Diploma in HIV Management (SA): The Complete Guide

The Diploma in HIV Management, Dip HIV Man(SA), is a widely sought qualification for South African healthcare professionals who manage people living with HIV, from general practitioners and medical officers to those working in primary care, community health centres and district hospitals. Awarded by the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) through the College of Family Physicians, it is a practical, clinically focused diploma.

What is the Diploma in HIV Management?

The Dip HIV Man(SA) is a postgraduate diploma that certifies competence in the practical management of HIV across the settings where most patients are actually seen, primary care, general practice, community health centres and district hospitals. It is offered biannually and is not tied to any single university or training programme. Its curriculum is built around Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs), the real-world tasks a competent HIV clinician must be able to perform.

Format and structure

The examination has two written papers, both multiple-choice, combining single-best-answer and extended matching question formats:

• Paper 1, case-based multiple-choice questions (100 marks).
• Paper 2, data-interpretation MCQs featuring X-rays, photographs, charts and results (60 marks).
• A combination of single-best-answer and extended matching questions across both papers.
• Set and administered by the CMSA through the College of Family Physicians.

The emphasis on case-based and data-interpretation questions reflects the diploma's practical intent: it tests whether you can apply HIV knowledge to real patients and real investigations, not just recall guidelines. Confirm the current format on the CMSA website when you apply.

Who can sit the Diploma in HIV Management?

Entry requirements include a period of supervised training, around six months at an approved teaching hospital or HIV clinic, together with a minimum number of hours of accredited continuing professional development in HIV medicine (in the region of 40 hours). Because the CMSA sets and updates the precise criteria, confirm the current entry requirements and documentation before you register.

Syllabus: where to focus

The curriculum is organised around the practical tasks of HIV care, so revision should follow the same logic. High-yield areas typically include:

• Antiretroviral therapy: initiation, regimens, switching, resistance and monitoring.
• Diagnosis and management of opportunistic infections, including tuberculosis co-infection.
• Prevention, including PrEP, PEP and prevention of mother-to-child transmission.
• HIV in special populations, pregnancy, children and adolescents, and the interpretation of common investigations.

A realistic study plan

Most candidates prepare over two to three months alongside clinical work.

• Weeks 1–4, work through the curriculum by theme (antiretroviral therapy, opportunistic infections, prevention, special populations), answering questions as you go. Let your clinical HIV work reinforce what you revise.
• Weeks 5–8, consolidate through a question bank, deliberately practising both case-based questions and data-interpretation items with images and results.
• Final weeks, sit timed papers that mirror the two-paper structure, review your analytics, and taper before the exam.

Exam technique that earns marks

The two papers reward slightly different techniques. In the case-based paper, read the whole vignette before the options and identify what is actually being asked, the best next step, the most likely problem, or the most appropriate management, before you choose. In the data-interpretation paper, look at the image or result first and form your own impression before reading the options, so the choices do not talk you out of a correct reading. Flag anything slow and return to it, keep a steady pace, and answer every question.

The best way to revise

As a two-paper multiple-choice examination, the diploma rewards a question bank that mirrors its case-based and data-interpretation styles, covers the EPA-based curriculum, explains the reasoning behind each option, and tracks your performance. Because the papers are so practical, a bank that includes image- and result-based questions is particularly valuable.

Passmed's Diploma in HIV Management question bank is written by qualified doctors, mapped to the CMSA HIV curriculum, and includes case-based and data-interpretation questions with a dashboard that surfaces your weakest topics. Explore the question banks →

Frequently asked questions

What is the format of the Diploma in HIV Management?

Two written multiple-choice papers: Paper 1 is case-based (100 marks) and Paper 2 is data interpretation with images and results (60 marks), combining single-best-answer and extended matching questions.

How often is the diploma offered?

It is offered biannually and is administered by the CMSA through the College of Family Physicians; it is not tied to any single university or training programme.

How long should I study for it?

Two to three months of consistent, question-led preparation suits most candidates working alongside clinical duties.

Exam format and scoring details were checked against the official examining bodies (accessed July 2026). Specifications, dates and fees change, always confirm the current details on the CMSA website before you sit.