team for five years. Our faculty is privileged to have been able to benefit from her unwavering commitment to continuous improvement in teaching and learning and we wish her all the best for the work she is now involved in."