Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026

Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026 are now available for qualified medical practitioners looking for sessional employment opportunities in South Africa’s public healthcare sector. The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness is recruiting three Medical Officers Grade 1–3 (Surgery) at Khayelitsha District Hospital in Cape Town.

These sessional positions offer competitive hourly remuneration ranging from R501 to R662 per hour, depending on the applicant’s professional experience and salary grade.

The posts are advertised under DPSA Public Service Vacancy Circular 38 of 2026, published on 23 October 2026. The appointments are advertised for 20 sessions per week until 31 March 2029.

Interested medical practitioners must submit their applications before 9 November 2026 at 17:00.

Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026 – Vacancy Overview

The following information summarises the official advertisement.

Vacancy information	Details
Employer	Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness
Position	Medical Officer Grade 1–3 (Surgery)
Hospital	Khayelitsha District Hospital
Location	Khayelitsha, Cape Town, Western Cape
Number of posts	3
DPSA reference	Post 38/622
Grade	Medical Officer Grade 1–3
Hourly salary	R501–R662
Sessions	20 sessions per week
Appointment period	Until 31 March 2029
Closing date	9 November 2026 at 17:00
Application method	Online

These positions fall under the Metro Health Services Chief Directorate and focus on providing essential general surgical services.

Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026 Salary

One of the main benefits of these advertised sessional medical posts is the clearly defined hourly remuneration.

The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness offers the following rates:

Medical Officer Grade	Hourly Remuneration
Grade 1	R501 per hour
Grade 2	R572 per hour
Grade 3	R662 per hour

The applicable grade depends on the practitioner’s recognised professional experience and compliance with appointment requirements.

How Much Can a Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026 Pay?

Medical practitioners interested in sessional work should understand that remuneration is calculated using the applicable hourly rate and actual remunerated working hours.

For illustration, working 40 paid hours at the advertised rates would provide the following gross remuneration:

Grade 1: R20,040
Grade 2: R22,880
Grade 3: R26,480

These figures are examples only, not guaranteed weekly earnings. The advertisement specifies 20 sessions per week but does not establish the paid duration of each session in the notice.

Applicants should confirm session duration, total weekly hours, roster arrangements and payment conditions before accepting an appointment.

Minimum Requirements for Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026

To qualify for the advertised surgery positions, applicants must meet the requirements set by the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness.

Educational Qualifications

Applicants must possess an appropriate medical qualification allowing registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as a Medical Practitioner.

HPCSA Registration

Registration with the HPCSA as a Medical Practitioner is required, subject to the specific first-time registration concession outlined in the advertisement.

Driver’s Licence

Candidates must have a valid Code B/EB driver’s licence.

They must also be willing and able to travel when required.

Clinical Requirements for Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026

Medical practitioners should demonstrate:

Ability to deliver high-quality general surgical services.
Sound clinical judgement and ethical professional conduct.
Effective organisational and leadership skills.
Good patient counselling and communication skills.
Conflict-resolution abilities.
Competence in digital healthcare systems.
Willingness to participate in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
Compliance with HPCSA Continuing Professional Development requirements.
Enrolment to write the General Surgery FCS Part 1 examination.

Applicants should carefully assess their clinical competency and ability to fulfil the responsibilities of the position.

Experience Requirements for Medical Officer Grades 1–3: Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026

The department has specified different experience criteria for South African-qualified and qualifying foreign-trained medical practitioners.

Grade 1 Medical Officer

For South African-qualified medical practitioners:

No additional experience is required after registration as a Medical Practitioner with the HPCSA.

For applicable foreign-qualified practitioners who are not required to complete South African community service:

At least one year of relevant experience after registration with a recognised foreign professional council is required.

Grade 2 Medical Officer

South African-qualified applicants require at least five years of appropriate experience following HPCSA registration as a Medical Practitioner.

Qualifying foreign-trained applicants require at least six years of relevant experience following registration with a recognised foreign professional council.

Grade 3 Medical Officer

South African-qualified applicants must have at least ten years of appropriate experience following HPCSA registration.

Qualifying foreign-trained applicants require at least eleven years of relevant experience following professional registration.

The recruiting department determines the appropriate salary grade after assessing the applicant’s recognised qualifications and experience.

Duties and Responsibilities of a Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026

Successful candidates will provide clinical services in general surgery at Khayelitsha District Hospital.

1. Emergency Surgical Patient Management

The appointed doctors will assess and manage patients requiring surgical evaluation and treatment in the hospital’s emergency centre.

This includes evaluating patients with acute surgical conditions and coordinating appropriate clinical care.

2. Inpatient and Outpatient Surgical Services

Medical Officers will participate in managing patients admitted to surgical wards and those receiving outpatient care.

Duties include clinical assessment, treatment planning, monitoring and follow-up.

3. Preoperative, Intraoperative and Postoperative Care

The positions require involvement in the different stages of surgical patient management.

Medical Officers will provide appropriate clinical and procedural services based on their competencies and level of experience.

4. Surgical Referrals

Successful applicants will manage surgical referrals involving hospital inpatients and outpatients.

They will also participate in after-hours surgical patient management according to clinical service needs and applicable employment arrangements.

5. Clinical Governance and Patient Safety

The posts include participation in clinical governance activities such as:

Accurate medical record keeping.
Clinical audits.
Morbidity and mortality reviews.
Appropriate management of healthcare resources.
Improving patient safety and quality of care.

