Dr Nsizwenye Mkhwanazi has made history by graduating as the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa’s (CMSA) top surgery registrar (specialist in training) as well as becoming the first black African candidate to receive the Douglas Award for Fellowship of the College of Surgeons of South Africa (CS CMSA).
The former president of the Medical School Student Representative Council (MSRC) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Dr Mkhwanazi has made his dream of a becoming a doctor a reality.
The CMSA fellowship involves being part of a professional body dedicated to promoting the highest degree of skill and efficiency in medical practice and cultivating the highest ethical standards and professional conduct, not for financial gain but for the betterment of humanity, said Dr Mkhwanazi
“This goes down as one of the proudest moments of my life. I am especially grateful to all my teachers, especially CS CMSA president, Professor Zach Koto,” he said.
Dr Mkhwanazi said he was the first medical doctor in his family. He was born into a disadvantaged family in the Mpumalanga province. He chose to overcome poverty by studying to become a doctor with a mission to save the lives of others.
“In medicine, you get to directly impact people’s lives. You have an opportunity to not only touch the physical being but also the soul,” he said. “If God allows, the decisions we make echo into eternity. We ease the pain; we prevent catastrophe and I find that quite fulfilling.”
Dr Mkhwanazi said he fell in love with surgery while doing his internship and instantaneously wanted to be excellent at it. He said he realised that he needed to become the very best at what he does, and that required him putting in the hard work. He said he has been inspired by many of his colleagues and mentors who saw potential in him and always encouraged him to work hard.
Dr Mkhwanazi is currently working at Cape Town’s Groote Schuur Hospital, where he is doing his fellowship (subspecialisation) in colorectal surgery which entails a wide range of surgical procedures to counteract conditions affecting the lower digestive tract. His ongoing Master of Medicine degree focuses on peripheral arterial disease for which he is being supervised by Sefako Makgatho and Health Sciences university vascular surgeon, Dr Siphumelele Ngema, where Dr Mkhwanazi served as a registrar.
“I am pursuing colorectal surgery as a speciality because the disease is a significant burden in the country which needs to be better understood. I am interested in minimally-invasive techniques in colorectal cancer treatment and also can’t wait to see where the tide of genomics, personalised cancer care and targeted therapies lead us,” said Dr Mkhwanazi.
He added that being involved in student leadership influenced his future path. There was a lot of naivety entering into it but he said he grew up so fast through that experience. Adding that he was quite passionate about improving the lives of the students on campus.
Dr Mkhwanazi and his peers founded the MSRC book loan scheme with the help of UKZN’s former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Teaching and Learning, Professor Renuka Vithal.
“Being elected MSRC president at 19 years old, while in my third year, was scary but definitely one of my Medical School highlights. Holding insightful conversations with UKZN leadership cultivated my confidence going into practice and becoming a registrar.” he said.
When he’s not studying or working, Dr Mkhwanazi said he loves going to church regularly, it helps reset his spiritual compass. He also loves being in nature, he said it gets his mind thinking at a different level.
“My mom has always been my inspiration while my dad supported me as a young pupil in high school and through varsity. My wife has been my rock – she encourages me to take time off and think about things outside of work. They have been my driving force and my encouragement for achieving all I have achieved in my life so far,” he said.
