About University of the Free State UFS Faculty of Health Sciences
Four pillars
The Faculty of Health Sciences renders a quality healthcare service to the diverse health care needs in South Africa, taking into consideration the four pillars of:
- teaching and learning
- research
- community service
- service delivery
Focus of teaching and training
Participation in various professional and national organizations as well as the faculty’s contribution to research has shifted the focus of teaching and training from a purely professional base to a combined effort between:
- profession and
- education
Exciting developments at UFS’s Faculty of Health Services
Numerous developments, such as the creation of two new schools and one newly restructured School of Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), will catapult this renowned faculty to even greater heights.
A five-school structure was proposed at the annual Faculty Management retreat in July 2016. The previous three-school model included the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health Professions.
The current School of Medicine has been restructured and will henceforth be known as the School of Clinical Medicine. The Schools of Pathology and Biomedical Sciences have been added to the faculty. “So, three new schools were in fact created within the faculty,” said Prof Gert van Zyl, Dean of the faculty.
“There was also a request from the National Health Laboratory Services to group academics that is rendering services in pathology into a new School of Pathology.” This is what motivated the faculty management to create two new schools.
With the creation of the new schools, there were also new appointments within the Faculty of Health Sciences. Dr Joslyn Naicker has been appointed as the new part-time Head of the School of Pathology, Prof Chris Viljoen was appointed as the part-time Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences, and Prof Nathaniel Mofolo as the new Head of the School of Clinical Medicine. Prof Santie van Vuuren remains Head of the School of Allied Health Professions, and Prof Magda Mulder as the head of the School of Nursing.
The addition of the new schools will not impact research output. “In the past, research was done across departmental boundaries between all the departments in the faculty,” Prof Van Zyl said.
The advantages of adding two additional schools are that the workload will be distributed among the five schools. The heads of schools will work within their respective disciplines and related areas, and will eliminate the duplication of administrative functions.
( http://www.bloemfonteincourant.co.za/exciting-developments-ufss-faculty-health-services/ )
Jan Toerien Museum
The sixth South African medical school opened its doors on 6 June 1969 at the University of the Free State (UFS), Bloemfontein, South Africa. Prof Jan Toerien was appointed as the first head of the Department of Anatomy in 1971. In 1977 the Anatomy museum was named after him and is known today as the Jan Toerien Museum.
The museum boasts an array of embalmed specimens, osteology material and plastinated specimens for the use as study aids for students and faculty. Plastination of specimens is a relatively new and unique teaching aid that has the durability of anatomical models and exhibits accurate anatomical structures whilst also showing the variation found in all biological specimens. The following field-specific training in Anatomy and Cell Morphology is currently offered:
applied and comparative anatomy, biological anthropology, embryology and histology.
Inauguration of the nursing academic and research space
The School of Nursing was privileged to add an academic and research space with a distinctive design to its existing facilities at Benediktus Kok building, University of the Free State.
The facility, designed by Mr Sandy Stevenson (architect) and constructed under close supervision by Mr Natie Botes, was inaugurated on the 27th October 2014.
The School of Nursing’s aim was to provide academic staff and students in the School and the Faculty of Health Sciences, with a facility that could easily be converted to suit innovative teaching and learning strategies and the numerous academic and research activities.
The School of Nursing would like to acknowledge Prof Nicky Morgan (Vice Rector: Operations), Ms Maureen Khati and Mr Nico Jansen van Rensburg (Physical Planning), for supporting this venture.
Bio + Kinetics = Life + Movement = Life Through Movement
The Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences have launched their new undergraduate programme in Biokinetics.
A professional degree in Biokinetics has been approved and applications for the degree B Biokenetics are now open.
Students provide key nutrition services
Fourth-year students from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics visited Phase 7 as part of their community nutrition module. Students provide key nutrition services in these areas in order to promote the nutritional status and health of targeted community members.
