Schoolgirls learn from women’s various fields
GYNAECOLOGIST Candice Roberts is often asked why she chose her career.
Her answer is simple: she feels she can relate to women and would like to make them feel as comfortable as possible.
Roberts was speaking at an all-girls summit held at Durban Girls’ College.
The theme for this year’s Girl.talk is ‘Success Demands Purpose’, which inspires girls to do more and be more.
It was attended by 149 delegates from 35 schools, including the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy.
“In many fields of medicine, people are deemed sick
“But in my field, dealing with pregnancy and birth and gynaecology, has everything pertaining to the health of women of all ages.
“It’s all about life, the miracle of foetal development and childbirth, health, empowering women and working out puzzles that are very often related to the mind-body connection.
“This can be very stimulating,” Roberts said.
“Very rarely are any of my patients actually ill.
“I wanted to pursue this field to make women of all ages feel as comfortable as possible and empowered by putting ourselves in their shoes in many aspects of every day,” she added.
Roberts obtained her medical degree from UCT in 1997
After completing her internship and community service, she returned to Durban in January 2000 to specialise in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
She has travelled to Hlabisa, Manguzi and Nongoma to assist with various issues/ complications that arise in her speciality.
Her message to young girls is not to allow their achievements to define who they are but their attitudes.
Other female speakers included Burn Surgeon Dr Nikki Allorto; Neurosurgeon, Nomusa Shezi; pilot Refilwe Ledwaba and Durban entertainer Lisa Bobbert.