Director of the training program: Professor Kazadi K.N.KALANGU
About the Training Centre: It was founded in 1993 as a structured university training program by Professor Kazadi KN Kalangu. This new program replaced the previous apprenticeship one which was put in place by Professor Laurence Levy who established neurosurgery in Zimbabwe since 1952. To date the new program has trained over 27 Neurosurgeons across several African countries including Mozambique, Zambia, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, Cameroon and Gambia. A number of the trainees have successfully written south African, and UK based exams soon after completing to obtain dual qualifications. It has a highly competitive recruiting process. The training program itself is intense and very hands on and engaging. By 1998, the training program was recognized by North America and Canada, several of their trainees came to spend a three months period of attachment.
Program Details: 5 years Training period plus an additional mandatory 1 year of senior residency under supervision where students are encouraged to take a fellowship abroad.
Neurosurgical Team: Robust team of at least 7 full time and part time lecturers headed by Professor Kazadi KN Kalangu including General Neurosurgeons, Fellowship trained paediatric Neurosurgeon, Skull base and vascular Neurosurgeon as well as oncological Neurosurgeons.
Equipments and Facilities: 3 Training Facilities in university teaching hospitals and access to all private hospitals. Microscopes, Microsurgery and spinal instruments, Drills, Endoscopy. CT and MRI scanners. Intraoperative Ultrasound scans and Neuromonitoring. Neuro Intensive Care Unit.
Activities: Physical and Virtual teaching sessions, grand rounds, tutorials, seminars, hands on workshops, operations, Elective attachments, international conferences and webinars. Operations including all aspects of neurosurgery except stereotactic neurosurgery.
REGULATIONS FOR THE MASTERS DEGREE IN MEDICINE (NEUROLOGICAL
SURGERY) (MNSG)
(To be read in conjunction with the ‘General Academic Regulations for Masters Degrees by
Coursework’ (GAR))
1. ENTRY REGULATIONS (REF GAR 3)
1.1 Applicants must have obtained the MBChB degree of this or another university of an
approved standard, or have obtained a qualification by written and clinical examination
of a standard approved by the University of Zimbabwe.
1.2 Applicants must have completed a suitable internship and appropriately registered with
the Health Professions Council of Zimbabwe.
1.3 Candidates should have gained at least one year’s post registration experience in a
provincial, general or district hospital.
1.4 Applications must be submitted on the official application forms provided through the
Institute of Continuing Health Education of the College of Health Sciences.
2. DURATION OF PROGRAMME (REF GAR 4)
2.2 Throughout the programme, candidates will normally be employed in the appropriate
posts within the relevant departments or hospitals approved by the Higher Degrees by Coursework Committee of the College of Health Sciences for the purposes of the degree.
2.3 Exemptions
2.3.1 Candidates who have already completed an appropriate course and examination
equivalent to Part I of this course may apply for exemption from this part of the
course and examination.
2.3.2 Candidates who hold an MMED (Surgery) or equivalent may apply for
exemption from relevant parts of the general surgical rotation up to a maximum
of one year.
2.3.3 Decisions on applications for such exemptions shall be recommended to Senate
by the Higher Degrees by Coursework Committee of the College of Health
Sciences.
3. STRUCTURE OF PROGRAMME (REF GAR 5)
The programme shall be divided into two parts. Part I shall take place in the first year of the
programme, Part II in the succeeding four years.
3.1 Part I of the programme shall consist of studies in Applied Basic Sciences as follows:
3.1.1 Anatomy of the Central Nervous System
3.1.2 Physiology
3.1.3 Pathology
3.1.4 There will be a combined Masters in Medicine Basic Science Core Course
covering areas of Anatomy, Physiological - Chemistry, Pathology, Clinical
Pharmacology, Statistics and Epidemiology.
3.1.5 There will be additional tutorials in the above subjects specific to surgery and
Neurological surgery.
3.1.6 Students will be encouraged to demonstrate in Anatomy/Neuroanatomy,
Physiology/Neurophysiology.
3.2 During Part I and II of the programme, candidates will rotate through posts as in
paragraph 2.2 in the following areas:-
3.2.1 General Surgery
3.2.2 Orthopeadics
3.2.3 Thoracic Surgery
3.2.4 Mixillofacial Surgery
3.2.5 Ear Nose and Throat Surgery
3.2.6 The various disciplines of neurological Surgery.
3.2.7 Elective period.
3.3 During Part II of the programme there shall be an exposure to clinical and operative
neurosurgery.
3.3.1 Applied Surgical Anatomy of the central nervous system.
3.3.2 Neuropathology
3.3.3 Clinical and operation art of the various aspects of neurological surgery and
principles of general surgery.
3.4 During Part II of the programme candidates shall be required to submit three course
assignments of between 3000 and 5000 words on subjects approved by the Board of the
Department of Surgery. Each course assignment shall be equally weighted and these
shall be evenly spread throughout Part II of the programme (one during each years
2,3,4, and 5 of the programme). These course assignments shall constitute part of the
second assignments (60%, examinations 40%) and together will comprise 25% of the
marks of the full programme.
