Big day, big results

We made it: Final-year medical students (from left) Nerica Ramsundhar, Thandi Giwu and Lusanda Bomela clinch their success.

The scene spoke anticipation, the unopened champagne bottles hinting at victory.

Having eased the corks to within a whiff of celebration, UCT's final-year medical students waited for the results lists to be thrown from the balcony of the Barnard Fuller Building.

When they did, the students jostled and jumped; shrieking, shouting, dodging fountains of champagne that had erupted like fireworks, drenching parents, siblings and bon vivants who had come to witness the special day.

Fifteen MBChB students achieved first-class honours, about 9% of the class. The top student was Kirstin Coetzee, who walked off with the Barnard Fuller Prize.

In addition, three BSc Physiotherapy students will graduate with distinctions (also 9% of the class), as will two BSc Occupational Therapy students (7% of the class), and two BSc Speech-Language Pathology (10% of the class).

There was a 100% pass rate for BSc Speech-Language Pathology and BSc Audiology, both courses offered by the Division of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the School of Health and rehabilitation Sciences.

There was another reason to celebrate; besides toiling over their books, the students managed to raise R4 000 for the paediatric ward at Somerset Hospital.