UKZN medical student appointed president of SAMSA

Tivana Chellan, a fifth-year Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery student at the UKZN Medical School in Durban, has been elected national president of the South African Medical Students Association (SAMSA) for 2021.

SAMSA is a national non-profit organisation comprising medical students from various medical schools across the country. Essentially, this organisation is run by medical students for medical students. SAMSA members serve on a voluntary basis, and have a passion for both medicine and creating positive change in South Africa and globally.

Chellan, who served as the Chairperson of SAMSA in KwaZulu-Natal last year, has been involved in initiatives to curb the spread of COVID-19 through public health empowerment initiatives, tackling misinformation, and the ICARE SAMSA project as well as #MzansiUthuleleni, and IForYOUth, which sought to tackle racism and gender-based violence and empower the youth.

Chellan has also worked in the public health arena.

"I am looking forward to starting my new position as national president and hope to lead South African students and the youth towards innovation and impactful service within the national public health domain," said Chellan.

Words: Lihle Sosibo