Tygerberg International
Alumni
International undergraduate and postgraduate students become part of Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Science Alumni and join a vibrant international community. You not only form part of the alumni community of the faculty, but also of the greater Stellenbosch University. The Faculty and the University can provide you with many more opportunities to further your education and skills base in the future.
Benefits offered to Alumni:
FMHS International alumni are part of an international network representing diverse inter-disciplinary backgrounds and areas of specialisation.
Our International Alumni community are a select group of students and staff who, through their respective academic journeys at the University of Stellenbosch Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, provide continued inspiration to our current and future international students.
The International Alumni Community are an integral aspect of the Faculty Internationalisation strategy, and form an integral building block that can build and contribute to a shared FMHS legacy of excellence in learning, teaching and clinical training.
TESTIMONIALS
Undergraduate Elective
So far, my time at Khaya EC has been exciting with lots of trauma. However, it has also proved challenging due to patients having complex and long-term past medical histories who, due to English effectively being a second language, struggle to articulate their symptoms. At medical school in the UK, we're taught that the history is the most important component of any consultation in order to make a diagnosis. Due to the difficulties in attaining a good history, my time in Khaya has forced me to develop my clinical examination skills as well as my competence in point of care tests, such as ultrasound to make an accurate diagnosis.
Simon, UK
During the past week I took my first staps in getting to know the department of Paediatrics and Child Health of Tygerberg Hospital. It has been a pleasure meeting lots of local students, kindly nursing me in this expirience. I'm looking forward to grow further, while developing my medical skills. Being exposed to this broad diversity in pathology, I can only enthusiasticly look forward to the rest of my stay...
Sarah Genoe , Elective student, Fifth year of Medicine, Belgium
The best experience of my medical degree, and frankly of my whole University career. We still frequently talk about our Tygerberg trauma experience! My only regret is not spending more time there.
Dr. Carl Eiselen, Australia
The time spend at FMHS has definately impacted my further personal career in Cardiac Anaesthesiology and my work at cardiac surgery intensive care unit. Apart from the supportive learning environment during daily work there has been a much respected personal relation to my local colleagues.
Dr. Hanning von Spiegel, Germany
During my internship at Tygerberg Hospital I enjoyed the ward rounds and bedside teaching. These moments are helpful in expanding your medical knowledge.
Manuel, Belgium
Postgraduate Elective
My experience in Khayelitsha was amazing The application required multiple documents, some of them requiring notarization and lots of attention to detail. When I was able to discuss the details over Zoom with the administrative officer, it became a lot more streamlined. Coming from the United States, it was eye opening to see how the South Africa health care system worked and I immediately was exposed to infectious disease pathology such as invasive TB and HIV that is unmatched in American hospitals. I was impressed with the resourcefulness and work ethic of the other doctors to help patients no matter what supplies they did or didn't have. It also was fun that we all worked as a team on shift and would help each other constantly. I have since graduated residency and reflect back on those experiences. Not only did they contribute to my clinical knowledge but also changed how I view the emergency room staff as a team.
Dr David Haase, EM Resident, USA
Stellenbosch University was not the only centre I had applied to. Out of the few where I got selected, I chose to come to South Africa. My choice to come to Cape Town rather than some of the so called “developed" western countries with fancier hospitals was based on logical reasoning rather than overt public/family opinion. The volume and the profile of patients in developing countries are simply enormous, diverse and unmatched, a fact which I very well know owing to my own background. Just to underline my point, I would like to quote what Prof du Toit (HOD) said once in the morning meeting “Anyone who spends enough time at Tygerberg would be able to re-write the Orthopaedic textbooks". After spending a year at Tygerberg now, I am glad that I made the right choice and will be returning with a wealth of knowledge, literally enough to write a textbook
Dr Yashwant Singh Tanwar- Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Fellowship, India
The surgery department gave me a warm welcome and gave me a lot of opportunities to make the most of this experience. The gained knowledge and skills will be of great value for the rest of my professional career.
Dr Kaij Treskes, Trauma Surgeon, Netherlands
I sought this experience to step outside of my comfort zone, to learn how others tackle the challenges we face in Emergency Medicine, to meet colleagues and like- minded individuals in a different part of the world, to learn, to open my perspectives and to feel motivated. I can say that each of these have been achieved with plenty of smiles and laughter thrown into the mix of some hard work and organisation - this is thanks to each of you.
Dr Amar Mashru, EM Resident ,UK
Grateful for the opportunity to learn and broaden my view at Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town. Baie dankie for the warm welcome in the gynae-onco department, these first two months have flown by.
Dr Bloeme van der Knoop, O&G Registrar, Amsterdam UMC
It's been a humbling, educative and eye-opening month, and I am so glad for the opportunity to have been welcomed into the Khayalitsha community. Thank you very much for all your help!
Dr Jennifer He, Emergency Medicine Resident, Canada
Postgraduate Full Degree
Obtaining my MPhil in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Stellenbosch FMHS, has proven to be one of my best personal development decisions. The 2 year academic experience was positively memorable, staff and colleagues were friendly and helpful, while the opportunities, post qualification, have been enormous. I am glad to be an alumni of this great institution.
Dr Yewande Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria
Hello! I'm Dr. Yashmeeta Bundhoo from Mauritius. My journey with FMHS of Stellenbosch University started when I first applied for postgraduate residency in Clinical and Radiation Oncology in early 2019. Passion for this field made me persevere through long and tedious formalities, which were fortunately made easy by the highly helpful International office's staff. Till date, my experience has been ever-growing and fulfilling, as apart from the remarkable quality of clinical training, I have been exposed to a wide array of real-life lessons which helped me forge a stronger personality vis-à-vis my peers and teachers. My advice to prospective students is to research wisely their field of interest and to trust the strong reputation of FMHS in shaping highly proficient health professionals.
Dr Yashmeeta Bundhoo, Mauritius
I really enjoyed my time working as a registrar at Tygerberg hospital. The enthusiasm of our consultants and supervisors persuaded me to acheive my goal and becoming ENT Consultant from the CMSA and graduate Mmed degree student from Stellenbosch university.
Stellenbosch University is one of the leading universities in South Africa and I feel proud of myself to be a graduate from Stellenbosch university.
Dr Abdiwahab Mukhtar, Somalia
