Meet SA’s Youngest Doctor-Sandile Khubeka

There was never a doubt that this young man would turn out to be a brainiac. At a very early age, Sandile Khubeka was already ahead of his peers all his life when it comes to academic achievement, and at 15 years he was completing his matric. He leap-frogged years at school and eventually made headlines as the youngest person in SA to qualify as a medic.

South Africa’s youngest doctor……

-He became a doctor at the age of 20.  He’s currently serving his internship at three hospitals – Greys, Edendale and Northdale in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

He is passionate about:

-He attributes his success and strong will to the batho pele (“people first”) principle he learnt at medical school.

Supportive individuals in the field:

-He has a strong support structure of senior doctors and mentors in the medical fraternity.

Before he studied medicine:

-Medicine wasn’t his original choice of career. At high school, Kubheka excelled in computer studies and envisaged ending up in IT or the electronics industry. “Then, towards the end of my high school years, some of my teachers planted the seed of becoming a doctor in me.

What motivated him:

-During school holidays, I enjoyed volunteering and helping people, and my teachers thought I should consider rocking a white coat. I applied to medical school,

His graduation:

-Sandile completing a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree before turning 21.

What Sandile is busy with now:

-Kubheka’s internship will end at the end of 2015, after which he plans to specialise in internal medicine and, eventually, in endocrinology.

His other achievements:

– He was recognized as Young South African of the Year in 2014 .

-He is an Ambassador of SANBS .

– He was nominated by the MTV Base AMA

– He was part of the top 200 Young South Africans’ list by Mail & Guardian•