Half a century after stepping onto the graduation stage as newly minted MBChB doctors, the University of Pretoria’s Class of 1975 returned to the Faculty of Health Sciences on 31 October 2025 for a reunion marked by nostalgia, laughter, and renewed purpose. 

Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Professor Flavia Senkubuge, opened the event with a heart-warming welcome, reminding the class that their bond was forged not only through rigorous training but through shared humanity. “Welcome home,” she aptly said. “By the time you leave after six years, you are no longer just classmates. You are lifelong friends. You are brothers in arms”. She reminded the room that medical school is not merely an academic journey but a profound passage that shapes identity, character and lifelong bonds. Summarising the six years of intense study, long nights, shared struggles and shared triumphs that bind medical students together; Professor Senkubuge acknowledged that they had not simply graduated with degrees but also gained “a family”. 

Professor Flavia Senkubuge

The Dean’s speech painted a vivid picture of the journey from the early days navigating anatomy and physiology, to demanding clinical rotations, to internship and beyond. She honoured the generation that laid the essential foundation for what the Faculty has become today. With heartfelt sincerity, Professor Senkubuge acknowledged that today’s leaders in the Faculty walk the path paved by those who came before: “People like me stand in the gap of the work that you have tirelessly worked for. We walk in the footsteps of incredible giants.”

Professor Senkubuge praised the MBChB Class of 1975 for their far-reaching impact on health systems locally and globally, remarking: “I have no doubt that I am seeing people who have charted an incredible path and made a significant contribution to the health system in our country.” She further encouraged the invaluable participation from the alumni to continue giving back through mentoring students, guest lecturing, and remaining connected to the Faculty. The Dean also paid tribute to the families whose unwavering support made their achievements and impact possible.

The day unfolded with humour, reflection, and a powerful keynote by Professor Emeritus Dion du Plessis whose irreplaceable mentorship to generations of medical students is invaluable. With humour and candour, he reminded the gathering of the enduring principles that define medicine, whilst issuing a bold call to embrace the future. “My good friends, you all look absolutely beautiful. I think this might be the best-dressed group in the entire Faculty,” he began, drawing laughter and applause. But soon, his message turned serious in an apt reflection of the medical landscape: “Adapt or die.” 

Professor Emeritus Dion du Plessis addressing the Class of 1975 alumni

Professor du Plessis spoke passionately and guided the room through a sweeping journey, from the days of traditional ward rounds to the disruptive realities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He described a world reshaped by pandemics, digital systems, artificial intelligence, telemedicine, and a global push toward personalised and remote care. The old order, he warned, is collapsing. “‘Business as usual’ is no longer good enough".

Professor du Plessis painted vivid scenes of a rapidly evolving landscape with drones delivering medication, robots assisting in surgeries, smart pills sending data to the cloud, gene-editing technologies reversing congenital illness, and virtual-reality tools transforming training. What once seemed futuristic, he argued, is already at the doorstep.

He made special mention of the rising leadership of women in medicine, an evolution he welcomed. “Medicine is increasingly being led by women… they are more empathetic, they know how to manage patients.” It was both a recognition and a celebration of the women who now shape the profession.
Throughout the address, Professor du Plessis repeatedly returned to the concept of the VUCA world: volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. Insisting that it demands a new kind of healthcare professional who is adaptable, visionary, and unafraid, as evidenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The administrative burden, aging populations, specialist shortages, and rising chronic disease epidemics make it urgent for doctors to rethink traditional models of care: “There is a new future. The best way to anticipate the future is to create it”. 

Professor du Plessis’ message to educators was equally direct: faculties must prepare students for a future defined by AI, big data, and consumer-driven healthcare. Telemedicine, personalised medicine, remote monitoring, and hybrid practice models are no longer optional but inevitable. “We cannot ignore these developments… We must train our doctors in virtual reality. It is going to be unimaginable what we will be doing in the future”. 

Professor du Plessis closed his keynote with a final, powerful challenge: “To rewire your brain and step into a new future, you must be bold… The choice is yours.” And a final echo of his initial sentiment, Professor du Plessis ended on a stark and unforgettable note, “Adapt or die.”

As with any true homecoming, nostalgia filled the room where memories resurfaced, stories returned to life, and the bonds forged half a century ago felt as vibrant as ever. Dr Ben Prinsloo, Class Captain, captured this spirit in a warm and humorous reflection on the class’s formative years. He honoured the professors who shaped their paths, the classmates who went on to serve in both rural and urban communities, and the enduring principles of humility, respect and patient-centred care that guided their journeys. His recollections drew laughter, knowing nods and moments of quiet remembrance from those who lived the same remarkable chapter.

From the familiar teaching labs of their student days to the cutting-edge simulation centre now leading the continent, the alumni were also given a glimpse into the very future Professor du Plessis had described. Professor Ronel Herselman, Head of the Health Sciences Centre for Simulation and Innovation, spoke about what was once the modest Skills Lab has since been transformed into a world-class training environment redefining how medicine is taught.

As the afternoon drew to a close, the Class of 1975 was invited to support the Class of 1975 Legacy Gateway Project, a meaningful tribute to their extraordinary journey and a lasting symbol of their imprint on the Prinshof South Campus. The event brought forth a renewed vision of the foundations their generation laid on which today’s advances stand. Reminding us that the future of medicine is shaped by those who dare to adapt, innovate, and lead with humanity. As the Faculty of Health Sciences, we honour their contribution with renewed purpose to build a more equitable, future-focused, and resilient health system worthy of the path they have so invaluably charted.