Hundreds of junior doctors in Gauteng have still not been given placements for their community service programme, which is due to start on 1 July, and completion of which is compulsory for a medical degree.
They recently completed their two-year internship as part of the health department's Community Service Training Programme (ICSP), but nearly 300 of them are still waiting to hear whether they have been placed at hospitals in the province.
One told News24: “The applications for community service placement closed on 28 May, and we were promised we would be placed on Tuesday. We are panicking because we have such little time left, and this is what happened two years ago when we were supposed to start our internship.”
News24 has seen an email informing the doctors they would receive their allocations on or by 13 June – which never happened.
Another said completing community service was essential for a medical degree.
“Not doing it affects us drastically as there is no way forward. It is a requirement for everything. You must complete it to apply for a medical officer post. Life is at a standstill; this is frustrating and mentally draining. I am drowning in debt…”
She added that responses to their queries varied.
“I have been sitting at home since 1 April when my internship contract expired. It has been three months of no employment. Currently, it feels as if I have wasted eight years of my life. The health system is failing us.”
They could only apply for other jobs after community service, pointed out another.
“We are obligated to serve one year to our community and we are ready to do that; we just need to be placed. We are running out of time as we still need to find accommodation and organise our lives if we are moved to other cities. I have financial obligations … it's worrying that I will depend on family even for toiletries at this stage.”
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Unplaced junior doctors freed from Gauteng Government contracts
SA’s junior doctors experience another year of bungled placements
‘Outraged’ SAMA threatens court action over placement of almost 5,000 junior doctors