Doctor Mabiya the only black woman out of 14 for MBChB
SINCE the start of graduation season, graduands have been serving with glitz and glamour.
Parents ululating and celebrating their offspring, with a slew of qualifications being conferred – and what is a grand South African graduation without its official social media graduation popular song Seanamarena, and of course Gaudeamus Igitur?
On Monday, the University of KwaZulu-Natal conferred a summa cum laude MBChB degree on the rose among the thorns, Dr Thembelihle Maziya. Maziya was the only black woman in her class of 14 students to complete the medical programme.
The 24-year-old, who hails from Tjakastad in Mpumalanga, expressed her jubilation the moment she walked on stage to receive her qualification.
“I was very excited. Actually, I wanted to cry; in my heart I was like ‘God this is all because of you?’ I was very emotional and happy at the same time,” said Maziya.
Maziya, who matriculated at Highveld Secondary School, said she is also the rose among the thorns at home, as she was the first-born of her siblings and the first person in her family to enrol at university.
Maziya said that the love of science, lifelong learning, serving her community and breaking the cycle of poverty in her family inspired her to pursue medicine as a career.
“I am a person who appreciates science and a lifelong learner. Knowing that medicine is rooted in science and is a dynamic profession made me want to take the role of improving the health of people. I wanted to break the cycle of poverty back at home,” she said.
Additionally, she noted that she had a strong support system of family and friends, including regular visits to church and comedy nights helped keep her mental health in check, when experiencing academic pressure.
“I would often go to church, because that was my place of solace. Sometimes I’d watch comedy, or take walks, and talk to my best friend and family about my stress.
“There was always pressure. There were times where I felt the degree was too much and I should just quit, but then I’d think of the situation at home that maybe I’d be a laughing stock and labelled a drop-out. I had no choice but to persevere,” said Maziya.
Furthermore, she said regular studying and finding new study methods saw her through her degree.
“I was able to get my priorities straight, which involved me organising my study materials, finding a suitable learning style and seeking help when needed. I would go the extra mile when trying to gather data to understand some chapters, and sometimes join study groups and watch YouTube videos,” said Maziya.
The doctor, who has now returned home and is an intern as part of her community service at Rob Ferreira Hospital in Nelspruit, said she was happy and honoured to serve her community.
However, the current scourge of unemployed doctors scares Maziya and she worries that she, too, will be part of the group after completing her community service.
“It is very frustrating and scares me because I know that after three years, I will be among those doctors. It is disheartening to study so hard and see your hard work not pay off.
“I wish this could be addressed as early as possible, because it is honestly not fair for doctors to undergo hardships,” she said.