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UFS MMed students present their research at prestigious international events

15 April 2024 | Story Andre Damons | Photo SUPPLIED

Five registrars from the Department of Internal Medicine — The five MMed students from the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of the Free State (UFS) will represent the university at international events. Drs Paul Bester, Anri Gerber, Debi Moagi, Batandwa Ntantiso, and Tahlia Mohangi.

Five registrars and MMed students from the Department of Internal Medicine within the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of the Free State (UFS) will soon jet off to participate in prestigious international events where they will present research in their respective fields.

Drs Paul Bester, Anri Gerber and Debi Mmasabata Seriti Moagi will attend the prestigious 9th McMaster International Review Course in Internal Medicine (MIRCIM) in Kraków, Poland in May. MIRCIM is a joint educational initiative of McMaster University’s Department of Medicine — the birthplace of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and problem-based learning (PBL) — and the Polish Institute for Evidence Based Medicine.

Dr Gerber, together with Dr Bathandwa Ntantiso, will also attend the Network for the Advancement of Patient Blood Management, Haemostasis and Thrombosis (NATA) NATA24 Annual Symposium in Bologna, Italy, scheduled from 18 to 20 April 2024. NATA24 is a unique meeting: a global multidisciplinary forum gathering healthcare professionals seeking to learn more about best clinical practice in patient blood management (PBM), the management of anaemia and iron deficiency, critical bleeding and thrombosis.

Another registrar, Dr Tahlia Mohangi, a third-year registrar in the Department of Internal Medicine, is poised to showcase her research at the upcoming International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) Congress in Barcelona, Spain, in June.

Prof Thabiso Mofokeng, Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, as well as Dr Claire Armour (Barrett), Head: Research and Development in the School of Clinical Medicine, say they are extremely proud of the registrars for their exceptional international contribution.

Academic excellence

According to Dr Armour (Barrett), Dr Bester, who passed his MBChB cum laude, is a shining example of academic excellence and passion for medicine. His journey is deeply rooted in his personal experience as a type 1 diabetic since childhood.

“Dr Bester’s commitment to excellence is evident in his academic achievements, having passed the primary exams of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa with distinction. His dedication to medicine extends beyond the classroom, as he actively seeks to unravel complex medical mysteries and rare disease presentations.

“Dr Bester’s participation in MIRCIM is testament to his commitment to advancing medical understanding in his country and beyond. His dedication, coupled with his personal experience and academic achievements, makes him a role model for aspiring medical professionals. Dr Bester is truly a credit to his alma mater (the UFS) and a source of pride for South Africa,” she says.

Dr Bester will present his compelling case report, “Protein losing enteropathy in a young patient with chorea”, at MIRCIM with his presentation not only showcasing his diagnostic acumen but also highlights his determination to share knowledge and contribute to the medical community. His trip to MIRCIM is sponsored by the esteemed Faculty of Consulting Physicians of South Africa (FCPSA).

Passion for research and patient care

Dr Gerber, who has a passion for research and patient care, has been selected to present her research, “Ironing out the Iron Profile in Heart Failure Patients”, at the NATA24 Congress before jetting off to the MIRCIM 2024 Congress where her case report, “Takayasu Arteritis: A clot or not”, has been accepted for an oral presentation. She will also compete in the prestigious Best Case Report Contest, a testament to her clinical acumen and research skills.

Last year she also attended the prestigious NIH Fogarty “Scientific Writing and Manuscript Preparation Course” presented by the University of Cape Town and University of California (San Francisco), an experience that greatly enhanced her research endeavours. In 2023, she was awarded first place in the Three Schools of Medicine Real Short Registrars Research Competition (UFS) in June 2023, where she presented the preliminary results of her MMed research.

“Dr Gerber's accomplishments exemplify her dedication to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes. Her future is bright, and she is poised to make significant contributions to the field of medicine,” says Dr Armour (Barrett).

Diagnosing rare diseases

Dr Moagi, who is deeply committed to advancing medical knowledge and patient care, will be presenting a compelling case report entitled “Unveiling the Rarity: Bilateral Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma Causing Kidney Failure in a Young Adult”, in Kraków, Poland.

Under the guidance of her esteemed supervisor, Prof Busiswa Feziwe Bisiwe, Dr Moagi’s case report sheds light on the challenges of diagnosing rare diseases, emphasising the importance of considering alternative diagnoses. Her case report highlights how embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the kidneys can masquerade as genitourinary tuberculosis, underscoring the need for a comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment.

According to Dr Armour (Barrett), this case report not only underscores Dr Moagi’s commitment to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes but also exemplifies the collaborative efforts within the medical community. Sponsored by the Faculty of Consulting Physicians of South Africa (FCPSA), her participation in MIRCIM is a testament to her dedication in the field of Internal Medicine. Dr Moagi was awarded a distinction for the research component of her MMed degree and continues to shape the future of healthcare through research, exemplifying excellence in her field. She is also the first black African to pass the UFS MBCHB with distinction.

Groundbreaking research

Dr Ntantiso’s groundbreaking research, “Anaemia in General Medical Inpatients in Bloemfontein, South Africa: A Significant Public Health Concern”, has been chosen for presentation as a poster at the prestigious NATA24 Annual Symposium. His travel expenses have been generously funded by the Three Schools of Medicine and the Department of Internal Medicine.

His exceptional research has not only been recognised locally but has also garnered international acclaim. He also participated in the NIH Fogarty Program’s “Scientific Writing and Manuscript Preparation Course”. Leveraging this opportunity, he refined his manuscript, leading to the successful completion of the research component of his Master of Medicine in Internal Medicine with distinction in March 2024. Currently, he is preparing for his final examinations for the Fellowship of the College of Physicians.

