The Dr Coffee Podcast

As we come towards the end of 2024, the closing of the year marks the end of an important chapter in my fledgling medical career: the end of Community Service, and with it the end of my mandatory service in the public sector. It's also the end of a chapter for the Dr Coffee Podcast! Is this the end?? [You'll need to listen to the episode to find out!] Links and resources referred to in today's episode: Daily Maverick article - The struggle to specialise - https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-11-22-young-sa-doctors-struggle-to-specialise/ MoneyWeb@Midday interview - https://www.moneyweb.co.za/moneyweb-podcasts/moneyweb-midday/sas-specialist-crisis-why-junior-doctors-are-taking-unpaid-roles/ JUDASA's "Comm Serve is almost over - now what?" webinar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odyerb1yrWo SAMA webinar on Academic Bullying - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLLN2kd9NgE CHECK OUT our Linktree for more! https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza

"Despicable human beings", "Experimenting on patients", "you don't deserve to live".... These were the criticisms of a patient at Helen Joseph Hospital this week in a now-viral post detailing his experience of poor treatment at the hospital. What are we to make of this video and its contents? Are their lessons for us to learn as young doctors? Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in this episode are my own. And do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of sponsors of the podcast or organisations I am affiliated to. This episode is available on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@drcoffeeza Links: Tom London's original full video - https://youtu.be/I029MFrM-8U?si=REH9q2gZ4pvNeLQm 702 interview - https://youtu.be/OLKj72GwXoI?si=LRn5Fn6FeMTkuhOU Backtracking on some statements? - NewzRoom Afrika and response https://youtu.be/prEPYIXQj2o?si=ZllCEaUeOKUvJ3W4

Prof Jonathan Sackier & Dr Nigel Guest host the wildly funny podcast "Join the Docs", and invite audiences to delve into health-related topics served with a delightful side of humour.  Along with a little help from Slim the skeleton, they welcome the audience into their conversation to share the intriguing, implausible, and marvellous medical stories that are sure to pique your interest whilst teaching you something new. From itching, bedbugs and bruises, to anaemia, anatomy and aortic aneurysms -‘the docs' cover it all.  Dr Coffee's Linktree - https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza Register for the Philips Future of Health LinkedIn LIVE - https://bit.ly/FutureHealth24SA

Dr Shauntel Ambrose is a qualified dentist and dental practice owner with a special interest in Paediatric Dentistry. She's a speaker, producer and host of the "Behind a Smile" podcast, a healthcare business podcast where healthcare leaders share their stories, tips and tricks around sustainable practice and maintaining balance. Dr Ambrose is a faculty member at Dental Protection and presents risk communication workshops on how to better meet patient expectations and avoid litigation. She's also a medico-legal mediator who helps practitioners and patients seek resolution and mutually agreeable solutions before litigation. Say hello to our new theme music! Artist: Stereo Club, Song: "Maybe". https://open.spotify.com/track/2Le5eAmLc4fb6t8q9NH4xd Thank you to our sponsors Wave Medical Scrubs, SutureKits.co.za, V Professional Services, Money & Medicine, & IndemniMed for making this episode possible. Check out our Linktree URL for all podcast episodes, links to our sponsors, and discount codes from SutureKits and WiZMed. https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza Send feedback or comments to DrCoffeeZA@gmail.com

In this week's episode, we welcome back Dr Nox Mphambukeli, with the next in our fascinating Registrar Series, where we feature young registrars who have just begun their journey to specialisation. Our guest on the podcast today is Dr Josef Breedt. Dr Breedt obtained his MBChB degree from the University of Pretoria in 2017, graduating cum laude and top of his class. He subsequently completed his medical internship in Gqeberha, from 2018-2019. He took up leadership roles and was elected Vice chairperson of the Intern Representative Council in 2019. Following internship, he went back to his hometown roots of Emalahleni in 2020 where he spent 6 months working in Psychiatry, the Emergency Department and following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, spent 6 months in the COVID critical care ward. He took up a Medical Officer position in Psychiatry at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital and after 6 months in the department, started his Registrar time in Psychiatry, and is currently completing his third year. Dr Breedt is passionate about mentoring from student to Registrar level and has been involved in a pioneer programme for peer mentorship at the University of the Witwatersrand. Furthermore, his interest in research has produced 2 published articles during his Registrar time.  Thank you to our fantastic sponsors on this episode: IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ V Prof Medical Coding & Billing - https://vprofservices.com/ Seventh Star Tuition - https://seventhstar.co.za/ King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre - https://www.kfshrc.edu.sa/en/home Follow us on INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/drcoffeeza/ LINKTREE URL - https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza

In this episode, it was my privilege and honour to interview Dr Nadia Karrim, a qualified ENT surgeon and director of the International Centre for Astronautical Development (ICAD), about space medicine and chasing her lifelong dream to become an astronaut. Thank you to our Sponsors on this episode: IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ Seventh Star Tuition - https://seventhstar.co.za/ V Prof Medical Coding & Billing - https://vprofservices.com/ King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre - https://www.kfshrc.edu.sa/en/home Important Links mentioned in this episode: Space generation advisory council - https://spacegeneration.org/ https://spacegeneration.org/regions/africa/south-africa King's College London PG Diploma and MSC in Aerospace Medicine - https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/courses/aerospace-medicine-msc-pg-dip#:~:text=The%20Aerospace%20Medicine%20course%20is,clinical%20and%20operational%20aviation%20medicine

In this episode we speak with Dr Jonathan King, an Emergency medicine consultant currently the acting head of a busy Emergency Department that serves the needs of over 5500 patients each month. We discuss how ED doctors need to know how to identify and treat emergencies related to ALL of the relevant subspecialties in medicine, and how Emergency medicine physicians are as good, if not better, than specialists within these disciplines at managing the emergency patients. We also talk about arming yourself against stress, both clinical stress and the stresses you encounter in your personal life, plus EM doctors roles in clinical governance and health systems, how to approach career progression and ultimately get a registrar post in emergency medicine, as well as the important advocacy role that organisations like JUDASA and SAMA play on behalf of doctors in South Africa. Dr Jonathan King on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanchanking/?originalSubdomain=za SADocs: https://sadocs.co.za/ Thank you to our sponsors on this Episode! V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/ IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/

In this episode we have the first in a new series exploring the experiences of registrars currently training towards their specialist qualifications. In the course of this series we hope to offer insights, wisdom and encouragement from young doctors who have begun the process of specialising so that you can learn from their triumphs and struggles and have a clearer picture in your mind what registrar training is like and how to set yourself up for success. Thank you to our sponsors V Professional Services & IndemniMed for making this episode possible. Check out our Linktree URL for all podcast episodes, links to our sponsors, and discount codes from SutureKits and WiZMed. https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza Send feedback or comments to DrCoffeeZA@gmail.com

After a run of topical episodes, it's nice to come back to our more traditional “Coffee With Consultants” feature, which is where I sit down with Consultants and ask them about their journey in medicine, their specialty, and the perks, pitfalls and perils of practicing their profession in South Africa. Today's episode features one of our more popularly-requested specialties, Dermatology.  Thank you to our sponsors: V Professional Services, and IndemniMed from Money and Medicine. Check out our ⁠⁠Linktree URL ⁠⁠for all podcast episodes, links to our sponsors, and discount codes from SutureKits and WiZMed. --> https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza Send feedback or comments to DrCoffeeZA@gmail.com

In this episode we discuss a hot issue right now, which is the rising number of unemployed medical officers in South Africa post-Community Service - literally hundreds of doctors who want to work in government healthcare facilities but cannot get jobs. Our interview takes the form of a conversation with our very own Dr Nox Mphambukeli & the Peoples Doctor, Dr Mumtaz Emeran-Thomas, both affected by the lack of funded posts in the Public healthcare service. Thank you to our sponsors Money & Medicine for making this important episode possible Check out our ⁠Linktree URL ⁠for all podcast episodes, links to our sponsors, and discount codes from SutureKits and WiZMed. --> https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza Send feedback or comments to DrCoffeeZA@gmail.com

