So you want to be a doctor? Here’s what to expect

Oftentimes, people think that being a doctor is all about wearing a white coat and carrying a stethoscope after going through many years of medical school. However, it is much more than this. If you are considering choosing medicine as a career path, there are more expectations set upon you, and all of them are equally important.Good academic performance is necessary from secondary education, as this is the biggest determinant when it comes to acceptance into a good institution. Developing good discipline when it comes to studying is necessary because this will carry you through, not only medical school, but medicine is a lifelong learning journey. You will be expected to keep studying long after you have obtained your degree to avoid redundancy in the field.Provisional acceptance to many institutions will start the year before the intended academic year of study, which means you may need to apply with your grade 11/12 marks. After starting in medical school, you will juggle your time between lectures and clinical time at the hospital, which means that you will need to constantly be studying to keep up and not fall behind – so start good study habits now.You will be expected to make decisions affecting many people. You will need to have effective communication, management and leadership skills and always be expected to exhibit a high level of emotional maturity.A long road After you’ve completed medical school, you will need to register with the national health council as a medical intern. You will enter a two-year internship in the main domains of medicine at one of the bigger hospitals in the country, where you will be evaluated on different aspects, such as theoretical knowledge, skills, management of patients, resources, general attitude and behaviour. After the internship, you will then be considered a general practitioner who can work independently. You will also then be able to study further to become a specialist in a particular domain, for example, surgery, should you wish to do so.So, essentially, if you aspire to a career in healthcare – medicine in particular – the first step is to realise that it is a lifelong commitment that starts even before you enter a hospital. Stellar academic performance will form a good foundation for your journey; however, do not ignore the other components that you must also be willing to work on.AUTHOR BIO: Dr Bubbles Udjombala is an obstetrician-gynaecologist (OB/GYN) at Oshakati Intermediate Hospital. She earned her first degree, a bachelor of science in human life sciences and biology, from Stellenbosch University in South Africa.She went on to complete a second bachelor's degree, in medicine and surgery, at the University of Namibia. Dr Udjombala also serves as a domain trainer for interns in the Oshakati hospital’s obstetrics and gynaecology department and is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Namibia.

So you want to be a doctor? Here’s what to expect

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-23

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So you want to be a doctor? Here’s what to expect

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-23

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