WFN Training Centre in Cape Town

One-Year Visiting Fellow Program

The World Federation of Neurology (WFN), The Neurological Association of South Africa (NASA) and the Division of Neurology of the University of Cape Town (UCT), are delighted to announce a one-year Clinical Stroke Fellowship, which will be hosted at Groote Schuur Hospital and the Neuroscience Institute the University of Cape Town.

Project Description

The project is dedicated to newly qualified neurologists, who are residents in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Groote Schuur Hospital Stroke Service

Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH) is a large, public sector, tertiary teaching hospital linked to the University of Cape Town. It serves approximately three million people in the context of a WHO middle income country.

The stroke service is now recognised as one of the most comprehensive and effective stroke services in the South African public healthcare sector. It includes an acute emergency stroke service, which provides, where appropriate, thrombolysis (performed by neurology) and/or thrombectomy, (performed by neurosurgery). The division has a stroke registrar on call 24 hours a day and continually audits its outcomes to improve efficacy and reduce stroke onset to intervention times.

The GSH stroke service also includes a dedicated 10-bed, post-acute, in-patient, stroke unit, which is imbedded within the general neurology ward. Stroke patients are reviewed twice weekly during dedicated multi-disciplinary ward rounds (led by Dr Bateman, head of our stroke service), as well as during twice-weekly general neurology ward rounds led by the other consultants in the division. Post-acute stroke outpatient services include dedicated stroke clinics such as a young stroke clinic and a stroke reperfusion clinic. The GSH stroke service has access to the appropriate investigations required to run an effective stroke service such as CT and MR imaging (1.5T and 3T, with appropriate sequence software), Doppler studies (cardiac and carotid), holter monitoring, biochemistry, haematology, bacteriology, and pathology services, etc.

Finally, our stroke service has a neuropsychology service, as well as excellent relationships with step-down and rehabilitation facilities such as the Western Cape Rehabilitation Centre and Booth Memorial Hospital, which means that the rehabilitation, initiated in the stroke unit, can be continued after the patient is discharged.

The fellowship aims to:

1. To increase the fellow’s general knowledge and competency in the clinical assessment and management of adult patients presenting with transient ischaemic attacks and ischaemic/haemorrhagic stroke.
2. Develop the fellow’s knowledge, clinical competency, and use of neuroimaging in his/her assessment and management of acute and post-acute stroke.
3. Involve the fellow in the management structure of our acute stroke service and stroke unit
4. Involve the fellow in all stroke-related activities to become competent at working within and managing a multi-disciplinary stroke team.
5. The fellow will be actively involved in, and expected to become competent in, ongoing auditing and review of standard operating procedures relating to stroke management.
6. The fellow will also be expected to develop basic competency in performing stroke- related research, and to publish an article on the subject in a peer-reviewed journal.

Timeframe

The visit will take place for one academic year from January 1st 2025.

Details about support

The visiting fellow will receive the following support:

• Reimbursement for one economy flight from the Fellow’s country of residence to Cape Town and the return journey.
• Reimbursement of accommodation for the academic year.
• A monthly allowance for living expenses (food and beverage) during the academic year.
• Health insurance and insurance to practice medicine, during the stay in Cape Town (to be arranged by the hosts).
• The amount of scholarship will be paid to the Neurological Association of South Africa (NASA) which will reimburse the fellow’s expenses.

Criteria for applications:

• The applicant must be a resident of a low or lower-middle income country in Sub-Saharan Africa
• The applicant must be born after 31.12.1981
• The applicant should recently have qualified as a specialist neurologist
• The applicant must be fluent in English

Evaluation Committee:

WFN

• Professor Steven Lewis, WFN Acting Secretary General, Chair of the Education Committee
• Professor Riadh Gouider, WFN Trustee, co-Chair of the Education Committee

Cape Town Training Centre/NASA

• Dr Lawrence Tucker (Director: Neurology Residency Program, University of Cape Town)
• Dr Kathleen Bateman

AFAN

• Dr Augustina Charway-Felli, AFAN Representative
• Dr Osheik Seidi, AFAN Representative

Deadline for application

Your application should include:

• Letter of Motivation (including names and contact details of at least three referees
• CV
• Letter of Support from your Head of Department

Deadline: Sunday, 30th June 2024

For any questions regarding the application, please contact Mrs Jade Levy (Executive Assistant Education Project Coordinator) by email: jade@wfneurology.org