Dr Juandré Klopper is a South African medical doctor, software developer and entrepreneur with firsthand experience working in low-resource clinics, where he witnessed significant challenges faced by healthcare workers and patients alike. Through his company Cape Medtech and non-profit Sponsor Medic, he has tackled these challenges head-on, leveraging innovative medical technology and strategic initiatives to address issues such as limited access to healthcare services and staffing shortages. His experiences in low-resource clinics have fueled his passion for improving healthcare accessibility and quality in underserved communities, driving him to develop sustainable solutions that make a meaningful impact on the lives of patients and healthcare providers. Dr Klopper believes that every issue we face in the healthcare ecosystem is an opportunity waiting for its solution. I love his attitude and approach to difficulties, and for that reason I'm excited to host Dr Klopper on the podcast. I really hope you enjoy our conversation and are challenged about how you approach difficulties wherever you're currently working. Check out our Linktree URL for all podcast episodes, links to our sponsors, and discount codes from SutureKits and WiZMed. --> https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza Thank you to our sponsors V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/ IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ WiZMed - https://wizmed.co.za/ Links to all of Dr Klopper's Apps [so far!] ERCalc - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ErCalc.capemedtech&pli=1 IVCalc - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ivcalc.capemedtech CPR App - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cpr_app Bili Baby - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bili.buddy Triage Buddy - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.triagebuddy AppGar - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appgar.capemedtech HGT Diary - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cmt.hgtdiary

In today's episode we'll be doing a deep dive into tips, tricks, and just plain good advice to help you maximise your time as a medical student and succeed in medical school. However, I hope that lasts week's episode is evidence enough, that once you've graduated from medical school, the studying has not come to an end. Not in the least. In fact, many doctors will tell you that they have continued to study under enormous academic pressure as a medical officer and registrar, so truly medicine is about life-long learning and professional development.  Thank you to our amazing sponsors!! ⁠V Professional Services⁠ - https://vprofservices.com/ ⁠IndemniMed⁠ - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ ⁠WiZmed⁠ - https://wizmed.co.za/ Use discount code "COFFEE10" at checkout at https://wizmed.co.za/ for an instant 10% OFF all scrubs! Email: drcoffeezza@gmail.com Instagram: @DrCoffeeZA

Happy new year and welcome to 2024! In today's episode we'll be doing a deep dive into the various courses and diplomas you should be working towards before, during, and after your Community Service year. Now, many medical students and junior doctors are asked WHAT they would like to specialise in, if at all, and very few are asked about HOW they intend to get there. Certainly, I think for most of us, we only find out about the road to a specialty after we have decided we have an interest in it as a student or intern doctor. Well today I hope to provide a lot of information as well as inspiration to help you chart your course forward in medicine. We'll begin with a discussion about the ten most important post-graduate courses that I believe junior doctors should register for, with motivation and explanation, and then a discussion of the various diplomas and further qualifications you can get that are recognised by the HPCSA and the College of Medicine of South Africa. Useful links for this episode: Colleges of Medicine of South Africa - https://www.cmsa.co.za/view_college_list.aspx Academy of Avanced Life Support - https://www.advancedlifesupport.co.za/courses/ Thank you to our amazing sponsors!! V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/ IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ WiZmed - https://wizmed.co.za/ Use discount code "COFFEE10" at checkout at https://wizmed.co.za/ for an instant 10% OFF all scrubs! Email: drcoffeezza@gmail.com Instagram: @DrCoffeeZA

Thank you for your incredible support of the podcast this year! In this brief episode, we revisit some of your favourite episodes, most popular Instagram reels, and review the year that was, There is also an important announcement about the future of the podcast. Thank you to our sponsors: IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ V Professional services - https://vprofservices.com/

This is the fifth and final instalment of our series Motherhood and Medicine. Over the past few weeks, I've had the privilege of 5 interviews with 5 superstar moms. My hope is that as you listen to each mom's story, how she navigated medicine and her pregnancy and now being a mom, that you'll be equipped and inspired to make your own important life choices more effectively and with the wisdom of others.  About today's guest: Dr Nokukhanya Khanyile-Lenake. Well-known from social media platforms Instagram and X - formerly known as Twitter - Dr Nokukhanya is entering the final year of her paediatrics registrar time, and preparing to write her final exams in just a few weeks, while still parenting her adorable 2 year old daughter. In this interview we go deep into what motherhood means to her and the life lessons she's learnt and is still learning on the journey.  Thank you to our sponsors: V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/ IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ That's a wrap on our Motherhood and Medicine series! If you haven't yet, make sure you listen to the other 4 conversations in the series - we hear from some more remarkable mothers in medicine, with different journeys and perspectives. Let us know what you thought about the episode in the comments on instagram or via email - the podcast's email address is drcoffeeza@gmail.com. 

This is the fourth instalment of a series we've had brewing for a while: Motherhood and Medicine. As you can imagine, between various theatre lists, call rosters, exams, school runs and running their own practices, to try and get a perfect alignment of 5 moms' schedules, particularly those in registrar time and private practice, is like trying to arrange a solar eclipse. So instead, I've decided to interview each guest for a short, one-on-one episode of about 30minutes length. My hope is that as you listen to each mom's story, how she navigated medicine and her pregnancy and now being a mom, that you'll be equipped and inspired to make your own important life choices more effectively and with the wisdom of others. Please let us know what you thought about this series, by dropping us an email to drcoffeeza@gmail.com, and if you think we earned it, a 5 star rating on whatever platform you're listening on. You can also find this episode on Youtube in 4K video, on our youtube channel “Dr Coffee ZA”. Thank you to our sponsors! IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/

This is the third instalment of a series we've had brewing for a while: Motherhood and Medicine. As you can imagine, between various theatre lists, call rosters, exams, school runs and running their own practices, to try and get a perfect alignment of 5 moms' schedules, particularly those in registrar time and private practice, is like trying to arrange a solar eclipse. So instead, I've decided to interview each guest for a short, one-on-one episode of about 30minutes length. My hope is that as you listen to each mom's story, how she navigated medicine and her pregnancy and now being a mom, that you'll be equipped and inspired to make your own important life choices more effectively and with the wisdom of others. Please let us know what you thought about this series, by dropping us an email to drcoffeeza@gmail.com. Thank you to our sponsors! IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/

This is the second instalment of a series we've had brewing for a while: Motherhood and Medicine. As you can imagine, between various theatre lists, call rosters, exams, school runs and running their own practices, to try and get a perfect alignment of 5 moms' schedules, particularly those in registrar time and private practice, is like trying to arrange a solar eclipse. So instead, I've decided to interview each guest for a short, one-on-one episode of about 30minutes length. My hope is that as you listen to each mom's story, how she navigated medicine and her pregnancy and now being a mom, that you'll be equipped and inspired to make your own important life choices more effectively and with the wisdom of others. Please let us know what you thought about this series, by dropping us an email to drcoffeeza@gmail.com Thank you to our sponsors: IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/

