UCT Division of Family Medicine & Palliative Medicine

UCT Division of Family Medicine & Palliative Medicine Divisions of Family Medicine and Interdisciplinary Palliative Care & Medicine in UCT FaCE department

Family Medicine has been an independent Division in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine since 2001 and is involved in multidisciplinary community-based teaching, learning and research with a strong focus on primary care. Since 2022, we joined the Department of Family, Community and Emergency Care (FaCE). The new Division of Interdisciplinary Palliative Care & Medicine (IPCM) was also a

pproved in 2021. The FaCE department consists of the Divisions of Family Medicine, IPCM, Emergency Medicine, the Primary Health Directorate, as well as Sports & Exercise Medicine (with Biokinetics). According to McWhinney & Freeman (2009), family physicians:

Are committed to the person rather than to a particular body of knowledge, group of diseases, or special technique;
Seek to understand the context of the illness;
See every contact with their patient as an opportunity for prevention or health education;
View the patients in their practice as a population at risk;
See themselves as part of a community-wide network of supportive and healthcare agencies;
Should ideally share the same habitat as their patients;
See patients in their homes;
Attach importance to the subjective aspects of medicine;
Manage resources.
[Reference: Textbook of Family Medicine: Ian R. McWhinney; Thomas Freeman (Third Edition) 2009 Oxford University Press pages 13-16.]


Teaching within the Division

Undergraduate programme:
Becoming a Doctor course which spans the second and third years of the curriculum. The course comprises of three strands which include Family Medicine, Clinical Skills and Languages (isiXhosa and Afrikaans). Eight week 4th year MBChB Primary Health Care block run jointly with other divisions in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine. Four week 6th year block which students spend at a Community Health Facility either in an urban or rural area and at a Hospice for the Palliative Care portion of their training. The discipline of Family Medicine was registered as a speciality in 2007 and we accepted our first intake of registrars into the MMed (Family Medicine) training programme in 2008. The registrars do their training at regional, secondary and district level facilities. We also offer a postgraduate diploma course and PhD programme in Family Medicine. The Division is involved in many individual and collaborative research projects. There is strong collaboration with all academic departments of Family Medicine in South Africa through the Education and Training Sub-Committee of the South African Academy of Family Physicians and the College of Family Physicians in the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa. It has established links with other African universities as well as with other international higher education institutions. Family practitioners in private practice also assist with the teaching programme.

A sincere thank you to everyone who contributed to our Division's Strategic Planning Workshop yesterday. We are grateful...
29/08/2026

A sincere thank you to everyone who contributed to our Division's Strategic Planning Workshop yesterday. We are grateful to our staff, students, and colleagues for their enthusiastic participation and thoughtful contributions. A special word of appreciation to our invited guests who served as critical friends, helping us reflect, challenge assumptions, and think more boldly about our future. The energy, openness, and shared commitment in the room were truly inspiring and reaffirmed our collective focus on ensuring our Division remains relevant, responsive, and impactful within the University, the broader health system, and the primary care academic community. We look forward to building on this momentum together. 🌱🙏



Family, Community and Emergency Care South African Academy of Family Physicians - SAAFP World Organization of Family Doctors - WONCA UCT Faculty of Health Sciences

📣 FaCE Seminar Invitation | 25 August 2026The Department of Family, Community and Emergency Care (FaCE), UCT, is delight...
20/08/2026

📣 FaCE Seminar Invitation | 25 August 2026

The Department of Family, Community and Emergency Care (FaCE), UCT, is delighted to welcome our visiting colleague Prof José M. Valderas, Head of Family Medicine at the National University of Singapore and a globally recognised leader in primary care and health systems research.

🎙️ The Patient Voice in the Age of AI: Reimagining People-Centred Primary Health Care

Join us as Prof Valderas explores how patient-reported outcomes, primary care, health system measurement and artificial intelligence can help shape more person-centred, equitable and responsive health systems.

📅 Tuesday, 25 August 2026
🕐 Seminar starts at 13:00
📍 PHC Common Room (E47), Old Main Building, Groote Schuur Hospital

🥳 We encourage colleagues, students and partners to join us in person. Come a little earlier and enjoy an informal networking lunch from 12:00 before the seminar begins.

Learn more about Prof Valderas:
🔗 https://discovery.nus.edu.sg/19962-jose-m-valderas

For additional information: [email protected]



Wonca Africa World Organization of Family Doctors - WONCA South African Academy of Family Physicians - SAAFP

The Patient Voice in the Age of AI 🤖🩺
How can we harness AI and technology without losing sight of the people health systems are designed to serve?
Join us for an engaging seminar with Prof. José M. Valderas, exploring the future of people-centred primary health care in the age of AI.

📅 Tuesday, 25 August 2026
📍 UCT Groote Schuur Hospital, E Floor, PHC Boardroom
💻 Online participation available

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZTNhMjUxYzgtZDhjYi00Y2Q1LWE3N2YtMjIyOTE4ZmFhOTVk%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2292454335-564e-4ccf-b0b0-24445b8c03f7%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22feb6f437-7ce9-40fb-99e5-28a0b8c672bf%22%7d

🍽️ 12:00 – Lunch & networking
🎤 13:00 – Seminar

The session will explore how patient-reported outcomes, primary care, health-system measurement and artificial intelligence can contribute to more person-centred, equitable and adaptive health systems.

