Currently I am a medical doctor in Johannesburg. Having completed a degree in actuarial science, I decided to pursue medicine because the softer side of the medical profession appealed to me. Building long-term relationships and interacting with a diverse range of people is immensely rewarding at an emotional level – I have experienced this first-hand in my clinical practice. However, my intellectual curiosity would not allow me to be satisfied with a ground-level clinical career, and I have always had my mind set on a higher level role. I have actively built my skill set in this direction. Before my first classes in medical school I had started extra courses towards a Master of Public Health, and after concluding the masters’ coursework in my fifth year, I then completed several online pharmaceutical, strategy, and management courses through Coursera. I have also been involved in epidemiological research for the last few years, and co-authored 4 peer-reviewed journal articles in the field of HIV treatment programmes. On the corporate and financial side, my actuarial science honours project examined hedging of long-term liabilities, and I have worked as an independent contractor for an investment firm and an economic NGO. A career in medical affairs provides the opportunity to solve problems at a higher level and to experience the richness of building personal relationships. I believe it is the perfect fit for me, as I have enjoyed working with people and solving problems in numerous arenas – from the numerical side of my actuarial studies and epidemiology research to my work in clinical medicine.