In today's Coffee with consultants feature, I interview Dr Ismail Cassimjee, to talk to him about his specialty of vascular surgery, and his journey in medicine. I've been trying to have Dr Cassimjee on the podcast for a while, so I'm really excited to be able to put this interview out for you before the end of the year. Since July 2022, The Dr Coffee Podcast has been available on the major podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and with almost half our episodes available on YouTube as well. I'm pleased to share that we have expanded our distribution onto some other podcasts platforms and apps, to make it even easier to listen to, watch, and share the episodes you most enjoy. All our episodes are now available on: Amazon Music Audible CastBox and PocketCasts In addition to our usual platforms mentioned a moment ago. So, if you primarily use these apps for podcasts and audiobooks, I hope you'll enjoy listening to the Dr Coffee Podcast on there as well. Please like and follow us on these platforms if you do, and leave a quick review if you've been enjoying the podcast so far. IASSS Future Surgeons Program [closes 30 November 2023] For more information on the application process for the 2024 committee, visit their website - iasss.org If you have any queries, you can email president@iasss.org and you can also visit their Instagram page iasss_official Link to National Delegate application form: https://forms.gle/7ZuiDMaSyigrKM886  Link to FSP application form: https://forms.gle/UGPg1zFF98twqYxk8  Thank you to our sponsors! ⁠V Professional Services⁠ - https://vprofservices.com/ ⁠IndemniMed⁠ - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/

In today's episode, I interviewed Mr Graham Cosgrave from Match Medics in Ireland, about what it's like emigrating to Ireland to work as a doctor there, whether it be a permanent move or for a season, the various options South African doctors have when it comes to how and when to move across, the path to specialisation in Ireland, how long it takes to get a European passport and much much more. Graham Cosgrave is a director of medical recruitment at Match Medics, where he searches the globe for the best doctors to go and work in Ireland. He's had experience with helping doctors from all over the world - including South Africa - move to Ireland and match up with public and private hospitals according to their skill and experience level. Graham's contact details should you want to find out more about working in Ireland: graham.cosgrave@matchmedics.comand his WhatsApp number is +353 87 758 4592 https://matchrecruitmentgroup.com/matchmedics/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheDoctorsHuddle https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamcosgrave/ Thank you to our sponsors! V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/ IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/

On this week's "Coffee with consultants" feature, we're interviewing a specialist in what is often portrayed in media and popular culture as one of those ‘rockstar' surgical specialties - Neurosurgery. We have an awesome interview lined up for you, as well as a historical story time with a question to interact with and respond to, and once again our feature on the IASSS' future surgeons program Thank you to our amazing sponsors: 1. V Professional Services - Medical Billing & Practice Management Partner: https://vprofservices.com/ 2. IndemniMed - Professional & Practice Insurance - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ Link to the story in today's "Story Time": https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/dont-forget-me-cobber-the-battle-of-fromelles

Welcome to Part 1 of our "Motherhood & Medicine" series! In this series, we interview 5 super moms about how they navigated pregnancy and motherhood while balancing a demanding career in medicine. Learn how they decided to time their pregnancies, how they coped with registrar time while pregnant, dealing with the anguish of leaving your baby to return to work after maternity leave, coping with calls and the demands of parenting before and after calls, and much more. Thank you to our long-term sponsors: 1. IndemnMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ 2. V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/

SutureKits.co.za is a new local distributor of suture practice kits, founded by 1st-year medical student Delarey Van Tonder. They offer high-quality, extremely affordable suturing skills kits designed for medical students and aspiring surgeons to sharpen their skills in the privacy and comfort of their own homes. We had a conversation about the kits, which are available for purchase right now on their website: https://suturekits.co.za/ Also featured in this episode: The International Association of Student Surgical Societies [IASSS]: If you would like more information on the application process for the 2024 committee, visit their website on iasss.org If you have any queries, you can email president@iasss.org and you can also visit their Instagram page: @iasss_official If you would simply like to sign up as a member to the IASSS, you can do so on our website.  Link to National Delegate application form: https://forms.gle/7ZuiDMaSyigrKM886  Link to Future Surgeons Programme application form: https://forms.gle/UGPg1zFF98twqYxk8  The Dr Coffee Podcast is brought to you by the following awesome sponsors: 1. IndemniMed - practitioner and practice insurance - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ 2. V Professional Services - Medical billing specialists - https://vprofservices.com/

It's been a while since we last had a “Coffee with Consultants” episode, where I get the privilege and honour of interviewing a consultant in a specialty to ask them about the perks, pitfalls and perils of their specialty, the decision algorithm that led them to choose it, and what advice they'd pass on to junior doctors who'd like to pursue this path in future. Coming up in today's episode, I sat down in studio with Dr Bongi Rubushe-Ngwenya, a specialist gynaecologist and obstetrician, to ask her about the path to specialising in these two related and yet distinct disciplines. Dr Bongi completed her undergraduate medical training at WITS and undertook her Obstetrics and Gynaecology training at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital where she now works as a consultant with a special interest in reproductive medicine. In her time there, she's established an infertility and endocrine clinic to assist women combatting infertility and wishing to have a child. Recently she also established an office hysteroscopy clinic that has been instrumental in reducing theatre load and decongesting the backlog of patients in the Obs and Gynae department. Dr Rubushe-Ngwenya has a special interest in endoscopic surgery and is currently the president of the WITS Gynae Endoscopy Training Unit. This unit has been pivotal in improving the laparoscopic skills of Gynaecologists by hosting skills workshops and developing an associated curriculum. Finally, she thoroughly enjoys reading and is immensely passionate about teaching and passing on her knowledge to others. Thank you to our sponsors on today's episode: V Professional Services: medical billing and practice management - https://vprofservices.com/ IndemniMed: Personal and practice insurance for young health professionals - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ Let us know what you thought about this episode in the comments on instagram or via email - the podcasts email address is drcoffeeza@gmail.com. You can also email us with questions for our guests, suggestions of topics or podcast guests to interview, or anything else on your mind, we'd love to hear from you

This episode we reach a significant milestone - our 50th Full-length episode of the podcast. Thank you for your incredible support so far. Coming up in today's episode, I sat down in studio with a fellow medical podcaster who is quickly becoming a good friend: Danroe Oosthuizen, a 3rd year medical student at the University of Pretoria, and host of the Medically Inclined Podcast, to discuss some of the myths and misconceptions medical students and members of the public have about studying a medical degree and becoming a doctor. Thank you to our podcast sponsors! 1. IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ 2. V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/ Important Links mentioned in this episode: Medically Inclined Podcast on Instagram - @Medically_inclined_podcast Doctors Eventually on Instagram - @doctors_eventually Resource on Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/mobile/folders/1_waGfV6pCCqFkwkMJzxsHXj6nnvc7mg2

Coming up in today's episode, we have a really thought-provoking interview with a social architect for positive change in South Africa, who launched an incredible NGO and mobile clinic initiative [Rhiza Babuyile] to drive better access to quality healthcare in South Africa and to reduce systemic inequality. We also have a dive into the annals of medical history to get you thinking laterally about the cost of innovation and discovery in medicine and invite you to share your thoughts on the parallels to today's clinical spaces. As always it's a privilege to equip and inspire you to be the best healthcare professional you can be. Diabetes and Insulin: Extra History - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn4HvRkBbfk The Discovery of Insulin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk1D4VgM8jY Why Insulin isn't cheaper - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CdydQNfAXE Alef Meulenberg was born and raised in the Netherlands, but has lived the majority of his adult life in South Africa. He's passionate about contributing to solutions for socio-economic challenges like poverty, youth unemployment and socio-economic inequality through holistic developmental models. He does this out of neighbourly love and compassion for people who have historically been disenfranchised and disadvantaged. As an entrepreneur, it is his belief that market-creating innovation is truly able to move the needle when it comes to sustainable transformation. Alef is currently actively involved in developmental work through various board and executive positions he holds in organisations that are at the front-line of implementing social change in African communities. He has direct developmental experience in countries like South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Mozambique, India and Brazil. His background is in business administration, education, non-profit management, leadership, philosophy and theology. Alef has over 16 years of practical experience in the for impact/non-profit sector. Links to our guest, Alef Meulenberg's projects: Rhiza Babuyile - https://r-b.org.za/ Township Fleva - https://townshipfleva.co.za/ Mobile Clinics - https://www.iol.co.za/news/feel-good/look-private-healthcare-at-an-affordable-rate-brought-to-the-township-a9a269f4-4aed-4780-bb0e-86a7f70423b1 Clinic launch in Diepsloot - https://sundayworld.co.za/news/rhiza-babuyile-launches-r5m-state-of-the-art-clinic-in-diepsloot/ Alef's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alef-meulenberg/ News24 article - https://www.news24.com/life/books/excerpt-businesses-can-rise-from-the-ashes-alef-meulenberg-shows-in-the-overcomers-20230128-3 Thank you to our sponsors! V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/ IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/

