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Description
Why Did I Become A Doctor - Real Stories from Professionals Who Chose Their Path
Honest conversations about career, calling, and life choices. Unfiltered journeys of doctors, dentists, nurses, engineers, accountants, and professionals across South Africa and beyond.
In-depth interviews exploring professional pressures, burnout, career pivots, mental health, and the moments that made people question their calling.
What You'll Find:
✨ Raw conversations with diverse professionals
🎯 Resilience, burnout & career change stories
💡 Medicine, dentistry, nursing, engineering, finance & more
🔥 Unexpected journeys (doctors → musicians, engineers → car reviewers!)
New episodes every two weeks.
Connect with us: 📧 info@whydidibecomeadoctor.com 📱 Instagram: @whydidibecomeadoctorpodcast 📱 TikTok: @why.did.i.become 📱 Twitter: @WhyBecomeaDoc
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed by guests on "Why Did I Become A Doctor" are those of the individual guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcast, its hosts, or producers. Content shared on this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered medical or professional advice.
33 Episodes
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In this episode, we sit down with Dr Ridhwaan Haffajee, a Cape Town-based prosthodontist who shares his journey from general dentistry to specialisation, the realities of running a private dental practice, and what it truly means to "choose your hard" in healthcare. Dr Haffajee explains what prosthodontists actually do—specialist dentists who handle advanced dental rehabilitation and maxillofacial structures—and discusses the financial realities of commission-based dental work. He shares hone...
As 2025 closes, Dr Yak and Dr Yash reflect on their first full calendar year of the podcast. This candid conversation covers the real story behind the show's launch, mental health challenges in healthcare, unexpected growth, and the community that's formed around honest career conversations. Two cousins who happen to be doctors, sharing gratitude for a year of authentic storytelling with healthcare professionals across South Africa. 🎙️ Why Did I Become A Doctor shares honest, unscripted conve...
What do a Ferrari and flowers have in common? They both changed Dr Faizel Mansoor's life in ways he never expected. In this conversation, Faizel - Vice Chair of the South African Dental Association, the person who brought Myobrace to South Africa, and founder of the TMJ Centre and Fresher Breath - shares the unfiltered truth about his 20-year journey in dentistry. From wanting to drive a Ferrari like his classmate's dentist father, to building multiple businesses, navigating burnout, facing r...
This conversation started with a 270 Rand LinkedIn Premium subscription. Dr Yash Naidoo spotted Dr Ryan Noach one morning, realised who he was, and decided to slide into his DMs despite having zero connections. That small risk led to this remarkable conversation. Dr Noach is the ex-CEO of Discovery Health, ex-COO of Netcare Group, helicopter pilot, and current CEO of DNI. But what makes this interview compelling isn't the CV - it's his honesty about the journey. He opens up about still feelin...
Dr Ebrahim "Ebi" Patel is a dentist with a special interest in endodontics, former Head of Preclinical Teaching at Wits University, and Clinical Director at Thinc Clinic. In this conversation, he shares his unconventional journey into dentistry, his passion for root canal treatment, and why he believes it's never too late to change your career. In this episode, we discuss: Why he switched from paediatrics to dentistry without ever shadowing a dentistThe moment in dental school when a lecturer...
Dr. Riaad Moosa hasn't practised medicine since 2003 - but he's still "Doctor" (in inverted commas) to millions of South Africans who grew up watching Material and the Pure Monate Show. In this revealing conversation, the legendary comedian opens up about the melancholic introvert behind the microphone, why comedy is "temporary relief for pain," and the night he bombed so badly that even Victor Matfield couldn't sit through 7 minutes of his set. WHAT WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: - Growing u...
Dr. Norman Cahi has been called the "dentist to the stars" - but his 45-year journey in dentistry tells a much deeper story than the glamorous Instagram posts suggest. From practising without gloves in the 1980s to pioneering teeth whitening in South Africa, Dr. Cahi shares the brutally honest truth about life as a dentist - including the parts nobody talks about. WHAT WE DISCUSS IN THIS EPISODE: - Growing up Lebanese in Bloemfontein and the values that shaped him - The moment he got 32% a...
Dr. Navin Naidoo is a medical doctor, qualified lawyer, and medicinal cannabis prescriber practising in Australia. His journey spans three countries, multiple careers, and a relentless pursuit of patient advocacy. In this episode, Dr. Naidoo shares: His childhood in apartheid-era Laudium, Pretoria, and losing vision in one eye at age 13Why he pursued both medical and law degrees whilst running a GP practiceNavigating diamond mining operations in South Africa's Northwest ProvinceRelocating his...
This is a conversation I never expected to have such emotional weight. Dr. Alasdair McKelvie has been the voice of reason for thousands of South African dentists facing their most difficult professional moments. As Head of Dental Services, South Africa at Dental Protection, he's the person practitioners call when everything goes wrong. But Alasdair's journey to this role was far from planned. Originally wanting to be a pilot, then failing to get into medical school, he reluctantly entered den...
