8-568: The South African Medical Association ( SAMA ) is a non-statutory, professional association for public- and private-sector medical practitioners in South Africa. Registered as a nonprofit organization , it acts as a trade union for its public-sector members. It is affiliated with the Congress of South African Trade Unions . Membership is voluntary, with some 70% of doctors in South Africa currently registered as members. The head office
16-415: A South African trade union is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Professional association A professional association (also called a professional body , professional organization , or professional society ) is a group that usually seeks to further a particular profession , the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that profession, and the public interest . In
24-461: A profession or occupation in which the organisation maintains an oversight of the knowledge, skills, conduct and practice of that profession or occupation". The Quality Assurance Agency distinguishes between statutory bodies and regulators that "have powers mandated by Parliament to regulate a profession or group of professions and protect the use of professional titles" and professional bodies that "are independent membership organisations that oversee
32-799: Is situated in Pretoria . On 21 May 1998, the association was established from a merger between the Medical Association of South Africa, founded in 1927, and the Progressive Doctors' Group. In 1999, it became affiliated with the National Medical Alliance, along with the South African Medical and Dental Practitioners, Society of Dispensing Family Practitioners, Family Practitioners Association, Dispensing Family Practitioners Association, and
40-603: The Eastern Cape Medical Guild. In 2022, its chairwoman, Angelique Coetzee, stated in a radio interview that admission processes at medical schools are highly politicized and that medical faculties implement race quotas. After she apologized for her statements and resigned as chairwoman, Dirk Hermann of Solidarity reiterated that race-based admission processes were explicitly included in admission policies, and stated that these were detrimental to white students and health care. This article related to
48-511: The United States, such an association is typically a nonprofit business league for tax purposes. In the UK, they may take a variety of legal forms. The roles of professional associations have been variously defined: "A group of people in a learned occupation who are entrusted with maintaining control or oversight of the legitimate practice of the occupation;" also a body acting "to safeguard
56-414: The activities of a particular profession and represent the interests of [their] members" and which "may offer registration or certification of unregulated occupations on a voluntary basis." Many professional bodies are involved in accrediting degrees, defining and examining the skills and competencies necessary to practice, and granting professional certifications to indicate that a person is qualified in
64-524: The public interest;" organizations which "represent the interest of the professional practitioners," and so "act to maintain their own privileged and powerful position as a controlling body." Professional associations are ill defined although often have commonality in purpose and activities. In the UK the Science Council defines a professional body as "an organisation with individual members practicing
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