Occupation
Medical doctor and Registrar in Paediatrics and Child Health, UFS
Academic Background
MBChB (UKZN)
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How did your university experience prepare you for your current career?
My university experience taught me many things. Stamina, dedication, and commitment are the first that come to mind as the initial five years spent studying medicine is not an easy task. These values are now even more relevant in my work with children. It also taught me to always strive for excellence and to be resourceful, selfless, and, most importantly, calm in difficult situations.
Which characteristics or skills are essential for the workplace?
Time management is a crucial skill that one needs to master early on in a career in medicine. It allows one to not only get through the daily work efficiently but also to be able to triage emergent situations after hours and tend to ill children in an appropriate and effective way. As in most fields in medicine, one also needs to have a high level of dedication and enthusiasm in paediatrics. The days can be difficult and demanding and approaching it with vigour does make it easier. Having compassion is definitely a quality a doctor and paediatrician should possess as we deal with children and families at their most vulnerable times. And lastly, a sense of humour is important because our patients are still, after all, carefree, untainted children.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging part of my job is definitely managing critically ill children and more so having to communicate to their parents that the prognosis is not as good as we had hoped. They are vulnerable and exposed, and counselling these families never gets easier for me.
What drives you to excel in your career?
What drives me is the need to attain more knowledge and experience to better help people and to always want to better myself in all that I do! And to always make my parents proud!
What are the best opportunities for someone entering your career?
Medicine offers a vast array of specialities and sub-specialities in clinical as well as non-clinical fields, thus making it suitable for all individuals with a passion to help others.
Name three things you wish you had been told as a university student.
- Be prepared to make difficult decisions and sacrifices in order to progress in your chosen career. It does not come easy.
- There is no rush to get to the finish line. Stop to take a breath and enjoy the journey.
- When life gives you lemons, make grape juice then sit back and let the world wonder how you did it.