“I am fully certain that the only reason I am where I am today, is because of the thousand-thread-count support system I have in my family and friends,” said ecstatic Crawford College La Lucia’s 2017 matriculant and UKZN’s class of 2023 top medical student, Dr Maseeha Ismael Bhorat.
“They have, and continue to cheer me on in all aspects of my life, and I certainly hope that I have done them proud,” said the above 87% aggregate achiever, currently a medical intern at Groote Schuur Hospital.
Dr Bhorat said she had the privilege of being taught by some “incredible” senior doctors throughout her six years at medical school, who pushed her to give her best. “And that’s all I ever wanted to do,” she said.
“One thing that you learn very quickly about the MBChB degree is that it is not for the faint-hearted,” she noted.
“The six-week cycle of long days, high volumes of material to study and expectations placed on a student in their early 20s can become very overwhelming very quickly.”
The greatest tool in her arsenal in terms of study strategies, she said, was to read a little bit every day so that she would have a greater foundation to build on once working at a hospital.
“What truly kept me afloat was the support of my family. I am in a fortunate (and unique) position where all of my siblings and parents are already in the medical field. Not only did this help me when I couldn’t understand pathology, but moreover, it provided me with proof that this degree is surmountable – if you take it one step at a time, day by day.”
Dr Bhorat said her fondest memory of medical school was, “beyond a shadow of a doubt”, the friends that she made along the way.
“It’s hard to single out highlights, but any end of every block where we could all be together to let go of the weight of exams and just have a great time in each other’s company will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Dr Bhorat said she always wanted to be a doctor, which might have been, in part, due to the subliminal messaging of watching her father and four older siblings go into and excel in the medical field.
“In my heart, I knew that this was what I wanted for myself. Knowledge is power, and I think there’s no greater privilege than being able to understand the intricacies of what our bodies go through to keep us alive – it’s incredibly humbling and truly fascinating.”
Beyond the Dean’s Commendations and additional accolades, Dr Bhorat said she believes that she is still in the infancy of her career.
“While I know that I would love to specialise in a field, I want to keep an open mind about what that field will be. There is something to be loved and learned about every speciality, hence, I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself to choose one now, before I have a chance to truly experience them as a practising doctor.
“Something else that helped keep me sane throughout medical school was making time for interests unrelated to medicine. I fell in love with yoga very early on and this kept me grounded in the difficult times and taught me how to regulate my emotions and handle them better.
“I tried new things like ice skating and also found a passion for general fitness at the gym. I am grateful that I have been able to take these practices with me through to internship, and I will continue to strive to maintain my mental, physical and emotional well-being,” she said.