In today's episode, I sat down with Stefan Bothma and Werner Hattingh, the founders of Money & Medicine, financial advisors who specialise in assisting final year medical students and young health professionals to plan their financial future and lay a foundation early on to achieve their financial goals. We're discussing common mistakes that newly-qualified interns, and even other ranks of doctors, can make in their finances and other areas of their lives. This is a topical episode, and also a timely one, as we are entering the final quarter of the year, which is typically when each year's fresh crop of interns are finalising their end of medical school exams, or preparing to move on to Community Service from internship, or preparing for new Medical Officer posts and so on.  Remember, we're all on a journey and we're never the finished product, so if you'd like to share some wisdom with those coming after you, or let us know about learning your own lessons through mistakes you've made, be sure to email us [DrCoffeeZA@gmail.com] or post in the comments for this episode on Youtube, where you can find the entire interview in up to 4k quality.

Ultrasound imaging has the potential to change the landscape of access to care in South Africa. It's relatively cheap, non-irradiating, offers imaging in real-time, and can be used in a variety of settings, including the emergency department. Having spent the past month in the ED at my base hospital, I asked one of the EM registrars who is also an instructor in point-of-care ultrasound with the Emergency Medicine Society of South Africa (EMSSA), Dr Marcus Kruger, to sit across from me and share why and how junior doctors should get training in using ultrasound. I hope you enjoy the episode! Too find out more about the EMSSA ePOCUS course, click on this link: https://emssa.org.za/special-interest-groups/ultrasound/

What is it about the competitive nature of medical school, academic research, and vying for ever-dwindling numbers of posts that make junior doctors so unkind to one another? We're all on a journey of personal and professional development, and in this Espresso Shots episode we're talking about respecting our colleagues qualifications, intelligence and humanity - in other words: Just be 'LEKKER'! This episode is not directed at any one person, incident or specialty in particular, so if you feel 'triggered' by the conversation, best 'check yourself before you wreck yourself'! And if you'd like to let us know what you think on the topic, send an email to drcoffeeza@gmail.com, or comment on the post for this episode on our instagram.

In this episode, we welcome two incredible guests: Dr Nokukhanya Khanyile-Lenake & Mr Romulen Pillay, to discuss the priorities and perspectives of South African healthcare leaders and healthcare professionals, as revealed in the Future Health Index. You can download the Philips Future Health Index Report 2023 for South Africa at the URL: ⁠https://bit.ly/FHISA23 About our guests: Dr. Nokukhanya Khanyile-Lenake is a paediatrics registrar rotating in the public hospitals affiliated with the University of the Witwatersrand, as well as a mental health advocate and influencer. She is vocal about healthcare access and equity in South Africa, and has gained a significant following on Twitter and Instagram for her work in advocating for better healthcare services for underserved communities. Mr Romulen Pillay is the Managing Director of Philips Southern Africa. He is keenly focussed on digital technology and increasing technology-driven solutions for South African problems. As a fourth-generation South African, he is also keenly aware of the disparities that exist in our society and wants to find solutions that enable better access to healthcare. About the conversation: We discuss the full Philips Future Health Index Report for 2023, with some of the key insights and our responses to them. Now in its 8th year, the report surveyed 3000 healthcare leaders and professionals from 14 countries, and evaluated their priorities and perspectives across a number of issues. A new focus this year was the experience of younger healthcare professionals and how their responses differed from those of their counterparts and predecessors. Thank you Philips for driving the conversation and providing the information from this research that allows us to make decisions about the future of healthcare in South Africa. What do you think about the report and the findings revealed in it? Let us know! The podcast's email address is DrCoffeeZA@gmail.com. We're also on Instagram with the username @DrCoffeeZA https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza

This week we lift the lid on practising medicine and specialising in another country, specifically, the United States of America. Our guest this week shares from her journey of getting a job in residency in the US, how their healthcare system and medical training works, and what YOU need to know if you're considering practicing medicine in the USA. About our guest: Dr Kim Scott completed her undergraduate medical degree at UCT, and went on to do internship at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town and community service at Swartland Hospital in Malmesbury. After working in private hospital ED's, she decided to travel and became a cruise ship doctor. This is where she met her American husband which ultimately lead to her decision to emigrate to the US. Dr Scott is currently in her final year of internal medicine residency - the equivalent of registrar time - at Jefferson Einstein Hospital in Philadelphia and once she's finished she has hopes of working as an attending (consultant) in a rural area of the US.  Although permanently based in America, coming from SA, she's still passionate about HIV medicine and has just been awarded a funded research grant looking to deliver pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to disadvantaged communities. Her other passion is promoting overall wellness and mental health within medicine for which she is on her resident wellness committee. It's a privilege to have Dr Kim Scott on the podcast this week, and I'm sure you'll learn a lot from our conversation. This episode was recorded over Zoom, and is available as a video episode on Youtube. Thank you to our sponsors on this episode: IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ Money & Medicine - https://www.moneyandmedicine.co.za/

Dr Nox Mpambukeli & I were privileged to be invited to attend the Philips Future of Health LIVE South Africa event in Johannesburg on the 23rd of August 2023. We got the opportunity to interact with some incredible industry experts and leaders, some of whom were the panelists in the LinkedIn LIVE discussion. They had some phenomenal things to say to junior doctors and medical students in South Africa, so we thought we would share their thoughts with you in this episode! Professor Glenda Gray is the CEO and President of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC). Prof Gray is a qualified paediatrician and co-founder of the internationally recognised Perinatal HIV Research Unit in Soweto, South Africa. Prior to her appointment at the SAMRC, she was the Executive Director of the Perinatal HIV Research Unit, an affiliate of Wits University. Glenda's global profile includes a role as Co-PI of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN), an international collaboration for the development of HIV/AIDS prevention vaccines. She received South Africa's highest honour – the Order of Mapungubwe - for her pioneering research in PMTCT. She is a member of the board of GARDP, AAHI and a member of the WHO TB-STAG. Dr Katlego Mothudi is the Managing Director of the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF), an industry representative body for medical aid schemes, administrators, and managed care providers. The BHF has a presence in eight countries across Southern Africa, including Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Dr Mothudi has previously served as a Medical Advisor and Clinical Executive for Metropolitan Health Group, was the Managing Director for Aid for AIDS within the AfroCentric Health stable, before becoming the Executive Head of Clinical Services and Operations at Sizwe Medical Fund. Dr Mothudi is an advocate for ethical leadership and serves on several boards and various industry committees. These include the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA), the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum and Steering Committee which were set up by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU). Dr Mothudi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Applied Chemistry, an MBChB degree from MEDUNSA, and training in Sports Medicine. The latter gave him the opportunity to work with various sports organisations and teams, culminating as the Chief Medical Officer for the Referees' Headquarters during the 2009 FIFA Confederation and the 2010 World Cups Thank you to our sponsors on this episode: IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/ Philips Futre Health Index Report - https://www.philips.co.za/a-w/about/news/future-health-index/reports/2023/taking-healthcare-everywhere.html?utm_source=MyBroadband&utm_medium=Article&utm_campaign=August+2023

