Two years after being catapulted into the limelight, Dr Mosadi Mahoko – a plastic surgeon in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Stellenbosch University – is loving her job and relishing the opportunities and challenges that come with a more senior role in the Department of Surgical Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
In 2020, she became the first female black South African plastic surgeon to qualify from SU. She also won the Jack Penn Medal for the best result in South Africa for the 2019 final plastic surgery examinations. It was only the second time since its inception in 1995 that this medal had been awarded.
She remembers being speechless when she received the e-mail with the announcement.
“It was absolutely unreal. I didn’t go into the exam hoping for the medal. It’s a very difficult exam and I just wanted to pass.”
Being the recipient of the medal has brought her considerable exposure and she is grateful for the opportunities that have come her way. However, she has since realised that she did not really need the award as a validation of her journey as a doctor.
“There is always room to learn and improve but looking back I know I am where I was always meant to be, medal or not. It [the medal] doesn’t change how good you are as a surgeon, as a doctor, or as a person. It’s a nice to have, a nice pat on the back.”
She completed her time as a registrar at the beginning of 2021 and is now serving as one of the consultants in the Department. She also runs the cleft clinic, where a multidisciplinary team – including social workers, geneticists, speech therapists and surgeons – care for children born with cleft palates and lips.
“It’s a more educational role – I’m training other registrars and I’m pretty much operating every day. I’m also assisting private surgeons. One of my major interests is rhinoplasty (surgery that changes the shape of the nose), and we don’t do many such operations in the state environment. So, I’m upskilling in that way.”
Mosadi always knew she was going to apply to study medicine. Both her parents were nurses, and she was exposed to the medical field from a young age. She graduated from the University of Pretoria with her MBChB in 2006, after which she did a two-year internship at Groote Schuur Hospital, followed by a year of community service at the Manguzi Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal. She originally hoped to specialise in orthopedic surgery but could not get a position in this field. She then applied for a position in general surgery, where she was exposed to plastic surgery. That appealed to her, because it requires logic, creative thinking and problem-solving.
At Tygerberg, the main focus in this field is on reconstructive surgery, which includes cancer reconstruction and corrective surgery on abnormally shaped skulls, cleft palates, webbed fingers or toes, and burn scars, to name but a few.
“It is an extremely diverse field. No operation is exactly like the previous one. It keeps you stimulated and excited.”
Although she did not set out to emulate her mother, the late Professor Sophie Mahoko, former Dean of the School of Health Sciences at the University of Venda, Mosadi acknowledges the impact her mother’s hard work and determination had in her life.
“My mom was a strong woman, and her influence is obviously manifesting itself. I never thought I’d find myself in the academic field and stay on as an instructor. When I sat in my office at the University for the first time, I thought: ‘O my gosh, I’ve turned into my mother’!
“My mom passed away when I was 32, so she never got to know her daughter, the plastic surgeon. I think she would have been proud.
Although she sees herself in a private practice eventually, she plans to stay in the Department for at least a few years.
“I love where I am currently. Having moved into a senior role, I get to operate more, and I’m obviously more involved in decision-making and policy-making for the Department.”
When she is not working, she loves walking on the beach, cooking, fine dining and travelling, both locally and abroad.
- This is the first issue of our magazine for Maties alumni, and many of the stories reflect the resilience of the individual writ large.
If you are seeking a few life hacks or simple reminders about turning adversity into opportunity, do read on, Maties!
https://console.vpaper.ca/stellenbosch-university/always-a-matie-202301_eng/
