Alumni Event

In May of this year, the Wits Students’ Surgical Society hosted our first Alumni Event in celebration of the Society’s 15th anniversary. What began as a cool winter’s afternoon at Parreirinha Restaurante in Melrose Arch soon turned into an evening filled with warmth and laughter, reliving the incredible memories of the past 15 years and learning more about the rich history of our beloved society.

For me, it was heartwarming to see familiar faces I’d had the privilege of working alongside, catching up with my self-made family, and hearing about their current studies and careers. While not every alumnus could attend, as many are now busy doctors, I had the privilege of reaching out to several older members I hadn’t met before. It was wonderful getting to know them through WhatsApp and hearing their stories. Some of our alumni now work overseas and are pursuing further studies in exciting fields of medicine, while many have remained close to home, continuing to make a remarkable impact within South Africa’s medical landscape and striving for better care for our citizens.

We had a few speeches on the day from our current President, Julianna Marques, and our

Head of Events, Chirag Singh. We also heard from one of our alumni members, Clara Fourie, who is currently in her final year at Wits and served as Vice President in 2022. She spoke about her journey with SurgSoc and how it remains one of her greatest privileges. Clara shared how our workshops gave her a valuable edge in the clinical space, helping her build confidence and practical skills, while the connections she made along the way have continued to support her whenever challenges arise.

The Alumni Event was a wonderful day of strengthening friendships, connecting new and old members, learning about each other’s journeys, and gaining invaluable advice on how to navigate medical school more effectively. I truly hope this marks the beginning of many more Alumni Events, opportunities to reconnect with the Society’s founding members and continue growing our network across the ever-expanding world of medicine.