In this episode, I had the privilege of interviewing Professor Shabir Moosa, to ask him all about the NHI and how it might feasibly work to fund quality healthcare in South Africa. Professor Moosa is a Family Physician in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)). He has a Diploma in Primary Health Care Service Management, A Masters in Family Medicine (MEDUNSA-Limpopo), a Masters in Business Administration (Wits Business School) (2011) and a PhD from Ghent University) (2015). He is focused on practice in Chiawelo Community Practice in Soweto. Professor Moosa has a history of general practice, community and political activism in rural Kwa-Zulu Natal and Eastern Cape Provinces (the old Transkei region) having lived in Kokstad from 1990 to 2004. He moved to Johannesburg in 2004 and has been deeply involved in development, service, training, and research of Family Medicine in Johannesburg and Gauteng. He is actively involved in developing best practice models of Family Medicine, including creating community practices in Soweto as a contracting model for the emerging national health insurance system in South Africa. Thank you to our sponsors on this episode: IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/ Philips Future of Health Index Report - https://www.philips.com/a-w/about/news/future-health-index For more, visit our Linktree URL at https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza, or email us at drcoffeeza@gmail.com

I was recently invited to participate in and facilitate the first Umsebeni Employment Series Conversation, organised by the Office of Student Success at the University of the Witwatersrand. For those who don't know, the Office of Student Success was started by the Faculty of Health Sciences at WITS University to enable the holistic development, wellbeing and support of all health sciences students towards their academic success. The theme of the conversation was “Preparing for the workplace”, and took place on the 20th of July 2023. I was privileged to be seated with the other panelists an guests on the Podcast: Dr Johann Lamprecht - Ophthalmologist in private practice focusing on surgical treatment of cataract, glaucoma and retinal pathology. MBChB(UFS), FCOphth(SA) and MMed(Ophthal) (WITS) and founding member of the OSSA Young Ophthalmologists. Dr Bongiwe Nhlangulela - Family Dentist I Owner of three practices in Constantia Kloof, Sandton and Pretoria. Passionate about empowerment & healthcare, and a social media influencer with over 32 000 followers. Ms Lucy Pearl Khofi - Medical Anthropologist, Multi Award-Winning Women's Health Activist, SRJC Advisory Board Chairperson, Researcher in Medical Anthropology & Public Health, Women's Health Ekklesia NPO Founder, Period Proud. Our book review in this episode is presented by Chantelle Guise-Brown, 5th year MBChB student at Stellenbosch University. Thank you to our sponsors on today's episode: IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/ Seventh Star Tuition - https://seventhstar.co.za/ Our Linktree URL - https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza

Welcome to the Dr Coffee Podcast, brought to you by IndemniMed! In this week's coffee with consultants feature, I interview Dr Nick Brits, representing Urology. Dr Brits is originally from KwaZulu Natal, and completed his undergraduate degree at UCT in 2011. After internship in Pietermaritzburg he moved to Johannesburg and worked as a Medical Officer at Charlotte Maxeke and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospitals. He subsequently specialised in Urology at Wits and now works in private practice. Dr Brits is an Honorary Consultant at the University of Witwatersrand and is actively involved in undergraduate and post-graduate teaching and training in the field of Urology. When he's not practising his craft, Dr Brits enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, fishing, playing sport and spending time with his family and children. Thank you to our sponsors on today's episode: IndemniMed - https://www.indemnimed.co.za/ V Professional Services - https://vprofservices.com/ Seventh Star Tuition - https://seventhstar.co.za/

In this week's episode, I interview Dr Chris Mathew. Chris is currently the Health Informatics Officer for the private hospital group, Netcare. In this role, he also serves as a the clinical lead for Africa's largest EMR system, through which Netcare has established the first fully digitised hospitals in South Africa. Prior to joining Netcare, Chris trained as a medical doctor and then went on to complete an MBA as a Louis Dreyfus-Weidenfeld Hoffman Saïd Scholar, followed by a Masters in International Health & Tropical Medicine as a ExxonMobil Global Health Scholar, both at the University of Oxford. He is passionate about healthcare and technology, the ever expanding intersection of the two and the role this will have in improving healthcare for all South Africans. Special thanks to our sponsors on this episode: IndemniMed by Money & Medicine - https://www.moneyandmedicine.co.za/ Seventh Star Tuition - https://seventhstar.co.za/ Thank you for your support!

Welcome to Espresso Shots by the Dr Coffee Podcast. Today we're talking about organ donation, with Jonty Wright and Naamiz Nagdee from Save Seven. Save Seven Contacts Jonty Wright: 063 612 240; Jonty@Save7.org Naazim Nagdee: 076 607 1255; Naazim@Save7.org or Nagdeenaz16@gmail.com Sachen Naidu: 067 141 3427; Sachen@Save7.org Website: www.save7.org Instagram: @savesevenlives Facebook: Save 7 Tiktok: save7lives

In this week's "Coffee with Consultants" feature, I interviewed Dr Tracey Ferreira, representing the frequently requested specialty of Anaesthesiology. Dr Ferreira is a fairly recently-qualified anaesthesiologist currently working in private practice in a number of locations and with a variety of surgeons. She's also a mom of two gorgeous small kids, and has great advice for our women in medicine about how to pursue dual dreams of specialising and motherhood.  Welcome our new main sponsors of the podcast: IndemniMed, by Money & Medicine! - https://www.moneyandmedicine.co.za/ This episode also features a sponsored content segment with Seventh Star Tuition - https://seventhstar.co.za/ Podcast recommendation from our guest: The Accrac podcast - http://accrac.com/ - Anesthesia and Critical Care Reviews and Commentary Collaborate with us by completing this Google form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSer0-PZSPt4IBA3tLTcVxdiqhzklzvN9x5zpwQwnnrieHQxig/viewform?usp=sf_link

Let's talk about the National Health Insurance, or NHI, which was recently passed in parliament. As a young doctor or a medical student, you need to at least know the basic concepts of the why, what and how of the NHI, for your own career as well as so you can help your relatives and member of the public understand and make sense of their own feelings of the bill. So will the NHI work? What do you think? If you're interested in diving a little deeper, I've included a bunch of resources about the NHI below: The History of the NHS [YouTube video] - https://youtu.be/-ywP8wjfOx4 NHS Politics [YouTube Video] - https://youtu.be/u3nvsAMrriA SABC News article - https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/national-council-of-provinces-committee-to-receive-briefing-on-nhi-bill/ How the NHI will work - https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/the-nuts-and-bolts-of-nhi-how-it-will-work-who-pays/ NHI could be the next SARS, and not Eskom - https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/699275/nhi-could-be-the-next-sars-not-the-next-eskom-crisp/ Capetalk - https://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/477393/despite-uncertainty-govt-is-confident-about-nhi-the-devil-is-in-the-detail How the NHI will be funded - https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/income-tax-hike-and-payroll-tax-proposed-for-nhi-funding/ What the public needs to know - https://www.sanews.gov.za/features-south-africa/national-health-insurance-all-you-need-know BizNews - Why it is important - https://www.biznews.com/interviews/2023/07/07/dr-nicholas-crisp-case-nhi-interests-operation-fear NHI is a cynical attempt to win votes without the hard work of creating a real workable plan, says Busi Mavuso - https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/south-africa/biggest-farce-in-the-nhi-charade-is-the-funding-story-mavuso/ If you feel like I missed out some major detail, please let me know in the comments or via email at the podcast's email address - drcoffeeza@gmail.com. And of course, let me know what else you think we should cover in our 15minute Espresso Shot podcasts. Thanks for listening and thank you for your support!

