From Walvis Bay to Pretoria: My journey at medical school
Maurice Hinterholzer, a medical student at the University of Pretoria (South Africa), top NSSCH candidate of 2019.
My journey these past two years has taught me a great deal – more than I ever could have imagined possible. From my humble beginnings in Walvis Bay, all the way to the University of Pretoria’s medical campus in South Africa – it has all been nothing short of the privilege of a lifetime.
From studying Greek and Latin words in medical terminology in first year to dissecting cadavers in second year, to meeting many great people who have grown to become close friends – I sometimes cannot help but be overwhelmed with gratitude.
The highlight so far was holding and studying (amongst others) a human heart and brain – a heart that beat approximately 3 239 913 600 times over the course of the patient’s 77-year life. Equally, words cannot describe the humbling experience of working with the human brain… It is a privilege to have held in my hands a lifetime worth of memories, knowledge, and experience.
I look forward to the next four years at varsity and the time afterwards. Many wise mentors have taught me the importance of knowing that education is never complete. We are all, in essence, destined to be lifelong learners. Almost nothing ever stays the same – we need to be adaptable, resilient, and innovative. If anything, Covid-19 hammered this concept home to all of us.
My wish for the youth of Namibia is that we never forget that we are not studying merely for the sake of studying. We are studying for the future of our families, our communities, and our nation. We are the future of Namibia. Namibia is in our hands.
My journey these past two years has taught me a great deal – more than I ever could have imagined possible. From my humble beginnings in Walvis Bay, all the way to the University of Pretoria’s medical campus in South Africa – it has all been nothing short of the privilege of a lifetime.
From studying Greek and Latin words in medical terminology in first year to dissecting cadavers in second year, to meeting many great people who have grown to become close friends – I sometimes cannot help but be overwhelmed with gratitude.
The highlight so far was holding and studying (amongst others) a human heart and brain – a heart that beat approximately 3 239 913 600 times over the course of the patient’s 77-year life. Equally, words cannot describe the humbling experience of working with the human brain… It is a privilege to have held in my hands a lifetime worth of memories, knowledge, and experience.
I look forward to the next four years at varsity and the time afterwards. Many wise mentors have taught me the importance of knowing that education is never complete. We are all, in essence, destined to be lifelong learners. Almost nothing ever stays the same – we need to be adaptable, resilient, and innovative. If anything, Covid-19 hammered this concept home to all of us.
My wish for the youth of Namibia is that we never forget that we are not studying merely for the sake of studying. We are studying for the future of our families, our communities, and our nation. We are the future of Namibia. Namibia is in our hands.
Kommentaar
Republikein
Geen kommentaar is op hierdie artikel gelaat nie