Exchange in South Africa: New Perspectives on Healthcare, Resources, and Training 

– Perspective, says Josefin Henrysson immediately and without hesitation when asked what she brings home from the experience.

One of the highlights was when the staff in Cardiology gathered for one hour of teaching every day. Together with professors, resident physicians discussed different themes and patient cases.

–Seeing how highly they prioritize teaching — and that everyone participates — was truly excellent and incredibly educational,” says Josefin Henrysson.

It’s not something that could be implemented directly in the Swedish specialist training system as it exists today at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, but it was inspiring and made her reflect on how something similar could be adapted to our reality here.

Another memory that stayed with Josefin was meeting a patient at the cardiology clinic who had to get up at 2 a.m. to get there.

The physician she worked with explained that patients are never given an exact appointment time for follow-up — only a date. The hospital sends a bus to pick up patients across a very large catchment area, and in order to reach everyone, the route begins at 1 a.m. Patients are then driven home in the afternoon.

– It’s fantastic that transportation is provided for people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to reach the hospital, but it’s difficult to grasp that a follow-up visit can, as it did for this patient, take up an entire day, says Henrysson. 

Josefin has previously participated in missions at rural hospitals in Tanzania and Zambia through the non-profit organizaton Scandinavian Doctors’. At an international evening at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, the idea emerged to do a clinical exchange as part of her cardiology specialist training. Last year, she received funding from Sahlgrenska International Care, which made it possible to complete an observership at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town.

During her first days, Josefin found most of what she saw to be fantastic. Soon, a more complex picture emerged.

– I was at a public hospital. The staff have all the necessary knowledge, follow the same guidelines as we do in Sweden, and perform virtually all the same procedures as we do at Sahlgrenska University Hospital — but with far more limited financial resources. For example, they perform the procedure TAVI (transcatheter aortic valve implantation) twice a month, even though the waiting list is long and the need is just as great as in Sweden. We also have waiting lists, but we perform several such procedures each week.

The difference between private and public healthcare became particularly clear in the ambulance services. If the ambulance was publicly owned, the wait was significantly longer, and far from all ambulances were equipped with ECG machines.

In South Africa, resident physicians develop broader clinical competence than in Sweden — they do “everything,” compared to the more subspecialized structure in Sweden. For Josefin, that would have meant performing coronary angioplasty (PCI) and implanting pacemakers — procedures she does not currently perform in her role.

– I’m very satisfied with my time at Tygerberg. I was well taken care of and felt truly welcome. My advice is to go toward the end of your specialist training to get as much as possible out of the placement. You should also be used to traveling, as the security situation requires a high level of awareness, says Henrysson.

Facts: Clinical Exchanges at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa

Sahlgrenska International Care supports various international development projects aimed at contributing to sustainable healthcare development, promoting global health, and strengthening Sahlgrenska University Hospital’s international engagement. For the collaboration with South Africa, funding is allocated for at least one incoming and one outgoing participant per year.

If you are employed at Sahlgrenska University Hospital and are interested in a clinical exchange at Tygerberg Hospital — or in hosting an incoming colleague — contact Sahlgrenska International Care. Together with the international program director at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, they can provide more information and support your planning.

The Västra Götaland Region’s contracted travel agency, DIB Travel, assists with booking travel and accommodation.

Tygerberg’s International Office supports practical preparations in South Africa before and upon arrival.

The partnership with Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital has been ongoing since 2023. In March 2026, a tripartite agreement was signed together with the Sahlgrenska Academy, opening up additional opportunities for knowledge exchange.