South Africa’s Medical School Shortage Drives Students Abroad
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JEREMY MAGGS: South Africa’s medical school capacity has become so limited that even top-achieving matriculants are being compelled to seek opportunities abroad.
Reports indicate that acceptance rates at premier local medical schools can be as low as 5%, prompting universities in Cyprus and Germany to provide English-medium medical degrees as a more feasible option for high-caliber South African candidates.
This situation prompts significant concerns regarding access, planning, privilege, brain drain, and perhaps most crucially, whether the nation is letting down its future healthcare professionals before they even begin their journey.
This is a serious matter, and I’m eager to discuss it with Brad Latilla-Campbell, the country manager at Crimson Education, an admissions consultancy. Welcome, Brad.
Let’s begin with this straightforward question: in your view, is South Africa turning away the future doctors it urgently needs?
BRAD LATILLA-CAMPBELL: Thank you, Jeremy. Honestly, I’m not sure if we’re actually turning away the future doctors we so badly need. However, as you’ve pointed out, the competitiveness of available positions in medical programs means they stand out as some of the most sought-after programs in our universities.
In numerous other fields, securing enough points for admission typically guarantees entry into that degree.
Medicine, however, operates differently. Simply achieving sufficient points does not automatically guarantee admission. As you’ve mentioned, they can only accept the top 5% or 6%.
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This means a couple of things. Firstly, it self-selects for extremely strong academic candidates—high achievers. However, it also signifies insufficient space for those not securing averages of 85%, 90%, or achieving seven or eight distinctions.
Thus, many students passionate about medicine and becoming healthcare professionals find themselves without entry opportunities.
This bottleneck results in passionate candidates missing out solely based on high school grades, which isn’t necessarily the most effective determinant of future success in this field.
JEREMY MAGGS: It appears that studying medicine abroad was once viewed as a fallback. Do you believe this perspective has shifted entirely based on your insights?
BRAD LATILLA-CAMPBELL: In some ways, yes and in others, no. We still have excellent medical programs available locally.
Even with newer institutions emerging annually, they continue to uphold their prestigious reputation.
A great number of students aspire to enroll because these schools produce outstanding doctors and healthcare professionals.
However, the reality is, we now have an abundance of students capable of undertaking a medical degree, leading many to explore opportunities overseas, particularly in Europe, where they can later return to practice here, offering a viable option for those unable to secure local entry.
JEREMY MAGGS: But part of the concern is that many of these students might choose not to return.
BRAD LATILLA-CAMPBELL: Indeed, that’s an ongoing challenge with overseas studies. However, we’ve noticed a strong inclination among those in the medical field to return, motivated by a desire to serve their communities.
Some might take a year or two before coming back, which may require some time and administrative effort for recertification.
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JEREMY MAGGS: At the end of the day, isn’t affordability a significant factor? It seems this path is primarily accessible to families with financial means, which risks creating a two-tier system where wealthier students can study abroad while others remain excluded.
BRAD LATILLA-CAMPBELL: Yes, and that’s definitely a broader issue we see with students traveling for studies. However, in the medical sector specifically, I believe our robust local programs mitigate this concern.
It provides an alternative route for those who may not gain admission locally, albeit likely at a financial cost.
Nonetheless, some overseas programs offer scholarships and bursaries that students could leverage.
JEREMY MAGGS: Do you think this situation reflects competitiveness and academic merit, or is it symptomatic of a system with insufficient places and institutions?
BRAD LATILLA-CAMPBELL: It likely reflects a combination of both. Depending on various reports and media, competitive programs can be beneficial for any industry, particularly in South Africa, where we aim to attract top talent for challenging roles.
When looking back at my school days, and even nowadays, subjects like actuarial science are highly regarded for their difficulty, yet places are ample for students who qualify, because it’s not as sought after as medicine is, where many see it as a reputable career.
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Read: Courts rule in favor of South African doctors trained abroad
The reality is, there simply aren’t enough slots, similar to prestigious universities like Harvard or Oxford, emphasizing the necessity for some limitations in available spots.
Fostering competitiveness encourages students aiming for top marks and qualifications to maintain high standards.
JEREMY MAGGS: You hinted at this before, but for South African regulators and employers, do the medical degrees from countries like Cyprus and Germany hold complete credibility?
BRAD LATILLA-CAMPBELL: I believe they do. I have anecdotal evidence of individuals studying there and returning to practice in South Africa.
These programs enjoy credibility, and I think our local institutions, specifically in terms of teaching capacity, are what limits our own programs, while we do have space for returning doctors.
Though there’s a concern regarding brain drain, it seems more detrimental when local students trained here leave, rather than those going abroad for their degrees, as we’ve invested in educating someone who may not contribute back to South Africa.
This is the kind of trade-off that exists, reinforcing that overseas degrees are still respected and regarded positively.
JEREMY MAGGS: Thank you very much. That was Brad Latilla-Campbell from Crimson Education.