Final year student at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine Mr Mohamed Hoosen Suleman is a recipient of a SA Top Five National Medical Students Award.
The Alliance of the South African Independent Practitioners Association (ASAIPA) recently announced the list of recipients, hosted a prestigious ceremony where the awards were conferred. Suleman was the only winner from KZN.
It was a high-level event with distinguished guests and healthcare professionals in attendance from all over South Africa. The ASAIPA executive committee applied stringent criteria for the selection of winners, considering academic results and reports, leadership roles and duties, and community service and upliftment.
Various heads of departments at the Medical School congratulated Suleman as did the KZN Department of Health.
ASAIPA said in a statement: ‘Suleman’s remarkable academic achievements and outstanding contributions to health excellence in the country have truly set him apart. His accolades, coupled with his dedication and perseverance, have distinguished him as an ideal candidate for a South African Top Five National Medical Students Award. His continued passion and endless drive for academic excellence serve as an inspiration not only to his colleagues and peers but to the medical fraternity at large. This award is a testament to his exceptional talent, leadership, and commitment to advancing medicine and science in South Africa.’
Suleman, whose professional CV already runs to more than 54 pages, continues to demonstrate academic excellence with exemplary leadership qualities. He is a multi-award-winner whose efforts have been recognised both locally and internationally in the betterment of heath care.
UKZN describes him as a student who truly embodies its core principles and ideals of Inspiring Greatness.
His work towards curtailing the spread of antimicrobial resistance has already been recognised and rewarded by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The aspiring medical doctor recently returned from Austria where he was invited by the Medical University of Graz to present his article on vaccines alongside his colleague Mr Saien Govender.
He also participated in a variety of round table discussions in Austria speaking on pressing health issues.
Among Suleman’s most notable achievements is being awarded the prestigious Changemaker Scholarship at the WHO Convention in Switzerland in 2022.
He was shortlisted to represent South Africa in the medical youth delegation to the WHO at the annual World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva in both 2022 and 2023
He was further given the 100 South African Shining Stars Award by Inside Education in December last year, while the Mail and Guardian ranked Suleman in its 17th edition as being among the top 200 Young South Africans under the age of 35.
He has been widely recognised and lauded for his academic excellence, leadership roles, and community service.
Said Suleman: ‘It is truly an honour and a privilege for me to receive this token of national recognition. I remain humbled and deeply grateful to the ASAIPA Executive Committee for the selection and for deeming me worthy of such an accolade. I am equally grateful to my parents and siblings for their continuous support and encouragement. The award will serve as a means of motivation for me to keep contributing to healthcare betterment in some small way.’
Suleman attained his Bachelor of Pharmacy degree with Honours at the UKZN in 2018, graduating summa cum laude. He attained distinctions for every module in every semester.
In the same year, he received the 50th Anniversary Endowment Scholarship Award, which is given to only one student in the College of Health Sciences at UKZN and is based solely on academic merit.
In addition to being a high-level academic achiever, Suleman is a devoted community servant, avid public speaker and advocate for change.
He hopes to specialise in the medical field after completing his mandatory years of internship and community service.