In this week's coffee with consultants feature, we hear from Dr Lliam Brannigan, representing the sub-specialty of critical care medicine and intensive care. Dr Brannigan is an intensive care specialist and HOD at the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre critical care department. He has a research and clinical interest in liver transplantation and high risk surgery, and especially failure to rescue, and is a long standing member of numerous specialist societies. Lliam was a Helicopter EMS doctor on Echo 1 and then completed a speciality in anaesthesia before moving onto a critical care fellowship. We had a brilliant chat about medicine in South africa, as well as some of the challenges we face as young doctors, such as shortages of posts and opportunities, and lack of senior support and encouragement. This episode was recorded over Zoom, & is also available as a video episode on Youtube. Even if you prefer to listen to the audio format of this podcast, please take a minute to head over to the Dr Coffee Podcast Youtube channel, subscribe and give a like to this video. I know it's a bit of work on your part, however it's simply the best way to support the growth of the podcast and let the algorithm know this is something junior doctors want to hear. Thank you so much for your support! It's the Dr Coffee Podcast's 1st birthday on the 1st of July 2023! Our very 1st episode with Dr Mark Torres-Holmes was released on the 1st of July 2022. Since then, the podcast has gained over 2000 followers on Instagram, almost 450 followers on Spotify, had over 17 000 downloads across all platforms, sporadically topped the Apple Podcast charts in its category, and become South Africa's top locally-produced medical podcast. And this is just the beginning! In a little over a week's time, we will be letting you in on a little secret: about an exciting new long-term corporate partner with the podcast, one I believe truly has the success of junior doctors at heart. The podcast has also opened up new opportunities for engagement with various levels and healthcare stakeholders, so I'm really excited to be amplifying the voices and interests of our country's junior doctors and medical students. To that end, if you'd like to let us know about a project or cause initiated by a junior doctor or medical student that you feel deserves airtime on the podcast, or if you'd like to collaborate with us or purchase sponsored content segments on the podcast, please get in touch. We can provide exposure and advertising to our audience in a number of ways, whether it be collaborating on an event at your medical school with a student society or interest-group, featuring guests in episodes or special segments, or on the podcast itself in the form of pre-roll, mid-roll or post-roll ads. All university, student, or charity initiatives are given airtime free of charge. If you believe, like we do, in the potential and talent of south africa's junior doctors and future doctors, and would like to work together to make a positive difference, send an email to the podcast's email address, drcoffeeza@gmail.com. Well, that's it for this week's episode. I'd like to take a moment to direct you briefly to our Linktree URL: https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza and our instagram page, @DrCoffeeZA. There you'll find links to all our podcast episodes, some of the collaborators we've been working with, as well as a Google Form you can complete if you're interested in working with the Dr Coffee Podcast. Thank you for your support, and we'll see you in Episode 40!

In this episode, we feature members of the Wits Students Surgical Society ("Wits SurgSoc"), and their efforts to fundraise for the Smile Foundation by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro - #KiliChallenge2023. I had the privilege of interviewing four members of the team aiming to summit Mt Kilimanjaro in December 2023. This interview took place at the Smile Foundation offices in Hyde park Johannesburg, where we met to discuss the WHY behind the WHAT of their KiliChallenge, and how we can get behind them and support their charity fundraising efforts. My guests on this episode are future doctors Danielle Olivier, Sarah Benn and Rebecca Groome, all current students in 4th year medicine at Wits, and Jonty Bleeker (a 2nd year medical student). We unpacked their reasons for climbing as well as some of the exciting projects they have in store to ensure they reach their target of raising half a million rand for the Smile Foundation over the next few months. Links to all important pages on Instagram mentioned in this episode: @kilichallenge2023 - https://instagram.com/kilichallenge2023?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= @witssurgsoc - https://www.instagram.com/witssurgsoc/?hl=en @esjay_sports - https://instagram.com/esjay_sports?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== @prettycasual_ct - https://instagram.com/prettycasual_ct?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== @meisies_on_a_mountain - https://instagram.com/meisies_on_a_mountain_?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== GIVE HERE!! --> Kili challenge fundraiser - https://smilefoundationsa.org/donations/kilimanjaro-challenge/ Kili challenge email = kilichallenge2023@gmail.com Our ⁠Linktree URL⁠: https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza Well, that's it for this week's episode. I'd like to take a moment to direct you briefly to our Linktree URL (above), and our instagram page, @DrCoffeeZA. There you'll find links to all our podcast episodes, some of the collaborators we've been working with, as well as a Google Form you can complete if you're interested in working with the Dr Coffee Podcast. Whether it be collaborating on an event at your medical school with a student society or interest-group, featuring guests in episodes or special segments, or if you'd like to advertise on the podcast with pre-roll, mid-roll or post-roll ads. If you believe, like we do, in the potential and talent of south africa's junior doctors and future doctors, and would like to work together to make a positive difference, hit us up via the Google Form and we'll be in touch soon. You can also email us on the podcast's email address, at drcoffeeza@gmail.com Please like and review the podcast - leave a 5 star rating if you enjoyed this episode! - and share it with a friend. Thank you for your support!

In this week's Coffee with Consultants feature, I sat down with Dr Jay Punwasi, about the role of a clinical manager at a hospital entails, and also to talk about the important steps junior doctors need to chart a course for the the early phase of their career and how to choose a site for their Community Service year. Dr Jay Punwasi is a medical doctor and healthcare manager. She is currently the Clinical Director at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Her purpose in her career is to advance patient services by engaging her clinical and MBA training and experience in all aspects of healthcare.  As a trained business and life coach, Dr Puwnasi has a special interest in developing young healthcare practitioners through coaching and mentoring so the next generation of doctors and allied practitioners is better equipped to run the marathon of a career in healthcare. Dr Punwasi has won multiple service excellence awards in her career including the South African Medical Association Young Leader in Healthcare award. She is a mother of two girls aged 12 and 9, the wife of a university professor and a community activist involved in organisations that promote education and learning, reading amongst young children, and social and community improvement. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation and I'm sure you will as well. Important resources and links mentioned in this episode: Colleges of Medicine South Africa - ⁠https://www.cmsa.co.za/⁠ Stay on top of CPD points and courses - Medical practice consulting - ⁠https://www.mpconsulting.co.za/⁠ EMGuidance - Free, instant access to locally relevant medicines & clinical information ⁠https://emguidance.com/about⁠⁠ Ikigai - the Japanese secret to a long and happy life, (Book) by Héctor Garcia & Francesc Miralles Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again, (Book) by Dr Eric Topol, MD. Outlive: the Science of Longevity, (Book) By Dr Peter Attia. Our Linktree URL: https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza Well, that's it for this week's episode. I'd like to take a moment to direct you briefly to our Linktree URL (above), and our instagram page, @DrCoffeeZA. There you'll find links to all our podcast episodes, some of the collaborators we've been working with, as well as a Google Form you can complete if you're interested in working with the Dr Coffee Podcast. Whether it be collaborating on an event at your medical school with a student society or interest-group, featuring guests in episodes or special segments, or if you'd like to advertise on the podcast with pre-roll, mid-roll or post-roll ads. If you believe, like we do, in the potential and talent of south africa's junior doctors and future doctors, and would like to work together to make a positive difference, hit us up via the Google Form and we'll be in touch soon. You can also email us on the podcast's email address, at drcoffeeza@gmail.com

The 2nd of June 2023 is CrazySock4Docs day, a day to shine a light on the mental health of doctors. This is our chance to talk about it, break the stigma associated with mental illness, and to be there for one another. In this very special episode, I have the privilege and honour of interviewing my beautiful wife Carmen, who has been so brave and kind as to open up about her own struggles with anxiety and depression. This episode really hits close to home. I cannot over-state how significant it is that my wife has agreed to open up on the podcast like this, especially because of how anxiety and depression have affected her over the years. She clearly believes in what we will share in this episode so strongly that she is able to put her own discomfort and fear aside, to help some doctor or medical student who needs to hear it. Consider sharing this episode with fellow junior doctors and medical students in your world who you think would benefit from the content and enjoy it. Thank you so much for your support! If you have feedback on what you thought of this episode or anything else on your mind, please get in touch. The podcast's email address is drcoffeeza@gmail.com Important Mental Health Resources Healthcare Workers Care Network - https://www.healthcareworkerscarenetwork.org.za/ South African Depression and Anxiety Group - https://www.sadag.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=114 Discovery helpline for medical students - https://www.discovery.co.za/corporate/young-doctors