3.5 During Part II of the programme candidates shall be required to submit research work
of between 10000-15000 words as a dissertation on a subject approved by the
Departmental Board of Surgery. This dissertation shall be submitted to the Institute of
Continuing Health Education in the final form by the 30th of June of the Fifth year
(Final year) of the programme.
3.6 Any candidate who has not submitted the dissertation in paragraph 3.4 above by the due
date shall not be permitted to appear in the Final (Part II) examinations.
4. MARKING SCHEME AND CLASSIFICATION (REF GAR 6)
4.1 The degree may be awarded with Distinction or with Merit or without classification.
This shall be based on the
marks attained at Part II of the examination.
4.2 The marking scheme shall be:-
80% + = Distinction
70% – 79% = Merit
50% – 69% = Pass
Below 50% = Fail
5. ASSESSMENT OF CANDIDATES (REF GAR 7)
5.1 Continuous Assessment shall be examined by course assignments and annual
examinations (see paragraph 3.4).
5.2 Research work shall be examined by dissertation (see Paragraph 3.5). This shall be
presented to the Institute of
Continuing Health Education not later than 30 June of the fifth year of the programme.
5.3 The Part I examination shall be held in November of the first year of the programme
and shall consist of:
5.3.1 Written Papers
Paper I CBSC501
There shall be a three hour paper of 100 multiple choice questions based on the
programme described in paragraph 3.1, above.
Paper II (MNSG502)
programme described in paragraph 3.1.
5.3.2 Oral Examination (MNSG591)
There shall be an oral examination of approximately 45 minutes duration on all
aspects of the Part I course.
5.4 The Part II examination shall be held in November of the fifth year and will consist of:-
5.4.1 Written Papers
5.4.1.1 Paper I (MNSG503) shall be of two hours duration and shall consist
of 75 multiple choice questions.
5.4.1.2 Paper II (MNSG504) shall be of two hours duration and shall consist
of 10 short answer questions of which 8 shall be answered.
5.4.1.3 Paper III (MNSG505) shall be an essay paper of three hours duration
where candidates shall be expected to answer three questions.
Written papers shall test principles in theory of operative neurological
surgery, neurological theory and the basic sciences and their application.
5.4.2 Clinical Examination (MNSG580)
The examination shall be of approximately two hours duration.
5.4.3 Oral Examination (MNSG592)
This examination shall be approximately 60 minutes duration.
5.4.4 Continuous Assessment (MNSG550)
There shall be a continuous assessment at the end of the years two, three and
four of the programme inclusive as described in paragraph 3.2.2
5.5 Distribution of marks
5.5.1 Part I Examination
Paper I out of 75
Paper II out of 75
Oral Examination out of 50
Continuous Assessment out of 50
Sub Total 250
5.5.2 Part II Examination
Continuous Assessment out of 100
Written Papers out of 100
Clinical Examination out of 150
Sub Total 400
Dissertation (MNSG570) out of 100
FINAL TOTAL 500
5.6 Candidates shall be required to pass the Clinical Examinations and the dissertation.
6. SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATIONS (REF GAR 10.5)
6.1 Supplementary examinations shall be held in accordance with the General Academic
Regulations except that the examinations will be held in the following May.
6.2 Determination of the offer of supplementary examinations for Part I failures shall be
in accordance with the General Academic Regulations.
6.3 In detemining the offer of supplementary examinations at Part II the following
components of the course shall be determinant:
6.3.1 Written Papers (MNSG503-505)
6.3.2 Clinical Examination and Oral Examination MNSG580 and MNSG592)
6.3.3 Dissertation(MNSG570)
Any candidate who fails any two of these components shall be required to
repeat the final year of the programme.
7. RE-PRESENTATION OF DISSERTATION (REF 10.6)
Re-presentation of a dissertation may be permitted by the Senate. In such cases re-presentation
shall be required within six months of the decision of Senate to permit re-presentation.
8. ANNUAL ASSESSMENT
8.1 At the end of the second, third and fourth years of the programme annual assessments
based on theoretical (Paragraph 3.4) and practical performance during each year and
expressed as a percentage mark, will be submitted by the Department of Surgery to the
College of Health Sciences for onward transmission to the Academic Committee. A
mark of 50% or more must be obtained in each assessment before a student is allowed
to proceed to the next year of the programme.
8.2 Candidates shall be required to keep a prescribed log book.
CRITERIA FOR THE APPLICANT WISHING TO JOIN THE FULL TRAINING PROGRAM OF ATTACHMENT FOR ONE, THREE, SIX OR TWELVE MONTHS.
7. Copy of the passport.
HOW TO APPLY
The application can be done through the web site of the university: https://www.uz.ac.zw .
The applicant may also write to Professor Kazadi KN KALANGU: kazkal2003@hotmail.com of Dr Luxwell Jokonya : drjokonya@medic.uz.ac.zw.
Phone Numbers: +263 772 305 953, +263 772 804 537.