Paediatric Anaesthesia Fellowships

Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital

Overview

At Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, we offer subspecialist training in Paediatric Anaesthesia across a wide range of surgical specialties, including:

  • Cardiac Anaesthesia

  • Liver Transplantation

  • Burns

  • Neurosurgery

  • General Surgery

  • Orthopaedics

  • Ophthalmology

  • ENT

  • Urology

  • Plastic Surgery

  • Paediatric Sedation

Fellowship Structure

We offer supernumerary fellowships in Paediatric Anaesthesia lasting 6 months to 1 year. These are voluntary positions and do not attract a salary, due to healthcare system constraints in South Africa.

Fellowships may include time on the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), and shorter or tailored placements are also available depending on the fellow’s individual goals and experience.

Who Should Apply

These posts are intended for:

  • Trainees nearing completion of their specialist anaesthesia training

  • Qualified anaesthetists looking to expand their paediatric expertise

Clinical Experience

Our department performs approximately 9,000 anaesthetics annually. Fellows can expect to gain hands-on experience with around 600 anaesthetics over a 12-month period.

  • Initial high-level supervision is provided, especially in the first few weeks

  • After a successful probation period, fellows participate in on-call duties at registrar level

  • With progression, fellows may lead elective lists and emergency cases

  • Depending on experience, some may perform junior consultant calls

Educational Opportunities

Fellows have access to a rich academic program, including:

  • Weekly UCT Department of Anaesthesia academic meetings

  • Twice-weekly paediatric anaesthesia teaching sessions

  • Full access to the departmental teaching schedule

Fellows are expected to present at least once during a 6-month period at the Tuesday morning tutorials.

Departmentally funded courses include:

  • MEPA (Managing Emergencies in Paediatric Anaesthesia)

  • PLS (Paediatric Life Support)

  • FATE (Focused Assessment with Transthoracic Echo)

  • TOE (Transoesophageal Echo)

We also encourage participation in a small research or audit project during the fellowship.

Assessment & Feedback

  • Ongoing continuous assessment

  • Formal appraisals every 3 months

Registration Requirements

Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is mandatory before starting.
The registration process typically takes around 9 months, so early application is advised.