Paediatrician

Why did you choose paediatrics? 
I was very good academically in school and my family – especially my maternal grandparents and my father – always talked about how I would make a really good doctor, so it was ingrained in me that that is what I would become when I grew up. 

What training did you undergo and where?
First, I completed a five-year medical degree (MBCHB)(which is now six years). I did my undergraduate degree at Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, a two-year internship at RK Khan Hospital in Durban and one year of community service at a community health clinic in Sundumbili. I also did one year of medical officer time and completed my Diploma in Child Health. I spent four years as a trainee specialist/registrar rotating through regional/tertiary hospitals in Durban hospital complex. There are two big exams, including written, oral and clinical case exam. I completed my Research/Master’s in Medicine in 2016 and my research article was published in the South African Medical Journal.

Describe a typical day
Ward rounds start at 8am every day. Between rounds, I’m sometimes called to elective or emergency caesarean sections to attend to the newborn babies. Once rounds are completed I consult with patients in my rooms. My practice is quite busy, meaning I admit patients at various hospitals, which involves lots of driving. I’m also on call – any time, day or night – for the hospital every alternate week for new patients and everyday for our existing patients who are sick and need admission. 

What do you enjoy most about your work? 
Seeing a sick child who looks and feels miserable get better and leave smiling and happy or a critically ill child with all the odds stacked against them get better, and knowing that my knowledge and skill helped them get well.

What don’t you like? 
The long hours, the lack of sleep and the unpredictable nature of the job. 

Any hurdles you’ve had? 
Getting the right balance between work and family. I sometimes miss important family functions and holidays because I have to work. When I started in private practice I received a lot of prejudice for being younger and female. It was an eye opener to realise that besides providing paediatric care, I’m also seen as a business competitor.

What’s been the highlight? 
Being associated with caring for rare disease patients and making sure that they are provided with medical options in South Africa that are comparable to international standards.

Is experience as important as formal training?
Definitely, I have four degrees to my name and am still learning every day, as medicine is ever-evolving .

Any advice those starting out? 
Chose a career that you have a passion for. If you enjoy what you do, it doesn’t feel like “work”.

Interview date: May 2024