Medical interns swapping hospital placements for money in SAMA: Report

"We simply cannot have a situation where intern positions are being ‘sold’ for whatever reason. The placement of interns is a difficult process, and many doctors are unfortunately not placed where they want to be. For those fortunate enough to have found placements, to now sell them to the highest bidders is not fair on others waiting for legitimate placements".

A large number of medical interns are being involved in unethical and unfair practices, said the South African Medical Association (SAMA), according to a report by Times Live. The medical interns are reportedly accused of swapping their posts in their favored locations for a huge amount of money to fulfill the community obligations.

SAMA on the unethical practices said that it will launch an investigation to look into the allegation made against the medical interns. Angelique Coetzee, the chairperson of SAMA, said earlier on Monday that the services provided by doctors are bound to help the needy instead of serving according to their choices. 

The accusation was reported in the Weekend Argus, noting that the students are paying thousands of rands to other students while others are being accused of auctioning placements to settle off student loans by exchanging placements.

The report by the publication probed that Western Cape, Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal were among the most chosen locations by final-year medical students to complete a two-year internship program followed by community service to hold a doctorate degree. The students were reportedly willing to pay as much as R100,000 for getting placed in their preferred hospitals.

Reacting to the accusations, SAMA condemned such practices since it's against the kernel of the purpose of the medical profession. Adding to it Coetzee said, “we simply cannot have a situation where intern positions are being ‘sold’ for whatever reason. The placement of interns is a difficult process, and many doctors are unfortunately not placed where they want to be. For those fortunate enough to have found placements, to now sell them to the highest bidders is not fair on others waiting for legitimate placements".