Dr Sholena Narain is a Durban-based private physiotherapist with over 20-years of experience. She has published several research papers in reputable South African Journals and presented her research at the 2017 World Confederation of Physiotherapy Congress. In 2019, Dr Narain was officially appointed as an expert for the Council for Medical Scheme, which supervises a massive and very important industry comprising more than 80 medical schemes registered in the country. Dr Narain has been instructed to act as a medicolegal physiotherapy expert in over 200 medical negligence cases in South Africa. While Dr Narain has obtained an impressive CV in her professional life, she regards her role as a single mother to her son, Nikhil Narain, as one of her greatest achievements. Tabloid Newspapers invited Dr Narain on the couch to learn more about this remarkable woman.
Tabloid Newspapers (TN): How would you describe yourself?
Sholena Narain (SN): I am survivor, someone who is kind and innovative.
TN: What inspired you to get into this profession and what do you love about your job?
SN: In high school, I was actively involved in sports and had the opportunity to meet and experience first-hand what physiotherapists do. Their ability to transform people’s lives is what inspired me to want to take up this noble profession myself. As physiotherapists we truly get to touch people’s lives, and one of the most powerful impacts that we have is our ability to give people that confidence to take that first step to walk again. We don’t just treat a diagnosis or symptoms, we treat the person, ensuring that we can reintegrate them to a normal life as possible before their injury, illness, or surgery. Physiotherapists deal with some of the most intimate aspects of people’s lives: their pain and suffering, bodily dysfunction, patients’ relationships and attitudes of their families, friends and colleagues, permanent disability, death and dying. I love working with people, the human body is so fascinating, and while the body has limitations the human spirit is boundless and more powerful than anything that can happen to it.
TN: You have garnered a remarkable following on social media, more so in the seven months that you have been on TikTok. How did that journey begin?
SN: I started posting videos on TikTok in January this year more as a hobby. I had no intention at the time of creating a niche or attracting a following. Over the past seven months I felt there was a need to highlight certain critical issues. What I have come to realise though in the short time that I have been a ‘tiktokker’ is that we set out thinking that we are providing a service to people, however the content creator is nothing without the followers, fans and friends that motivate them with their likes and comments. We must humble ourselves with the knowledge that the very people we set out trying to help, help us instead. It is very much a two-way street. I am grateful to have met some amazing people from all walks of life on TikTok and this has helped me grow as person.
TN: Tell us a bit about your content and why there is an urgent need for the topics that you educate people on to be talked about often?
SN: My content has focused on a number of different health issues, taking into consideration what the month symbolises for example, September is International Muscular Dystrophy Month. I am passionate about people living with disabilities and this is a very marginalised group of people with extremely limited access to opportunities let alone equal opportunities. I try to use my platform to educate mainstream society on acceptance, inclusion and respect for people living with disabilities. I am also passionate about empowering women and girls, and I used the month of August to address issues of GBV (Gender based violence) in South Africa. A large portion of my August content focused on celebrating women and motivating them to support and uplift each other up. I initiated the #wearpink to demonstrate that women don’t need to be in competition with men and want to be like men. We are not like men; we are physiologically different. We can still be powerful high achievers while looking like a pretty lady. This initiative was even supported by the #kingssupportingqueens movement, where men posted videos of pink for Women’s Month.
TN: You have also been involved with medicolegal work, explain to us what that entails and your experiences with that area of expertise.
SN: I am unfortunately unable to go into great detail about my medicolegal work, but what I would like to highlight is the definition of medical malpractice. It is a legal cause of action that occurs when a medical or health care professional deviates from standards in their profession, thereby causing injury to a patient. Many patients and the families are unaware of their rights and if you believe that you have suffered as a result of negligence by a medical practitioner, you have the right to lay a claim in court against the practitioner.
TN: You are incredibly passionate about women empowerment, tell us how this extends to the work that you do?
SN: I published a research article in the South African Journal of Physiotherapy on the Sustainable Development Goals, and one of the goals being women empowerment. I believe women empowerment is not a campaign to be done over a month. It is a long-term collective effort that is required from both men and women to ensure the basic needs of women are met. For example, condoms are free, but girls and women need to pay for sanitary pads. Girls miss school because they don’t have access to clean water and sanitary pads during their menstrual cycle. A woman’s basic need to feel safe is not being met and we as health professionals must use our platforms to educate and empower the nation but also to create a safe space where women can come tell their stories, so other young girls and women do not fall into the same unfortunate fate.
TN: What were some of your challenges with being a woman in healthcare and how did you find yourself overcoming these obstacles?
SN: I think its no secret that some male doctors and specialists suffer from a “God Complex” and there’s a persistent belief that women aren’t as competent as men, they are less committed to their medical careers, and are less effective as leaders. Being a mother and having to leave work to fetch your kids from school should not be viewed as a weakness. Women wear different hats and you often find them balancing careers, households and many other experiences. At the age of 22, when I first entered the healthcare industry as a qualified physiotherapist, I was a victim of gender bias, discrimination and sexual harassment. In retrospect I regret not speaking up in my younger years, but I’m ensure that I stand up not only for me but for all women, especially those who will come after me.
TN: Why do we need more women in healthcare, in your opinion?
SN: It is important to level the playing field by ensuring that women have equal opportunities. Women are sorely underrepresented in healthcare leadership. On average, it takes women three to five years longer to reach CEO status in the healthcare field. Women in healthcare will also be better positioned to deal with the medical community’s legacy of failing to meet women’s health issues. It is an area that has been seriously neglected in the past and now continues to impact on the health and well-being of many women.
TN: As a woman in healthcare, tell us why it’s a profession that women can thrive in and what advice do you have for any woman out there with aspirations to get into the medical field?
SN: Working in healthcare is extremely rewarding and fulfilling. It allows you an above average earning potential in a stimulating work environment where you have opportunities to upskill and further your education. If you decide to open your own private practice, it allows you more flexible schedules and helps women have a more balanced lifestyle. I think the advice I would give to any young female with aspirations to get into the medical field, is that they must be 100% sure that it is a career path that they wish to follow. While it has many advantages, it is years of study, hard work, long working hours, harsh working conditions and a profession that is not for everyone.
TN: What advice do you have in general for girls and young women of today?
SN: I think for me, the important thing to remember with women empowerment is that we should not become man-haters. We have fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, and sons who rely on our love and respect to allow them to be the best versions of themselves. The best scenarios are ones in which men and women work together for the betterment of their homes, community, and industry. I think young women must strive for to be independent and self-sufficient. An education is a powerful tool that allows you to conquer the world. An educated girl knows her rights, and the rights of those around her.
