Program Overview

UKZN Intern Mentorship Programme

The University of KwaZulu-Natal's (UKZN) School of Clinical Medicine launched an Intern Mentorship Programme in partnership with Investec. The programme aims to support KwaZulu-Natal interns through a series of monthly workshops related to:

• Career guidance
• Work-life orientation
• Financial, physical, and mental wellness
• Personal development
• Motivational talks
• Mentorship

This platform will also help to forge relationships for interns to collaborate with and support one another.

Programme Objectives

The brain-child of Professor Ncoza Dlova, Dean of the School, the mentorship programme seeks to:

• Support junior doctors in KwaZulu-Natal
• Provide a platform for interns to collaborate and support one another
• Foster positive experiences and role modelling for potential future leaders

Programme Details

• The programme was launched on 16 September through a webinar with around 180 attendees, including medical interns, academics, and mentors.
• The programme will be extended nationally, with the South African Committee of Deans embracing the initiative and Investec willing to assist with national implementation.
• Professor Ncoza Dlova plans to acknowledge exemplary interns, medical officers, registrars, and consultants by awarding certificates of appreciation to the top five medical and nursing staff who epitomise the characteristics of a good doctor or healthcare practitioner.

Guest Speakers and Presentations

• Guest speaker Dr Vuyani Mhlomi reminded mentees to stay true to who they are, be resilient, and equip themselves with knowledge and experience.
• Alumnus Professor Salome Maswine advised interns to choose their mentors and friends well and encouraged them to consider becoming clinician-scientists if that route appeals to them.
• University of Cape Town graduate and intern Dr Zolelwa Sifumba shared some of the challenges faced by junior doctors and noted that a lack of support and mentorship almost drowned her at one point in her career.
• Heads of Disciplines in the clinical fraternity presented specialisation options, including:
  • Psychiatry (Professor Bonga Chiliza)
  • General Surgery (Professor Bugsy Singh)
  • Neurosurgery (Dr Basil Enicker)
  • Anaesthetics (Dr Dean Gopalan)
  • Critical Care (Dr Thomas Hardcastle)
• Psychiatrist Dr Suvira Ramlall's presentation focused on investing in one's own mental health as a doctor, and Dr Sizwe Zulu shared a business overview of private practice.

Participant Feedback

• Comments from participants included praise for the mentorship programme, with one participant stating, "Mentorship is critical in shaping young doctors, the future of medicine, and creating and sustaining something with far-reaching effects on our world that is so broken and in need of healing."
• Young doctor Mduduzi Mthembu said, "I am so glad I joined this Zoom meeting... this feels like an investment in self; we are really inspired to become better interns."