University of Pretoria graduate Janet Reed is South Africa’s top nuclear medicine physician.

“The combination of science and medicine sparked my interest in this fascinating and rapidly evolving speciality to optimise patient care,” she said.

Reed, who hails from Roodekrans on the West Rand, graduated with a Masters of Medicine in Nuclear Medicine at the University of Pretoria in April 2023. She was admitted in May 2023 as a fellow at the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa, which recognised her as the top nuclear medicine physician in the country.

Among the accolades, after graduating as the country’s top nuclear medicine physician, Reed had a journal article published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. She also received the top achiever’s medal and an Academic Honours Blazer.

In this picture at her graduation, UP graduate Janet Reed is joined by Prof Mike Sathekge, Head of the Nuclear Medicine Department at the University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital, as well as the CEO/Head of the main Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI).

Nuclear medicine is a specialised field of imaging and therapy which uses small amounts of radioactivity in the form of radiopharmaceuticals to study various organ systems in the body and diagnose and treat disease. 

“I have always had a great desire to make a difference and to help people, and together with my passion for science and biology, nuclear medicine was the perfect fit,” she said.

After graduating with an MBChB from the University of Pretoria in 2015, Reed worked at Steve Biko Academic Hospital until May 2019 before commencing with her master’s under world-renowned nuclear medicine specialist Professor Mike Sathekge in June 2019.

“Training under Prof Mike was a privilege. Not only is he a world-renowned nuclear physician, but he always helps his trainees to reach their absolute best potential and juggles many roles in the process, including academia and engagement in optimising our academics so that we can succeed,” she said.

Deeply spiritual, Reed praised God for the strength and capacity to give her best daily.

Reed is currently working in private practice.