The Metro East training complex is conveniently situated to the east of Cape Town with the two training complexes within a 45 km radius from the city center. Tygerberg Hospital and the Medical School campus of the University of Stellenbosch are both easily accessible from the training facilities within the region. This allows easy access to the Medical School for meetings, library, skills laboratory and internet facilities.

The following training facilities are included in the Metro East Training Complex:

• Helderberg Hospital (Hub District Hospital) in Somerset West
• ​Eerste River Hospital (Hub District Hospital) in Eerste River

Short Training Opportunities in the following facilities:

• Tygerberg Hospital
• Karl Bremer Hospital
• Khayelitsha Hospital
• Khayelitsha Community Health Centre
• Kraaifontein Community Health Centre
• Delft Community Health Centre
• Elsies River Community Health Centre
• Various smaller primary healthcare clinics

​During the 4 year training period registrars will spend 4 years doing clinical rotations at one of the Hub District Hospitals.  This is the base camp or hub around which training revolves.  Ten clinical domains will include Obstetrics/Gynaecology, General Surgery, Orthopaedics, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Paediatrics, Mental Health, Anaesthetics, HIV/AIDS, STI, TB and malaria and lastly ENT, Ophthalmology and Dermatology.  Rotations will be planned over the 4-years and take into account previous experience and the achievement of specific learning outcomes.  Learning plans and outcomes will be discussed with various supervisors and formalized within a portfolio of learning structure.

The focus of training in the complex is to bring knowledge, expertise, and a generalist approach and wellness to the place where it is most needed – the primary healthcare platform.  This involves taking ownership of a primary healthcare clinic, the patients who access healthcare at this clinic, and the surrounding community - at least once a week.  Problem identification through clinical audits, research and quality improvement cycles, health promotion and community education, resource management, training and teaching of the principles of family medicine, and community relationship/partnership building will be some of the goals to be achieved with this weekly outreach.

The registrar will be exposed to an appropriate spectrum of patients and will be supervised and assessed in clinical practice, decision making and management – all during actual service delivery. The practical on-site training will also be complemented by the academic on-line learning that targets clinical knowledge, decision making and application of core family medicine principles including communication skills, patient centered consultation skills, ethics and evidence based medicine.

Short rotations or attendance by registrars can be organized at specialist clinics in regional or academic hospitals to fill knowledge gaps when needed, and deemed appropriate, to improve healthcare delivery at the primary healthcare clinic.

Registrars in the Metro East Training Complex are encouraged to meet together every second week.  This afternoon is used for case presentations, clinical discussions and communication skills.   It is a time to reflect and discuss the challenges registrars face every day.

Want to know more?  You are welcome to email

Dr Werner Viljoen – Helderberg Hospital – Werner.Viljoen@westerncape.gov.za

Dr Steve Swartz – Eersteriver Hospital - Steve.Swartz@westerncape.gov.za

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