“In addition to his recent achievements, Dr Ntantiso was awarded third place in the Three Schools of Medicine Real Short Registrars Research Competition (UFS) in June 2023. The impact of his research has been profound, shedding light on the prevalence of anaemia in medical patients and emphasising the critical need to assess the local prevalence of anaemia within specific patient populations,” says Dr Armour (Barrett).

Exploring anaemia

Dr Tahlia Mohangi’s research study, “A 5-year Retrospective Database Review of Anaemia Prevalence and Associated Laboratory Biomarkers in a Central South African Setting”, explores anaemia and its correlation with various laboratory biomarkers. She has been awarded the prestigious Harold Gunson Fellowship from the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) to attend the congress.

“Her research endeavours to redefine the approach to anaemia in internal medicine patients while also shedding light on its alarming prevalence within the local community,” says Dr Armour (Barrett).

Dr Mohangi’s research career was boosted when she also attended a NIH Fogarty “Scientific Writing and Manuscript Preparation Course”. She came second in the Faculty of Health Sciences Three Schools of Medicine Real Short Registrars Research Competition (UFS) in June 2023, where she presented the protocol of her MMed research.

News Archive

Premiere of the documentary on King Moshoeshoe - Address by the Rector

2004-10-14

Address by the rector and vice-chancellor of the University of the Free State, prof Frederick Fourie, at the premiere of the documentary on King Moshoeshoe, Wednesday 13 October 2004

It is indeed a privilege to welcome you at this key event in the Centenary celebrations of the University of the Free State.

We are simultaneously celebrating 100 years of scholarship with 10 years of democracy

Today is a very important day with great significance for the University. This Centenary is not merely a celebration of an institution of a certain age. It is a key event in this particular phase of our history, in our transformation as an institution of higher learning, in taking the creation of a high-quality, equitable, non-racial, non-sexist, multicultural and multilingual university seriously.

This is about building something new out of the old, of creating new institutional cultures and values from diverse traditions.

It is about learning together - as an higher education institution - about who we are where we come from – to decide where we are going.

It is about merging the age-old tradition of the university, of the academic gown, with the Basotho blanket, the symbol of community engagement.

Then why is it important that we remember Moshoeshoe, where does he fit into our history?

In the Free State province, where large numbers of Basotho and Afrikaners (and others) now live together, a new post-apartheid society is being built in the 21st century.

The challenge is similar to that faced by Moshoeshoe 150 years ago. As you will see tonight, he did a remarkable thing in forging a new nation out of a fragmented society. He also created a remarkable spirit of reconciliation and a remarkable style of leadership.

Not all people in South Africa know the history of Moshoeshoe. Many Basotho – but not all – are well versed in the history of Moshoeshoe, and his name is honoured in many a street, town and township. Many white people know very little of him, or have a very constrained or even biased view of his role and legacy. In Africa and the world, he his much less known than, for instance, Shaka. (In Lesotho, obviously, he is widely recognised and praised.)

We already benefit from his legacy: the people of the Free State share a tradition of moderation and reconciliation rather than one of aggression and domination.

With Moshoeshoe, together with Afrikaner leaders and reconciliators such as President MT Steyn and Christiaan de Wet, we have much to be thankful for.

Our challenge is take this legacy further: to forge a new society in which different cultural, language and racial groups – Basotho, Afrikaners and others – will all feel truly at home.

Bit by bit, on school grounds, on university campuses, in each town and city, people must shape the values and principles that will mould this new non-racial, multicultural and multilingual society.

A shared sense of history, shared stories and shared heroes are important elements in such a process.

Through this documentary film about King Moshoeshoe, the UFS commits itself to developing a shared appreciation of the history of this country and to the establishment of the Free State Province as a model of reconciliation and nation-building.

Moshoeshoe is also a strong common element, and binding factor, in the relationship between South Africa / the Free State, and its neighbour, Lesotho.

For the University of the Free State this also is an integral part of real transformation – of creating a new unity amidst our diversity.

Transformation has so many aspects: whilst the composition of our student and staff populations have been changing, many other things change at the same time: new curricula, new research, new community service learning projects.

In also includes creation of new values, new (shared) histories, new (shared) heroes.

It includes the incorporation of the Qwaqwa campus, which serves a region where so many of the children of Moshoeshoe live, including her majesty Queen Mopeli.

We see in Moshoeshoe a model of African leadership – of reconciliation and nation-building – that can have a significant impact in South Africa and Africa as a whole.

We also find in the legacy of King Moshoeshoe the possibility of an “founding philosophy”, or “defining philosophy”, for the African renaissance.

To develop this philosophy, we must gain a deeper understanding of what really happened there, of his role, of his leadership.

Therefore the University of the Free State will encourage and support further research into the history, politics and sociology of the Moshoeshoe period, including his leadership style.

We hope to do this in partnership with National University of Lesotho.

The Moshoeshoe documentary is one element of a long-term project of the UFS. The other elements of the project that we are investigating are possible PhD-level research; a possible annual Moshoeshoe memorial lecture on African leadership; and then possible schools projects and other ways and symbols of honouring him.

It is my sincere wish that all communities of the Free State and of South Africa will be able to identify with the central themes of this documentary, and develop a shared appreciation for leaders such as King Moshoeshoe and the legacy of peace, reconciliation and nation-building that they have left us.

Prof. Frederick Fourie
Rector and Vice-Chancellor
University of the Free State
13 October 2004.

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