Come along, connect with colleagues and join the conversation about what the next generation of health systems should measure, value and improve.

Everyone interested in the future of patient-centred health care and AI is welcome!

📧 For more information: [email protected]


UCT Division of Family Medicine & Palliative MedicineUCT Faculty of Health SciencesSouth African Academy of Family Physicians - SAAFP

18/08/2026

Every two years, the WONCA World Conference brings together family doctors from every region of the world.

In 2027, we meet in Cape Town, South Africa.

It will be the first WONCA World Conference held in Africa in 25 years, offering an opportunity to learn together, build new partnerships and celebrate our global family medicine community.

Follow WONCA World Conference 2027 for regular updates.

Read the welcome:
https://www.woncaworld2027.org/about/welcome-messages

A huge congratulations to Dr Rashiqua Holdman on leading a thought-provoking and inspiring discussion on Professional Id...
18/08/2026

A huge congratulations to Dr Rashiqua Holdman on leading a thought-provoking and inspiring discussion on Professional Identity Formation as part of the ELF Learning Collaborative.
Rashiqua's scholarly, carefully crafted work is helping us think more deeply about curriculum transformation and how we support our students' evolving professional identities. Looking forward to seeing these ideas continue to shape conversations and practice across Family, Community and Emergency Care , our UCT Faculty of Health Sciences and beyond. 🌟📚



Kerrin Begg Lionel Green-Thompson Tasleem Ras

Our Division had a strong presence at the joint Rural Health and Family Physicians Congress in Midrand. This Congress br...
15/08/2026

Our Division had a strong presence at the joint Rural Health and Family Physicians Congress in Midrand. This Congress brought together a range of disciplines passionate and committed to strengthening PHC in our country. Congratulations to all the colleagues who shared their work through presentations and workshops, especially our registrars and emerging researchers. Thank you to the organisers for putting this wonderful opportunity together to connect and learn. A highlight included witnessing one of our MMed graduates, Dr Graeme Hofmeyr receiving the Rural Doctor of the year award.

South African Academy of Family Physicians - SAAFP Rural Doctors Association of South Africa Family, Community and Emergency Care UCT Faculty of Health Sciences World Organization of Family Doctors - WONCA

We invite colleagues to join us for the next UCT Family Medicine Primary Care Webinar on 27 August 2026.We are delighted...
13/08/2026

We invite colleagues to join us for the next UCT Family Medicine Primary Care Webinar on 27 August 2026.

We are delighted to host Dr Yaseen Khan, who will share insights on "The Future of Digital Healthcare: AI-Enhanced Clinical Decision Support" and its implications for primary care practice, education, and service delivery.

Date: 27 August 2026
Time: 19:00–20:00 (SAST)

Register here:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=NUNFkk5Wz0ywsCREW4wD953ZUFy7cC9AksuR-9iW0B1UMkVURkU2TFU3RkRPWFBCWkE3RloxWDBUSi4u

Please share with colleagues and networks who may be interested. We look forward to an engaging discussion on the future of digital health and primary care.



Family, Community and Emergency Care UCT Faculty of Health Sciences UCT Division of Public Health Medicine World Organization of Family Doctors - WONCA South African Academy of Family Physicians - SAAFP Department of Medicine, UCT UCT School of Public Health EMGuidance

🩺 UCT Family Medicine Primary Care Webinar – 23 July 2026 at 18:00 (SAST)Healthcare professionals are often skilled at c...
22/07/2026

🩺 UCT Family Medicine Primary Care Webinar – 23 July 2026 at 18:00 (SAST)

Healthcare professionals are often skilled at caring for others—but how good are we at seeking care for ourselves?

Join Dr Saville Furman for an engaging discussion on:
"Caring for Ourselves: Exploring Help-Seeking Behaviour Among Doctors"

📅 Thursday, 23 July 2026
🕕 18:00–19:00 (South African time)
💻 Online via Microsoft Teams
✅ Free attendance | CPD recorded
🔗 Register here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=NUNFkk5Wz0ywsCREW4wD953ZUFy7cC9AksuR-9iW0B1UMkVURkU2TFU3RkRPWFBCWkE3RloxWDBUSi4u

Hosted by the UCT Division of Family Medicine.

WONCA World Conference 2027 UCT Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Medicine, UCT Family, Community and Emergency Care South African Academy of Family Physicians - SAAFP World Organization of Family Doctors - WONCA Wonca Africa WONCA Rural Working Party Rural Doctors Association of South Africa Southern African HIV Clinicians Society UCT Division of Public Health Medicine UCT School of Public Health

03/07/2026

WONCA World Conference 2027 loading, fun times ahead! Looking forward to welcoming you all in Cape Town 🥳🇿🇦

Happy World Family Doctor Day! 🌍🩺Today we celebrate the dedication, compassion, and hard work of family doctors who care...
19/05/2026

Happy World Family Doctor Day! 🌍🩺

Today we celebrate the dedication, compassion, and hard work of family doctors who care for individuals and families at every stage of life. Thank you for being the first line of support, healing, and hope in our communities.

Your commitment makes a lasting difference every single day. 💙



South African Academy of Family Physicians - SAAFPFamily, Community and Emergency CareWorld Organization of Family Doctors - WONCA

Address

Division Of Family Medicine, Department Of Family, Community And Emergency Care (FaCE), Falmouth Building (2nd Floor, Entrance 5), Faculty Of Health Sciences, University Of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Cape
Observatory
7925

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00

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