6. Medical Teaching and Training

Appointed doctors will participate in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education.

They will also contribute to departmental teaching programmes and hospital academic activities.

7. Research and Service Improvement

Medical Officers will be expected to support clinical research and participate in initiatives aimed at improving general surgical healthcare services.

These responsibilities extend to appropriate service-improvement activities across the Metro East healthcare network.

How to Apply for Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026

Applications for the three advertised Medical Officer positions must be submitted through the Western Cape Government’s official online recruitment system.

Follow the steps below.

Step 1: Visit the Official Recruitment Portal

Open the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness recruitment website:

https://www.westerncape.gov.za/health-jobs

Select the online applications option.

Step 2: Search for the Medical Officer Vacancy

Look for the vacancy titled:

Medical Officer Grade 1–3 (Surgery) – Khayelitsha District Hospital

Confirm the following details before proceeding:

Three available posts.
Twenty sessions per week.
Appointment until 31 March 2029.
DPSA Post 38/622.

These details will help distinguish the advertised sessional positions from the separate full-time Surgery and Orthopaedics vacancy at the same hospital.

Step 3: Review the Job Requirements for Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026

Check that your medical qualifications, professional registration, clinical skills and experience meet the advertised criteria.

Also review the sessional appointment conditions.

Step 4: Prepare Your Application Information

Applicants should have the following details available:

Updated professional CV.
Medical qualifications.
HPCSA registration information.
Relevant employment history.
Professional references.
Valid driver’s licence information.
Any additional documents requested by the recruitment portal.

Follow the specific upload instructions displayed during the online application process.

Step 5: Complete the Online Application

Enter your personal, educational and employment details accurately.

Ensure that you select the correct Khayelitsha District Hospital sessional surgery position.

Step 6: Submit Before the Closing Date

Submit your completed application by:

Monday, 9 November 2026 at 17:00.

Late applications may not be considered.

Keep your application confirmation details for future reference.

Important Information About These Sessional Doctor Vacancies: Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026

Applicants should take note of the following recruitment conditions.

Three positions available: The advertisement specifically identifies three vacancies.

Fixed appointment period: The advertised appointments run until 31 March 2029.

Hourly remuneration: The posts pay R501, R572 or R662 per hour depending on grade.

Professional registration: HPCSA registration is required, subject to the concession described in the notice.

Practical assessment: Candidates will be subjected to a practical assessment.

Service arrangements: Successful applicants may be required to provide clinical services at other facilities within the relevant healthcare service network.

Overtime: The advertisement includes a compulsory overtime condition for permanent/full-time posts. Sessional applicants should confirm the overtime terms that apply specifically to their appointment.

No application fees: The department does not charge applicants to apply for these vacancies.

Enquiries About Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026

Candidates seeking clarification about the advertised posts may contact the following officials:

Dr A Goliath

Telephone: 021 360 4200

Dr S Gilbert

Telephone: 021 360 4200

Applicants are encouraged to use these official contact details for questions about appointment conditions, clinical responsibilities and eligibility requirements.

Why Consider Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026?

Sessional medical employment may interest doctors seeking opportunities to provide clinical services under hourly remunerated arrangements.

Depending on the contract, sessional appointments may offer different working arrangements from traditional permanent full-time posts.

However, prospective applicants should not assume that sessional employment automatically provides flexible scheduling.

The advertised 20 sessions per week, clinical service obligations and roster requirements must be clarified directly with the employing department.

Doctors should also confirm whether any existing employment commitments, authorisations or contractual restrictions affect their eligibility to undertake sessional work.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026

Are there sessional Medical Officer vacancies in South Africa in 2026?

Yes. DPSA Circular 38 of 2026 advertises three Medical Officer Grade 1–3 surgery positions at Khayelitsha District Hospital in the Western Cape.

What is the hourly rate for a Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026?

The advertised hourly rates are R501 for Grade 1, R572 for Grade 2 and R662 for Grade 3.

How many Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026 are available?

There are three advertised positions.

Can a newly registered Medical Officer apply?

South African-qualified practitioners do not require additional post-registration experience for Grade 1. However, they must meet all other advertised qualifications, registration and clinical competency requirements.

Is HPCSA registration compulsory?

Yes. HPCSA registration as a Medical Practitioner is required, subject to the limited first-time registration concession in the official advertisement.

Where are the positions located for Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026?

The posts are based at Khayelitsha District Hospital in Cape Town, Western Cape.

Are these permanent positions?

No permanent appointment is stated for these sessional posts. The advertised appointment period extends until 31 March 2029.

Can doctors from other provinces apply?

The vacancy notice does not restrict applications to Western Cape residents. Applicants from other provinces should ensure they meet all eligibility requirements and can fulfil the work and travel commitments.

When is the closing date?

Applications close on 9 November 2026 at 17:00.

Where can I apply?

Applicants must use the official Western Cape Government Health Jobs recruitment portal.

Final Reminder: Apply for Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026

The Sessional Medical Officer Jobs 2026 at Khayelitsha District Hospital provide three opportunities for qualified doctors interested in delivering general surgical services within the Western Cape public healthcare system.

With hourly remuneration of up to R662 for Grade 3 practitioners, the posts may appeal to doctors seeking sessional hospital employment.

Interested applicants should verify the full appointment conditions and apply online before 9 November 2026 at 17:00.

Official Online Application Portal: