Why Did I Become A Doctor South Africa
Why Did I Become A Doctor - Real Stories from Professionals Who Chose Their Path
Honest conversations about career, calling, and life choices. Unfiltered journeys of doctors, dentists, nurses, engineers, accountants, and professionals across South Africa and beyond.
In-depth interviews exploring professional pressures, burnout, career pivots, mental health, and the moments that made people question their calling.
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Why Did I Become A Doctor South Africa
Almost Became a Doctor. Instead, He Became One of SA's Most Influential Judges. | Judge Dennis Davis
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He walked into medical school. Two weeks later, he walked out. What followed was a career that would shape South African law for decades — from drafting the Competition Act to chairing the Davis Tax Committee, from a TV show he did entirely for free to a bench appointment he didn't even want.
Judge Dennis Davis grew up in a working-class Jewish family in Cape Town — his father a motor mechanic, his mother a legal secretary. He was a first-generation university student who finished second in his law class, got no bursaries because he was too outspoken, and spent nearly two years at Old Mutual doing estate planning for wealthy clients just to save enough money to study overseas. None of it was planned. Almost all of it was accidental.
In this episode, Judge Davis speaks candidly about what it actually felt like to sit on the bench for over two decades — the exhaustion, the under-resourcing, the weight of custody cases, and the salary that senior counsel earn five to ten times over. He talks about being "bulldozed" onto the bench by Chief Justice Ismail Mahomed, applying once for the Constitutional Court and not getting it, and why he jokes that the interviews were simply too long. He reflects on growing up under apartheid, the parallel he drew as a 12-year-old between the Holocaust and what he witnessed on the streets of Cape Town, and how that moment set the course of everything that followed.
He also shares why, in 2026, he is no longer certain that constitutional democracy in South Africa is here to stay — and why he still wouldn't leave.
Hosted by Dr Yash Naidoo and Dr Yakshen Lindy.
This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed by guests do not necessarily represent those of the podcast or hosts and do not constitute professional advice. Always consult with qualified professionals for medical, legal, financial, or career decisions.
🎙️ Why Did I Become A Doctor shares honest, unscripted conversations with doctors, dentists, healthcare professionals, and other inspiring individuals who are shaping the future of healthcare and beyond.
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