​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 Ru Baker.“Life’s too short to try and impress people," says first year MB,ChB student and Meerhoff resident Ru Baker. “Be your own person and don’t try to copy others.” This is also the message he would like to give to teenagers if he could. "Do what you love and don’t let others influence your decisions." It’s no wonder then that for this Durbanite the word “success” means someone who has established a life of their own doing and who enjoys every day of their life. “If you aren’t happy, you can’t be successful.”Baker, a sport enthusiast who loves surfing, golf and hockey (he was even chosen for the South African under-16 hockey and under-17 indoor hockey squads), grew up having two parents as doctors and is still motivated by the example they set. “Seeing how much they achieved makes me want to emulate that.”He hopes to one day be a surgeon and to always try and remember why he chose this career.Did you know…

• His favourite TV character is Joey Tribbiani from Friends. Baker believes they share the same passion for (eating) food.
• He loves all food and is not particularly picky.
• He can even make chocolate brownies (with assistance).
• If he only had R50 in his wallet, he would buy some food.
• If he could write a message on a giant billboard it would be “If you get hungry, eat”.