The Department of General Surgery under the guidance of Professor Zacharia Koto who won the SASSiT Swann-Morton Silver Scalpel Award in teaching, has managed to produce a 100% pass rate of surgical specialists at the recent College of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) exams. The department’s surgical registrars who achieved a 100% pass rate and are actively involved in research are Dr Cecil Pule, Dr Tebo Mosasi, Dr Tumelo Matlala, Dr Lerumo Motla, Dr Thegesh Naidoo, Dr Kennedy Mngoma, Dr Tom Mtshali, and Dr Kenny Mongwe. The sub-speciality fellows are Dr Imraan Sardiwalla (Certificate in Gastroenterology, HPB), Dr Legae Mogase (Certificate in Vascular Surgery), Dr Shumani Makhadi (Certificate in Trauma Surgery).
SMU as a Health Sciences University is on a mission to educate people about health-related matters and make a meaningful contribution especially during these difficult times of Covid-19. According to Prof Koto, SMU is esteemed among Harvard University, Oxford University. In 2019, SMU surgeons got a 100% pass rate during the Fellowship of the College of Surgeons (FCS) exams as well. This excellent spirit of education continues to blossom.
The surgeons, who passed, have knowledge and skills from a pioneer in laparoscopic procedures in the management of trauma patients in South Africa. These graduates are now following in his footsteps as a chief surgeon and a researcher who excelled in laparoscopic aortobifemural bypass graft in South Africa in 2012 without complications.
The Department of Surgery at SMU has fewer financial resources, but despite this it has proven that it can be counted and participate in multiple research projects on par with well-resourced institutions.
The Registrars are now recognising and producing a variety of papers, which are published in different reputable journals as part of their MMED program, and the Department has been participating in many clinical trials that add value to the overall information database. The total number of Registrars who completed FCS (SA), under the leadership of Prof Koto, are 51. He has committed himself to developing and teaching others.
