A tale of two new consultants 💓

Every now and then, we walk the journey of accompanying the growth of different doctors on our paths. We grow and develop alongside these doctors, witnessing their hardships, tireless calls, difficult patients, and stressful situations.

I remember starting off as a medical officer when I met Dr. Naidoo and Dr. Schoeler. From the beginning, they were gentle souls and brilliant doctors, guiding and nurturing us alongside their own growth and development.

Dr. Naidoo began her journey as a medical officer at our beloved Stevey Bee in early March 2020. She subsequently secured her registrar post in 2021. Dr. Naidoo also completed her undergraduate studies right here at Steve — so you can imagine, Steve and Dr. Naidoo go way back. Dr. Schoeler joined our team in August 2021.

As a junior registrar, Dr. Naidoo’s favorite list was orthopaedics (without drama). This may seem like a distant memory now — probably because orthopaedics now comes with a “drama disclaimer.” In contrast, Dr. Schoeler’s favorite list included “Tand en Mond,” mostly because of the presence of Prof. Dippenaar, although she also acknowledges the amazing staff there. It truly is a nice, friendly environment!

As they grew wiser and more senior, Dr. Schoeler mentioned that her favorite evolved to paediatrics, especially close to exams, as the early days of radiotherapy left a lasting impression. Similarly, Dr. Naidoo’s favorite list developed toward paediatric cardiology.

Being at Stevey B, there will always be a long case waiting for the unsuspecting registrar. Our gentle new consultants were more than happy to provide insight, both clinical and non-clinical.

Dr. Naidoo’s clinical pearl: "Make sure that everything you do from an anaesthetic standpoint is neat and perfect from the start. Something that may seem like a small irritation (tangled lines, unchanged infusion pumps, positional lines, etc.) will become a huge problem in 10 hours."

Dr. Naidoo’s non-clinical pearl: "FOOD, FOOD, FOOD! Pack lunch, two dinners, and breakfast."

Dr. Schoeler’s clinical pearl: "Come early to prepare both physically and mentally."

Dr. Schoeler’s non-clinical pearl: "Bring enough food and snack often!"

Looking back at when it all started, we asked Drs. Naidoo and Schoeler what advice they would give their pre-exam selves. Dr. Naidoo responded, "All the hard work you’ve been putting in for months ahead of time is what will get you through. You can give yourself a chance to rest, even when the deadline is looming." This is a perfect reminder of the importance of work-life balance — all the sacrifices we make will be worth it in the end. Dr. Schoeler recommends that we start studying early and stick to our study plan, as there is a lot of study material and many different opinions.

When not excelling at work or studies, Dr. Schoeler loves reading romantic novels! She escapes reality into her picturesque books at every opportunity. Dr. Naidoo is currently catching up on Netflix — understandably so! She is also enjoying sleeping, painting, reading (only fiction!), getting back to the gym, bullet journaling, walking her dogs, and spending time with her family.

A heartfelt thank you to both of you for providing us with the opportunity to learn and grow alongside you. We deeply appreciate your guidance and teaching, and for being the wonderful colleagues that we know you to be. With the likelihood of Dr. Schoeler and Dr. Naidoo staying on as consultants, we are confident that everyone will respect them as our newest specialists.