In this week's "Coffee with Consultants" feature, my guest is Professor Joji Mercier, an associate professor at the University of Pretoria. Prof Joji has experience as an emergency medicine doctor with international SOS - flying doctors involved in medical rescue and transportation across borders and overseas - as well as extensive experience as a lecturer of medical students and scientific researcher. She was enthusiastically recommended by another consultant guest on the podcast, Professor Ryan Blumenthal, from Episode 24 of the Dr Coffee Podcast. Prof Joji has a really engaging and interesting journey in medicine, as well as a number of key insights to share with junior doctors and medical students. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation, and I'm sure you will as well. The Dr Coffee podcast was recently featured on ⁠Feedspot's global list of the Top 45 motivational podcasts for Students⁠. This list is based on a combination of social media reach, podcast audience on major podcast platforms, and the amount of people sharing and interacting with the content. The Dr Coffee Podcast appears at number 24. Check it out! 2 June 2023 is the date of the annual CRAZY SOCKS 4 DOCS initiative, which is all about shining a light on mental health of doctors. Multiple studies have demonstrated that not only do our South African doctors have a higher prevalence of depression than our general population, they also have a higher prevalence of burnout than doctors in other countries, with a higher incidence of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. These same studies also show that due to the stigma associated with mental health disorders, denial or just pure lack of awareness, South African doctors with depression or burnout do not seek help or treatment. The WARDWORX APP are on a mission to change that. To encourage conversations, break the stigma, and remind you that you aren't alone, and it's okay to not be okay. Click the link below to visit the WardWorx Linktree for more information on Crazy Socks 4 Docs, and visit their instagram for a chance to WIN special edition SOX for yourself and your team mates! Important links and resources mentioned in this episode: The Dr Coffee Podcast Linktree - https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza Google Form [collaborate with us] - https://forms.gle/tfWyJxMh9FqMjQJY9 Feedspot's global list of the Top 45 motivational podcasts for Students Crazy Socks 4 Docs - What is CS4D? https://www.crazysocks4docs.com.au/ WardWorx and Crazy Socks for Docs - https://linktr.ee/wardworxCS4D WardWorx App - https://linktr.ee/Wardworx If you have feedback on this episode, please get in touch and send us an email to drcoffeeza@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!

This special episode of the Dr Coffee Podcast, we feature a non-profit organisation doing amazing work in our community and country. It's our pleasure to present this episode in collaboration with the Smile Foundation SA and Burnshield. The month of May has been marked as Burns Awareness Month by the National Burns Association of South Africa (NBASA), with a key focus on the week between the 6th and 12th of May 2023. I was privileged and honoured to be invited to the Smile Foundation offices in Hyde park, Johannesburg, to discuss "burns awareness week", as well as the Smile Foundation Smile week occurring at the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital, sponsored by Burnshield. My guests today are Kim Robertson Smith, the CEO of Smile Foundation, Cara Garnitz, the head of Marketing at Burnshield, and Brian Smith, the donor officer at Smile Foundation. They educated and inspired me with the incredible work of the Smile Foundation and the amazing products produced by Burnshield, definitely an important part of the acute management of all kinds of burns on all skin types for all ages of patients. Links to Smile Foundation and Burnshield 1. Smile Foundation: Email: info@smilefoundationsa.org Volunteer - https://smilefoundationsa.org/volunteer/ Linktree - https://linktr.ee/SmileFoundationSA Donate: https://smilefoundationsa.org/public-donations/ 2. Burnshield Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BurnshieldZA Twitter: https://twitter.com/BurnshieldZA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/burnshieldza/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLscPDNPN7eNegtWVMhpVvQ Whatsapp Burn Bot: wa.me/+27872502876?text=Hi As always, If you have feedback on this episode, please get in touch and send us an email to drcoffeeza@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!

Welcome to this special episode of the Dr Coffee Podcast, produced in collaboration with the Wits Students' Physician Society. In this episode, we're talking all about the Graduate Entry into Medicine Program (GEMP) at the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) in Johannesburg, South Africa. A podcast in two parts, this episode was recorded at a live event which took place on the 26th of April 2023 at the Faculty of Health Sciences lecture halls at WITS. The event was well-attended, and recorded in front of a live audience of prospective medical students who wanted to learn more about GEMP and the WITS Additional Placement Test (WAPT). In part 1, I'm joined by 4 current medical students at WITS to explain our journeys into GEMP. We'll share a lot of practical advice along the way and I'm sure you'll be able to identify with parts of our stories, whether you're currently a medical student or considering studying medicine at Wits.  In Part 2, our panel dives further into some more specific questions about the WAPT exam and GEMP, as well as sharing a little more about what you can expect once you are accepted into medicine, so be sure to tune into part 2 as well.  1. WITS GEMP website - https://www.wits.ac.za/health/gemp/ 2. AMP'd for the WAPT Twitter - https://twitter.com/ampd4wapt?lang=en Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ampd4thewapt/?hl=en Telegram group - https://t.me/joinchat/Vlkgs9ttCGIUlYil Google Drive - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1D1uBsYCsG9VbyQxsDWdUCUDXp8oJBYTD 3. The WITS Students' Physician Society Email: thephysiciansociety@gmail.com Instagram: @wits_physician_soc - https://www.instagram.com/wits_physician_soc/ YouTube: The Wits Students' Physician Society - https://www.youtube.com/@thewitsstudentsphysicansoc220 4. The Dr Coffee Podcast Email: drcoffeeza@gmail.com Instagram: @drcoffeeza - https://www.instagram.com/drcoffeeza/ YouTube: Dr Coffee ZA Podcast Platforms: The Dr Coffee Podcast

Welcome (again) to this special episode of the Dr Coffee Podcast, produced in collaboration with the Wits Students' Physician Society. In this episode, we're talking all about the Graduate Entry into Medicine Program (GEMP) at the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) in Johannesburg, South Africa. A podcast in two parts, this episode was recorded at a live event which took place on the 26th of April 2023 at the Faculty of Health Sciences lecture halls at WITS. The event was well-attended, and recorded in front of a live audience of prospective medical students who wanted to learn more about GEMP and the WITS Additional Placement Test (WAPT). To recap, in part 1, our panelists explained their journeys into GEMP. Now in Part 2, our panel addressed specific questions about the WAPT exam and GEMP that were submitted via a google form in the weeks leading up the event. We had an overwhelming response, and were able to aggregate the questions to ensure we provided the most helpful answers possible to the most possible people. You'll also learn a little more about what you can expect once you are accepted into medicine, and what the student timetable is like in the 4 years of GEMP. 1. WITS GEMP website - https://www.wits.ac.za/health/gemp/ 2. AMP'd for the WAPT Twitter - https://twitter.com/ampd4wapt?lang=en Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ampd4thewapt/?hl=en Telegram group - https://t.me/joinchat/Vlkgs9ttCGIUlYil Google Drive - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1D1uBsYCsG9VbyQxsDWdUCUDXp8oJBYTD 3. The WITS Students' Physician Society Email: thephysiciansociety@gmail.com Instagram: @wits_physician_soc - https://www.instagram.com/wits_physician_soc/ YouTube: The Wits Students' Physician Society - https://www.youtube.com/@thewitsstudentsphysicansoc220 4. The Dr Coffee Podcast Email: drcoffeeza@gmail.com Instagram: @drcoffeeza - https://www.instagram.com/drcoffeeza/ YouTube: Dr Coffee ZA Podcast Platforms: The Dr Coffee Podcast https://linktr.ee/drcoffeeza

