Teaching and learning
Our programmes
PhD Program
The Division of Cardiology has established expertise in a number of research areas such as valvular heart disease, pericardial disease, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy and cardiac imaging which, combined with the PhD bursaries offered by SUNHEART, has led to a vibrant and dynamic PhD program.
Evidence of this can be found in the list of recently completed and current PhD studies:
- Du Toit R. Lupus myocarditis: diagnostic characteristics and outcome of myocardial dysfunction (2020).
- Hunter L. Echocardiographic screening for subclinical rheumatic heart disease: Improving screening through simplification of the criteria. (2020).
- Pecoraro A. Diagnosis and clinical outcomes of patients with infective endocarditis in a population with a high prevalence of rheumatic heart disease, utilizing an endocarditis team approach to minimize blood culture negative infective endocarditis and promote valve repair at surgery (2021).
- Robbertse PS. Prospective evaluation of the presence, profile, and evolution of asymptomatic cardiovascular disease in treatment naïve, HIV-infected patients using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging after initiation on antiretroviral therapy (2022).
- Hassan K. Acute Myocarditis – Clinical presentation, aetiology and short-to-medium term outcomes in a single centre in South Africa. (2022).
- Weich HSVH. Development of an improved approach to trans-catheter valve replacement in younger patients (2024).
- Talle M. Myocardial tissue characterization using cardiac magnetic resonance in patients with acute hypertensive crisis, raised cardiac troponin and normal or unobstructed epicardial coronary arteries (2023).
- Rajah MR. Investigating the patterns and pathophysiology of left ventricular remodeling in high-gradient, severe aortic stenosis (2025).
- Giliomee LJ. Tuberculous pericarditis: The inflammatory hypothesis and its correlation with pericardial constriction and fibrosis. A multimodal cohort study utilising advanced imaging and biomarkers (current).
- Sibeko SSI. Pre-eclampsia with severe features: a multimodality assessment of its cardiovascular manifestations (current).
- Ganya W. Characterising the Role of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in the Pathogenesis of Lupus Myocarditis: A Multimodal Imaging and Multi-Omics Approach (current).
Short courses
Echocardiography
The division offers an excellent SUNECHO course annually. This course is based on understanding basic echocardiography principles and applying them in critical thinking to solve complex cases. This approach will ensure that all, including those with no experience in echocardiography...