Cape Town or Sydney for A&E elective?

Just curious if anyone has previous experience of one or both places. Any advice greatly appreciated!

Well considering Cape Town is supposed to be one of the world's most dangerous cities in a very dangerous country with very high levels of violence, I would say Sydney. No brainer.

Reply 2

markova21

21

And no, I haven't been to either city or country, so it's only hearsay. But working in an A+E department, where potentially there are going to be irrational, drunk, violent people that people see in A+E's in England, I wouldn't like to think how much more scary it would be in S. Africa.

Reply 3

Mrs House

16

I think you'll see a lot more severe injuries in Cape Town and of course more likely you'll be mugged (I know a few people who had possessions stolen).

But both amazing experience to choose from

Reply 4

Ghotay

13

Depends - do you want to see bullet wounds or shark attacks :awesome:

Reply 5

markova21

21

Hello me again. I watch Sky News Live on You Tube as I don't have a TV at the moment.[Water leaking out of the back of the TV]. When people watching it on TV are seeing adverts, online we get to see weather reports and newspaper headlines from around the world to fill up the time. There has just been a mention of The Cape Times newspaper which said Medics in Cape Town have held a demonstration because there have been over 70 attacks on them in the last year when they go out and do their work somewhere else [didn't fully get what was said]. They are demanding greater protection, anyway. [Hope you don't mind. I just think you need to be armed with all the facts]. I saw it and thought of you straight away.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 6

imedic

OP

6

Original post by markova21

Hello me again. I watch Sky News Live on You Tube as I don't have a TV at the moment.[Water leaking out of the back of the TV]. When people watching it on TV are seeing adverts, online we get to see weather reports and newspaper headlines from around the world to fill up the time. There has just been a mention of The Cape Times newspaper which said Medics in Cape Town have held a demonstration because there have been over 70 attacks on them in the last year when they go out and do their work somewhere else [didn't fully get what was said]. They are demanding greater protection, anyway. [Hope you don't mind. I just think you need to be armed with all the facts]. I saw it and thought of you straight away.

Thank you! appreciate your comments. I'm currently in the process of sending out emails to see what's available.

Reply 7

seaholme

19

Disregarding the actual issue of the elective - Cape Town is probably one of the best places I've ever visited :smile:

I know lots of people who did their electives in South Africa. Generally they had a good experience. I get the impression that if you want to be hands on and doing things, it is a great place to go.

Reply 8

4:20

7

Cape Town all day. Acute elective in SA trumps everything by default. Be smart and you'll be alright.

Reply 9

HRRGRE007

6

Are these electives part of a degree? Like will you be attached to the University of Cape Town? If so then head to Sydney! Our universities (I am studying at UCT) have come to a complete stand still because of protests. It does not look like we will be finishing the 2016 academic year in 2016. This is going to have huge ramifications for 2017.

Reply 10

imedic

OP

6

Original post by HRRGRE007

Are these electives part of a degree? Like will you be attached to the University of Cape Town? If so then head to Sydney! Our universities (I am studying at UCT) have come to a complete stand still because of protests. It does not look like we will be finishing the 2016 academic year in 2016. This is going to have huge ramifications for 2017.

It's for a 4 week hospital attachment, so not done through any university but the hospital itself. That should be ok right?

Thanks for the heads up!

Reply 11

HRRGRE007

6

Original post by imedic

It's for a 4 week hospital attachment, so not done through any university but the hospital itself. That should be ok right?

Thanks for the heads up!

Should be ok.

With the possibility of 1600 graduates not entering the medical field next year you might be really busy if you come to Cape Town...

Reply 12

macpatgh-Sheldon

20

Albeit some time ago, I did my elective at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, but I was brought up in Kenya and spent some of my med student holidays working with my father in his surgery (GP practice) as well as having exposure to raw, fulminant symptoms and signs and the management of severely ill patients with low level of facilities, and access to specialists.

In order to learn hands-on medicine, in my view there is nothing like Africa.

As far as safety is concerned, it is common knowledge that there are posters in every A & E dept in UK warning antisocial or violent patients of being prosecuted. I have lived and worked in Africa, and the gratitude that doctors are shown in those countries, you will never see in UK, where doctors are seen as "just doing their job".

Having said that, my cousin is a GP in Perth, and medicine in Australia is endowed with much more clinical freedom and patient priority than in UK, where in the last several years, "clinical" choices are almost made by politicians, so an elective in Sydney might be quite productive and enjoyable.

Just an opinion!

Reply 13

4:20

7

Original post by imedic