Welcome to episode 32! This week we dive into the topic of locum work - freelancing as a medical professional in a practice that is not your own. This can be an extremely rewarding and profitable work option for junior doctors after internship and community service years, and has the added benefit of giving the medical professional a measure of autonomy and freedom, while you explore your interests and build your portfolio. As such, of course this makes it an important topic for junior doctors and medical students.  Our guests this episode: This episode of the podcast we're featuring LocumBase.com, the independent online booking and management platform connecting freelance medical professionals and practices. You can visit their website https://www.locumbase.com/ or their socials here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/locumbase/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LocumBase/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/locumbase/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LocumBase Zulé Vuuren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zule-vuuren/ Jovana Harkhu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/missjovanaharkhu/ Important links from this week's episode: If you would like to partner with the Dr Coffee Podcast, either by collaborating on an event for medical students or junior doctors, sponsoring a segment or an episode of the podcast, or purchasing advertising time, please get in touch with us via email or our new contact form, available here and on our Linktree at linketr.ee/drcoffeeza - https://forms.gle/FN71kurimdzXruhN6 AMP'd for the WAPT is a student-led pre-med mentoring group that provides notes, summaries and encouragement for those preparing to write the WAPt exam and enter GEMP. You can find their Telegram group via their social media channels: Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. The Graduate Entry to Medicine Program (GEMP) at the University of the Witwatersrand: https://www.wits.ac.za/health/gemp/ Our Book Reviewed: Autopsy - Life in the trenches with a forensic pathologist in Africa (Ryan Blumenthal). Jonathan Ball Publishers. Buy it here: https://www.takealot.com/autopsy/PLID69358159 If you have feedback on this episode, please get in touch. The podcast's email address is drcoffeeza@gmail.com. We're also on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, with the username “@DrCoffeeZA". While you're here, please consider leaving a review or rating of the podcast on whatever platform you're currently listening on. If you enjoyed this episode, you may want to check out our other episodes, or share with a friend who think might be interested. You can find the Dr Coffee Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. Thank you for listening and have a great week!

Welcome to episode 31! In this week's coffee with consultants feature, we break new ground by featuring our first interview with a consultant from the Western Cape! Thanks to the nomination of their intern curator by a number of the Groote Schuur interns, I had the immense privilege and honour of interviewing hepatologist Professor Mark Sonderup at the Liver Clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital.  Professor Mark Sonderup is an internal medicine physician and specialist Hepatologist at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH). He has research interests in the treatment of chronic and acute liver diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis and drug-induce liver injuries. We discussed his journey into and through medicine, including his pharmacy degree which he completed prior to entering medicine at UCT, his internship experiences, and what led to him choosing to specialise in internal medicine, with the experience of becoming a registrar at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis in South Africa, as well as some of the interesting factors around that time such as the HIV-denialism that had wide-reaching implications for patients and the public health system. In the latter half of this episode, we also discussed his role mentoring, monitoring and guiding interns and medical students, and some of the observations he has made from this and what advice he has for junior doctors. If you're someone who has been grappling with indecision, or experienced self-doubt in your journey to becoming and being a doctor, you'll definitely want to stick around for that because it is seriously rich and wise insight and advice to digest and take to heart. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation and I'm sure you will as well. For more information about anything we discussed in this episode, or to share your thoughts on it, send an email to drcoffeeza@gmail.com.

Welcome to episode 30! In this week's coffee with consultants feature, I had the immense privilege and honour of interviewing Dr Efrat Barnes, a clinician at the Teddy Bear Clinic, an important part of the Teddy Bear Foundation's work against child abuse in all its forms, as well as a neurodevelopmental specialist at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.  Dr Efrat is a fantastic human being, a mother, a wife, and a doctor working to save and improve the lives of children who have either been through intense trauma or are at serious risk of harm. She has also been through extreme trials over the past three years in her own physical and mental health - something we address during the interview - and has so much to share with you - the listeners of the Dr Coffee Podcast, to enlarge your understanding and equip you for being a better doctor. It's almost impossible to overstate the importance of the work the Teddy Bear Clinic is doing, as an important medico-legal and forensic clinic for assessing victims and their families and building cases that ultimately put the perpetrators of abuse behind bars. In addition, they offer counselling and support services to victims and families, conduct outreach and education programmes, and train multi-disciplinary teams as well as specialists such as paediatric registrars and consultants to diagnose, treat and refer in cases of all forms of abuse. This episode, which only *touches* the surface of what Dr Efrat and the Teddy Bear Clinic does, is part of our desire and effort on the Dr Coffee Podcast to spotlight topics that are especially important to practising medicine in South Africa. Of course, we love podcasts, and there are many podcasts available about the wide world of medicine and surgery and the array of subspecialties within them, but few that are set in a South African context and address uniquely South African problems and solutions. It is a privilege to be able to contribute to the conversation and development of junior doctors and medical students in South Africa. In addition to this episode, we hope to have Dr Efrat Barnes on the podcast for a future panel discussion episode we have planned all about the problem of Gender-based violence in our country, so watch out for that. It goes without saying that the nature of the content of this episode of the Dr Coffee podcast may be triggering to some listeners, so please be advised, and do reach out for help if necessary. Thank you again to our special guest, Dr Efrat Barnes, for sharing so freely from her professional and personal life. If you have feedback on what you thought of this episode or anything else on your mind, please get in touch. The podcast's email address is ⁠drcoffeeza@gmail.com⁠. We're also on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠ and ⁠Youtube⁠. Submit a voice message to the Dr Coffee Podcast ⁠here⁠: https://anchor.fm/simon-fraser8/message Lastly, while you're here, please leave a rating or review of the podcast! Consider sharing this episode with fellow junior doctors and medical students in your world who you think would benefit from the content and enjoy it. Thank you so much for your support!

BUYING A CAR - whether new off the showroom floor or secondhand - is one of the biggest financial commitments a young professional can make. For junior doctors especially, the opportunity to purchase a motor vehicle usually comes only after 6 years (or longer) of hard work as a student, and with a sudden increase in financial resources and funding models. Many banks and financial institutions are willing to offer large amounts of credit finance to graduated doctors at appealing interest rates, banking on the future success of these young professionals and their earning potential. While the decision of what car to purchase may seem a daunting one, applying a number of important principles to your search can make doing your due diligence an adventure and significantly easier. In this episode of the Dr Coffee Podcast, I interviewed Matthew Kanniah [Heart of Motion], a motoring journalist and professional car-content creator who is one of South Africa's leading young voices when it comes to cars. Matthew provides 'new-generation' knowledge of the motoring industry and the finance options available from dealers to buyers, as well as the latest features and perks to watch out for in new model cars. We were joined by Sebastian Karsas, co-owner and director at Car Sales Exclusive, who not only provided a brilliant setting for our interview in their garage surrounded by luxury cars, but also weighed in to the discussion with his experience of the secondhand motor vehicle industry in South Africa and the value proposition to young professionals seeking to buy a new car with a bit of 'flex' without breaking the budget. You can check them out at https://carsalesexclusive.co.za/, or simply search Car Sales Exclusive on Google. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation, and I'm sure you will as well. This episode might not tell you exactly which model of car is best for you, but by the end of it you should have a much clearer idea about what sort of car buyer you are and what deal suits you best, so you can make the best decision possible in finding a car that is 'fit for purpose' and makes your travels a pleasure. In addition, it's worth noting that this podcast episode was almost "the most-anticipated interview that didn't make it". That's because of some significant challenges in post-production, particularly with the audio, so I am extremely happy that we're all finally able to enjoy this episode, more than three months after recording. Check out the video interview in full HD on YouTube - I think it deserves the 1hr20minute runtime, and I hope you'll agree by subscribing to the channel on YouTube, liking and sharing this episode, and engaging in the comments. If you have feedback on what you thought of this episode or anything else on your mind, please get in touch. The podcast's email address is drcoffeeza@gmail.com. We're also on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube.