More than 1 100 medical interns and junior doctors have finally been placed for the medical Internship and Community Service Programme (ICSP) – just days before they were due to start work on 1 July – while others remain in the dark, desperate to find jobs, but having received no word from the national Health Department.
They had been told they would receive word of their allocations on or by 13 June, but had still not received any communication from the national Health Department well after this date, reports News24.
Last Thursday, the department announced it had completed the allocation process enabling 1 134 eligible medical interns and junior doctors to start working on 1 July.
Spokesperson Foster Mohale said applicants had already been told to report for duty on the day, and that only those who applied on the department’s application portal had been considered.
“According to ICSP placement guidelines, stricter rules have been applied in line with Public Service Regulations 2016, Public Service Act 1994 as amended, and the Immigration Act of 2002.”
Priority was given to eligible South African citizens, followed by permanent residents, “and if resources are still available, foreign nationals may be considered”.
“Additionally, 36 medical community service doctors will be eligible from 1 August, and their allocation finalised in the first week of July with the provincial Health Departments.
“All final-year medical students who will become eligible after 1 July can only be allocated in the annual cycle of January 2024.”
However, some junior doctors, including some on government bursaries, remain in limbo, still waiting to be placed for community services.
Last Thursday, one told News24 he would complete his internship on Friday, 30 June, but had still not heard anything. He had applied via the website.
“I am worried and desperate because I will be jobless …”
He had called the ICSP office but, as has happened before, was told they would come back to him.
A foreign graduate in Cape Town said she was supposed to start her internship this past Monday.
“We have not been updated on July placements at all. I emailed all provincial co-ordinators… none has contacted me or kept us updated. We will probably be placed in September or January next year… What are we supposed to do in the meantime?”
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Junior doctors still unplaced for community service
Unplaced junior doctors freed from Gauteng Government contracts
HPCSA, DoH threatened with legal action over foreign-trained doctors' placement
SA’s junior doctors experience another year of bungled placements
‘Outraged’ SAMA threatens court action over placement of almost 5,000 junior doctors