​As part of its 60th-anniversary celebrations, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is introducing 60 future healthcare professionals who are currently in their first year. Meet Nicola Hunter.

“The real disease we are fighting is not in found in our cells or tissues, but in our society,” says Nicola Hunter about the biggest challenge the medical profession faces.

Hunter, a first-year MB,ChB student at Stellenbosch University, believes healthcare and education are the keys to a better country.

Originally from Grahamstown, she would one day want to return to the Eastern Cape to work in the rural communities there. “The goal is to speak isiXhosa by then,” she adds.

After she started to noticed the widespread suffering, she decided to study towards a vocation that would allow her to do something meaningful and have an impact on people’s everyday lives.

It’s thanks to her grandparent’s efforts and savings that she was able follow her dream.

Though Hunter doesn’t believe in a single motto to live by (“it feels too limiting”), she does believe in working hard and playing hard. “I just want to learn, grow, explore and adventure.”Quick Q&A

• Is social media beneficial or a drawback? “It’s great for seeing what people are up to, but it’s far too addictive and consuming.”
• Message to adults? “Please accept the next generation, especially your own children, for who they are. Be generous with your giving of opportunities and forgiving of mistakes – we all have to start somewhere!”
• Who would you describe as successful? “JK Rowling. She started with nothing, then nurtured a passion and gave the world something unique and fantastic.”