Final-year students from the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT) Faculty of Health Sciences took an important step towards their professional careers during the Faculty’s Professional Oath-Taking Ceremony, held on 5 November 2026. The ceremony brought together students from across the Faculty’s departments to affirm their commitment to the ethical standards, responsibilities and values that underpin healthcare practice.
The students represented a range of disciplines, including Radiography, Emergency Medical Care and Rescue, Biomedical and Clinical Technology, Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics, Dental Sciences, Chiropractic, Homoeopathy, Nursing, Somatology and Community Health Studies.
Delivering the welcome address, Dr D. Varatharajullu, Head of the Department of Chiropractic, highlighted the importance of compassion, empathy and human connection in healthcare. She reminded students that while technology continues to advance healthcare delivery, it cannot replace the reassurance and human connection that healthcare professionals provide. She encouraged them to approach their professions with pride and humility, using their knowledge and skills to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
“It is the difference we make in others that will determine the significance of the life we lead,” she said.
Acting Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Professor P. Pillay, reminded students that becoming a healthcare professional goes beyond obtaining a qualification or professional title. It carries the responsibility of earning and maintaining the trust placed in them by patients and communities.
She described the professional oath as a public commitment that should guide their conduct throughout their careers. She emphasised the importance of protecting patients’ dignity and privacy, speaking up for patient safety and upholding ethical standards, even when no one is watching.
Professor Pillay also encouraged students to take responsibility for their own health and well-being as they prepare to enter the healthcare sector. She urged them to normalise seeking help when needed, noting that self-care is essential to building a resilient healthcare workforce capable of delivering safe and compassionate care.
The importance of professional responsibility was further explored during the keynote addresses. Professor Dr Prakaschandra from DUT’s Department of Biomedical and Clinical Technology highlighted the need for ethical decision-making, accountability and patient-centred care.
Addressing the students, the speaker emphasised that obtaining a qualification and professional registration does not automatically make a practitioner competent to perform every procedure. Students were encouraged to recognise the limits of their professional competence, seek assistance when necessary and always protect patients’ dignity, regardless of their circumstances.
“A resource-constrained environment may change what is clinically possible, but it has never changed whose life we value,” the speaker said, underscoring the responsibility healthcare professionals carry in protecting human life.
Other keynote contributors included Dr L. O’Connor, representing the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA); Ms M. Siluma, representing the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP); and Dr N.P. Zikalala, representing the South African Nursing Council (SANC).
Their presentations provided students with insight into the professional regulations, standards and responsibilities governing their respective fields. The engagement reinforced the importance of professional accountability, ethical conduct and understanding the obligations associated with practising in the healthcare sector.
The programme also recognised students for their academic and personal contributions through an awards ceremony. Certificates were presented to students from participating departments in the categories of Top Achiever, Most Improved and Most Participative. These categories reflected DUT’s Living Values Framework, with Top Achiever linked to Excellence, Most Improved to Accountability and Most Participative to Commitment.
Industry partners were also recognised through tokens of appreciation for their valuable support and contribution to student development, acknowledging the importance of collaboration between the University and the professional sector in preparing future healthcare practitioners.
Adding to the occasion, the Child and Youth Care Drummers from the Department of Community Health Studies delivered a cultural performance, bringing a celebratory atmosphere to the proceedings.
A particularly significant moment was the candle-lighting ceremony, followed by the recitation of the respective professional oaths. Led by the Heads of Departments across the Faculty, students from each discipline reaffirmed their commitment to the ethical principles and professional responsibilities associated with their chosen careers.
The ceremony culminated in the administration of the Faculty Professional Oath by Professor Pillay, symbolising a collective commitment to professionalism, ethical practice and service within the healthcare sector.
Delivering the closing remarks, Dr J.N. Mbatha, Head of the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Technology, reminded students that the oath they had taken was not merely a formality, but a commitment that would extend throughout their professional lives. He encouraged them to carry its principles into their workplaces and remain accountable to the patients and communities they will serve.
As the students prepare to take the next step in their careers, the ceremony served as a reminder that being a healthcare professional requires more than technical knowledge and clinical competence. It demands compassion, integrity, sound judgement and an unwavering commitment to putting patients first.
Pictured: Faculty of Health Sciences Students Candle lighting session
Photographer: S’bonelo Dlamini
Luyanda Mlaba