Dr Lerumo Motla's path from rural Limpopo to becoming a specialist trauma surgeon is a story of resilience, unexpected turns, and the healing power of medicine. In this medical career interview, we explore surgical training, trauma surgery, and healthcare in South Africa. After losing his mother at age 7, Lerumo was raised by his aunt and grandmother while his father operated taxis. A high school teacher's suggestion to consider medicine over chemical engineering would change everything. But ...
Dr Mary Dawjee, daughter of the legendary Prof Dawjee, shares her transformative journey from repeatedly quitting dental school to pioneering holistic dentistry in Cape Town. In this candid conversation, she reveals how a life-threatening burnout led to profound personal growth and a revolutionary approach to patient care. This episode explores themes of family legacy, professional burnout, diabetes management, and the courage to redefine success on your own terms. Dr Dawjee's story offers ho...
Dr Warren King's story defies every career convention. From growing up on a Brixton council estate to becoming a doctor at King's College London, to abandoning medicine entirely for music production in South Africa - this is a conversation you won't forget. Warren's journey began as a teenage musician touring with major artists like Sugababes and Destiny's Child. But when gigs dried up, he literally Googled "highest paid jobs in the world" and decided to become a doctor. After seven grueling ...
What happens when childhood bullying leads to a life-changing transformation that sparks an entire career? Meet Dr Rohini Bisaal - a dentist, former model, and social media influencer with over 100K followers who proves that our greatest challenges can become our greatest purpose. In this inspiring episode, Dr Bisaal shares how being called "Bugs Bunny" and bullied at school led her to get braces - a transformation so profound it redirected her entire life toward dentistry. But her story does...
What does it take to break through systemic barriers and build lasting wealth? Prof Dilip Garach shares his remarkable journey from being thrown out of university registration for refusing to wear a tie, to becoming South Africa's Financial Planner of the Year. In this candid conversation, Prof Garach reveals why most professionals - including doctors and dentists - struggle to build real wealth despite high incomes. He shares invaluable insights on tax planning, wealth preservation, and the ...
“South Africa is my home. I’ve lived here for 30 years..." In this episode, Dr Yash Naidoo and Dr Yak Lindy sit down with orthopaedic surgeon Dr Hooman Eshraghi for a conversation that blends surgical precision with deep personal reflection. Dr Eshraghi shares the moment he fell in love with orthopaedics, how mentorship shaped his career, and why he’s proud to call South Africa home. From padel injuries and parenting to Persian identity and accidental Discovery Vitality adverts — this is a st...
In this special episode of Why Did I Become a Doctor, host Dr Yash Naidoo sits down with someone who has quietly shaped his life and inspired countless others — his father-in-law, Dr Gitesh Rampersadh. A specialist gynaecologist and former obstetrician, Dr Rampersadh speaks with rare humility about the early days of private practice, the strain it placed on his young family, and the financial pressures and difficult decisions behind the scenes. This isn’t just a look back — it’s a message for...
In this episode, Dr Yash Naidoo speaks to one of South Africa’s most respected orthodontists — Dr Mark Wertheimer. They explore: • His path from childhood dental fear to global orthodontic leadership • The realities of specialist training in South Africa • The ethical crossroads facing modern dentistry • Leadership insights from SASO, SADA, and beyond • How commercial pressures are reshaping patient care It’s a candid, thoughtful, and often humorous conversation that reveals what really lies ...
KC Makhubele never became a doctor — but today, he leads the doctors and dentists of South Africa. In this episode, KC sits down with Dr Yash Naidoo and Dr Yak Lindy to reflect on the journey that took him from herding cattle in Matiyani village, to studying medicine at UCT, to ultimately becoming CEO of the South African Dental Association (SADA). KC speaks candidly about leadership, failure, faith, and finding his purpose — even when the plan didn’t go according to script. 🎧 Expect re...
From grassroots public health to flying on private jets with Bollywood royalty — Dr Neeraj Mistry has lived a life of extraordinary contrasts. In this wide-ranging conversation with Dr Yash Naidoo and co-host Dr Yak Lindy, he shares candid insights on ego, masculinity, influence, privilege, and the realities of changing systems from within. From early lessons at men’s health clinics to strategic communications in Washington D.C., Dr Mistry’s journey reveals what it really takes to move people...
If your boss controls your future, you’ve already given too much away. In this powerful and emotional episode, Elton Lau joins Dr Yash Naidoo and Dr Yak Lindy for an honest conversation about leadership, mindset, and breaking out of toxic career patterns. Elton shares the defining moments that shaped his worldview — from early realisations about fear and power, to building a business grounded in values. 🎓 Learn more about Meta You, Elton’s SAMA-accredited CPD ethics course that helps healthca...
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