Groote Schuur Hospital serves as the primary teaching hospital for the University of Cape Town's (UCT) Medical School. The original facility, constructed with public donations and government funding, commenced operations in 1938, succeeding the New Somerset Hospital in Green Point as UCT's teaching hospital. A new hospital building was initiated in 1983 and officially opened in 1989.
The hospital gained international acclaim on December 3, 1967, when Professor Christiaan Barnard performed the world's first human-to-human heart transplant. The donor was Denise Darvall, a 25-year-old woman who had suffered fatal injuries in a car accident, and the recipient was Louis Washkansky, a 53-year-old grocer with terminal heart disease. Although Washkansky survived for only 18 days post-operation due to pneumonia, this groundbreaking procedure marked a significant milestone in medical history.
Anaesthesia Department
Located in D23 (D Floor, Section 23) of the New Groote Schuur Hospital, the Anaesthesia Department offers panoramic views of Cape Town Harbour, the distant Hottentots Holland mountains, and the surrounding suburbs.
The department has comprehensive facilities for an academic environment, including a library, tutorial room, common room, and dedicated computer resources. Modern audiovisual equipment and computer projection facilities are also available to support educational and research activities.
Invitation to Visiting Anaesthetists
Visiting anaesthetists are warmly invited to attend our Friday afternoon academic sessions, which commence at 15:00 and typically conclude at 17:00. These sessions are often preceded by a trade exhibition, usually accompanied by snacks, from 12:30 to 13:30, followed by minor meetings, such as journal clubs and ICU presentations starting at 14:00.